2007 IS250 won't start, looking for ideas
 

I bought a 2007 Lexus is250 AWD knowing that it didn't start but it does crank. I thought it would be a quick fix but it is turning into a money pit. It kind of sounds like there is some resistance in the motor and is struggling to turn. Here is what I have tried so far

1. replaced fuel pressure sensor.
2. replaced fuel pump assembly.
3 reworked the battery ground strap (sanded all the connection edges on the strap and car)
4 bought a new battery
5 replaced the starter(that was pretty hard)
6 pulled a spark plug to check spark(it sparked)
7 sprayed starting fluid in the throttle body (still didn't really sputter)
8 unplugged MAF and there was no difference
9 the key is in there and the start button turns green.
10 no codes are showing up on the scanner

any pointers or direction would be helpful.

Hello,

Don't want to be a downer, but that engine really doesn't sound good, it feels as if there is barely any compression, and as if something is jammed somewhere. Below is a video of how it should sound. It seems like the issue you have is mechanical, either one of the accessories (like A/C Compressor) is jammed, preventing the engine from turning, or it's even deeper in the engine itself. The former is pretty easy to test by taking the Serpentine Belt off, the latter, well, you will have to look inside the engine with a camera.


Hope this helps and best of luck!

Thanks,

I appreciate your honesty. I took off the alternator when installing the starter and it spun freely. I'll check the other pulleys. One thing nice about this car is its really easy to change the serpentine belt. I'll take it off completely and see if it is any different.

Something is horribly wrong wrong and either seized up or bound up. It's cranking at perhaps 1/5 speed under a heavy load.
Please remove oil filter and dig through the pleats. What do you see?
And what is the condition of the coolant?

if no changes after pulling accessory belt, remove plugs, oil cylinders with a syring, pull ignition fuse and crank with plugs out. See if RPM picks up.

in all the years I've never seen a transmission fail and cause this (except a botched install) but look under it and verify the trans hasn't had the bolts out. If it has, and someone failed to install the torque converter properly, that could absolutely cause this...

*Look at transmission first. Then oil filter.

thanks for the tips guys!
UPDATE:

I took off the serpentine belt and the AC compressor is definitely seized up. I put the jump box on it so I knew there was enough battery. It cranked like video Arsenii linked. It started after a couple tries but only ran for about 1 second. Then it would crank with no start. This morning I tried again and it ran for about 4 seconds when I kept throttle on it. Then it stalled, I ready the codes again and there was only the MAF code from when I had it unplugged and it stayed off when I cleared it.

next steps ?

1 change the plugs in case they are fouled ( they didn't look fouled and they looked like iridium ones)
2 try starting it some more
3 borrow an Autel that can check each individual module, and see if there are any errors.
4 See if I can replace the clutch on the AC without removing the compressor.

any other tips when it is almost starting ?

So, belt off, the outer ring with the grooves is froze solid?
Does the inner hub spin. The inner hub is the compresor. The outer hub is coupled to the compressor with a magnetic clutch. If the clutch hub bearing seized, the inner hub (compressor) should still spin freely.
I'd likely buy a remanufactured Denso compressor and swap the whole thing out.

As for starting it, check all your work. It seems a lot of things were taken apart and changed, just because?

What does the air filter look like? Silly question but is it still in the wrapper? I ran into this once with a co-worker that tried to do it themselves with zero knowledge.

New update
 

I went with a brute force attempt which I am not usually keen of. I kept trying to start it until it finally caught a bit and a kept the throttle up keeping it at 2000 rpm. I kept it on for about a minute before I got brave enough to let off. It idled fine with just the battery and no belt. I shut it off and came back a half hour later and it started up and ran fine.

I ordered a used AWD compressor on eBay which I thought was weird that it was different from rwd but whatever. When I grab the compressor on the car I can rotate it about 60 degrees either way before I get resistance and can’t turn it. I was going to try to replace just the clutch, but the guy I bought the car from said he was driving it and it just died so maybe the whole compressor is bad. I don’t mind changing out the whole compressor, especially after the challenging job of installing the starter. I was hoping to avoid having to evacuate and recharge the ac.

id like to thank everyone here for their help. I came from working on civics and Subaru’s but none of those were over 10 years old. Working on this car I learned I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

My man, look at rockauto reman cost vs used fleabay, you have zero idea of what wear, what oil is in current system or used compressor. A reman compressor comes with specified oil for that system.

My Tundra seized the compressor bringing a V8 to its knees, if your core compressor does not rotate, you need to replace condenser dryer, and minimum, the HP lines from the comp to the dryer as they are likely full of metal.

Glad it's running but AC systems, one can't cut corners unless they like doing stuff several times at increasing cost each time.

GL

While you are at it replace the high pressure and low pressure side schrader valves. The o-rings degrade and will start to leak refrigerant over time. Replacement of those is a maintenance item that good mechanics take care of during AC service.

I watched a you tube video and it does seem like I should just do it right one time. It seems a lot different that just changing the power steering pump.

If you cut corners and a compressor fails and sends debris through AC lines, the only safe fix is replace everything.

Does the compressor inner core turn?