Hey guys. I don't know why I'm asking, because I'm pretty sure I know the answer.

The car wouldn't start about 6 months ago. I truly believe the battery was dead (it was about 5 years old at the time). So, I replaced the battery. I didn't have a wire brush, so I did not clean the corrosion off the terminal clamps. About a month ago, one morning the car wouldn't start. Just a bunch of clicks. So, I popped the hood, removed the clamps from the terminals and cleaned them thoroughly. When I put them back on, the positive clamp was very loose, so I replaced it. It seemed to fix the problem, so I thought I dodged the bullet.

A few days ago, same thing, car wouldn't start. Just a bunch of clicks. I let it sit for a few minutes and tried to start it again, and this time it started right up as if there was nothing wrong. It's been fine ever since. Very weird.

So, back to my original question, do I need a new starter? If so, has anyone figured out a cheaper way to go about replacing it? The Lexus dealer quoted me around $1,500. Thanks.

e

 

you can find someone to rebuild it I had a friend who made startes and alternators for a living who would rebuild either one for $25 bucks for me I'd ask him to help you out (if it were the starter as a problem) however we had a fall out about a year ago

 

I could be wrong, but isn't the starter basically buried in the middle of the engine? I thought I read somewhere that you need to take the heads off in order to get to it.

e

 

This link will take you through the whole proses of removal and rebuilding the starter in your 400.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...-problems.html

 

It's under the intake manifold, towards the rear of the motor.

 

Holy hell! Remove the heads the starter will be near the fly wheel... I'm gonna look for a blow up of our engine, maybe some one will come on with proper answer to that before I find the blow up.

 

Lexus quoted me 8 hours of labor to replace it. Does that sound about right?

e

 

Slow down there... you're not even getting near removing the heads.

Here's a GREAT write up.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...roblems-2.html

Sounds WAY high!!! DeLorean00 self proclaimed he's no expert, and the job only took him 4-5 hours. The books might call for eight, but negotiate it from there.

 

Just quoting what he said... Just wanna be clear here

 

just take a long metal rod abt quarter inch in diameter n abt 4 feet long... n look below the intake manifold...is somewhere there...just give one two very slight taps on it...that will start your car is something abt replacing the "carbon" inside the starter...u can always rebuilt it...

 

I got about the same thing with my car. Sometimes over the Summer my car would just turn off when I was stopped. One time I was in the middle of an intersection and it just completely stopped, and I tried to start it and nothing happened so I called 9-11 to have it towed. However, 2 minutes later the car started fine. My friends dad looked at my car and cleaned off the corrosion on the battery and tightened the connections to the battery with a wrench. This seemed to fix that problem. However, more recently it seems like in the morning when it is pretty cold my car will start up for a second and then stall out and I'll have to start it again and rev it up a little so it doesn't stall again. However, I did have an instance just as you described. One time I went over to my girlfriends house and my car got stuck in snow. I hung out with my girlfriend for a while and then I came out and tried to start the car. The first time it started up and then stalled out. I started it up again and it did the same. However, when I tried to start it a third time it just kept clicking, it was turning, and it seemed to catch for a second, but then it would begin turning again. I called on my girlfriends dad for help. Of course as soon as he came out the car started perfectly (Which was about 2 minutes later). We had to shovel snow from under the car in order to finally get it out, but everything worked in the end.