The engine in our RX350H explained.
A very nice sofisticated engineering.
Watch both part 1 & 2

https://youtu.be/9GWKBbEMCC4?si=99FC1pLGAKrM108t

 

‘Well worth the time to watch this. Explains many questions I had about this engine. Hope Toyota has their act together as this engine is crazy complicated. I fear that the dealer will not have to techs to properly troubleshoot it if something goes wrong. Awesome video.

 

I have faith in this engine. It's been in production since 2017. Plenty of time for any issues to have arisen and been corrected. Plenty of time for techs to become familiar with it.

 

It's complicated enough to keep me from doing most anything to my cars other than routine fluid and filter changes. Hopefully, neither one will have to see the Lexus dealer very often.

 

This is precisely why I insisted on the 350H. The powertrain is hopefully proven out enough such that I can get years of trouble free miles with routine service.

 

I will have to admit my 350h has 7K trouble free miles on it and expect many more.

 

Over 21K miles on my 500H with this engine. No issues with it

 

The 500h uses a different engine like the regular 350 which is a Turbo engine.

 

LEXUS-SSA is correct. The normally aspirated 2.5L engine is the A25A and the 2.4L turbocharged engine is the T24A.

 

Is it true this engine uses a vacuum pump for the brake booster?

 

I wish that The Car Care Nut (aka AMD or Ahmed) was close to my area, as I value his technical expertise, skills and his very helpful YT videos. I grew up fairly close to his area in Northern Illinois but, no way would I ever move back to the land of harsh Winters. I am a card carrying California lightweight now, with no interest in ever picking up a snow shovel again.

 

It appears so. Just like many diesel engines, it appears to not create enough vacuum to function without a pump.

 

Not a fan of this design.

 

Yes, it is to reduce pumping losses to a minimum. Vacuum from the manifold requires a restriction.

It's just one part of why this is one of the most efficient gasoline engines ever to be mass produced.

 

Our 1980s sports car was fitted with a belt-driven vacuum pump to provide control for distributor advance, power brakes, and HVAC controls.

In that car's case, it was because the high-performance design of the engine included too much valve overlap to provide reliable vacuum.

So, you shouldn't worry.