sphereman

Hellow Fellow Lexus owners...

I own a 98 LS with 92.000 miles on it and I wanted to know what serviced needs to be done on my car.

Since I bought the the car new back in 1998, I didn't do any maintenance on the car except for changing engine oils and air filters. Since my car is about to hit the 100k mark soon, I thought it needs some services.

What needs to be done on my car?? I really wish to keep the car for another 5-7 years or more.

From top of my head..

1. tune-up??
2. transmission oil change??
3. ....

any input is appreciated. Thanks!!

phillipin

In order of importance

engine oil and filter $15-30
air filter $15
pcv valve $8
plugs and set timing $50
tranny fluid drain and fill $40-50 toyota type 4 fluid only or amsoil
diff fluid drain and fill $40
cabin filter $30-40 online


clean off batter connections, check and listen for brake squeel
check and listen for any axel thumping or drive train whine

fix as you go, you should be all set

Stefwilli

I think I'm going to change my spark plugs and air filter.

Hit Man X

Flush the brakes too, dirty brake fluid makes the car stop like crap.

I'd consider new caps and rotors also, not sure on the timing belt... I made it to 197k on the stocker with no problem. If you do caps with rotors, do plug wires too.

phillipin

1uz's are non interference right, just drive it till it snaps?

sphereman

wow.. thanks so much, guys.. you guys are always great!!

so...

i guess i should do

1. tune up?? spark plugs, wires and what else???

2. tranny oil change.. so i heard somewhere that it is better kept unchanged unless there is a problem. is this correct??

thanks

Kansas

sphereman,

You are not in bad shape at all if you look at the "normal" maintenance schedule for a 98-00 LS400. The spark plug change interval is for 98-00 LS400's is 120,000 miles. The plug wires are good for several hundred thousand miles unless they become damaged. The transmission and rear differential fluid never require changing under the normal maintenance schedule.

The most important task to have done is the brake fluid change - 7-8 year old brake fluid is a safety issue. A coolant change is well overdue and and coolant this old could be causing some corrosion.

And of course the timing belt is supposed to be changed at 90,000 miles and you can't allow them to go until they break like on the pre-VVTi engines.

Regardless of what our 00 LS maintenance manual says, I find it a difficult to let the transmission and rear end fluid go unchanged forever so I usually have it changed every 30K miles. Doing it this so often is probably just a waste of money and petroleum.

I just had the normal (non-severe service) 60K maintenance last week on my 00 LS and it was less than $400 - including a transmission and differential fluid change from the severe service schedule.

Good luck!

damon

Sphereman,

Kansas has excellent advice. The 98 is an interference engine, if the belt breaks (exceedingly rare!) there will likely be valve damage. I would not go past 120,000 miles but do believe 90,000 to be a tad bit of overkill.

Some good info for you to collect at the CL Forum would be to find a well respected Indy mechanic in your area & inexpensive sources to mail order parts. Start purchasing what you need & have the work done at your convenience. Other than that ,look forward to many years of driving pleasure.

Note: I would also check the engine & tranny mounts, they are usually goners by now.

damon

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

I personally think your way behind. I would drain and refill the transmission fluid about 4 times. (I did this on my dealer maintained car after i purchased it, and felt a big difference).

Your power steering fluid (very important). Your brake fluid. Your spark plugs. Coolant fluid. Water pump, timing belt, and caps. The 98's don’t have any wires, its has a ignition on coil system. In my owner’s manual it said to drain and refill the differential fluid.

CELICA XX

I have been told by the dealership, that 1995+ are indeed interference motors.

damon

In 95 the LS series & the 1UZFE got bumped up a bit in HP ( is this due to Variable Valve Timing?) and they absolutely are interference engines from 95 to present. I ran my 94 LS to 170,000 miles before a TB change when the bearing in the Fan Bracket Support gave up the ghost.

Tranny Fluid & PS Fluid changes are a great idea.

If you are at all a DIY guy checkout Earls awesome site:
http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/

With you car on a rack check out your motor mounts with a light, I can almost guarantee they are either torn in two or have been replaced.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

That is correct.

Hit Man X

Exactly, no need to really worry at 100k... hell it's the slack that causes them to break, not the milage. When they get to a certain amount of degrees out, at times you can just correct this with Woodruff keys and keep driving. I've seen some Benz on their stock chain at upper 300K mi...

sphereman

thanks so much guys!!

here is what i did today.

1. changed serpetine belt (gator back, $20 at autozone), easy job!
2. air filter ($15)
3. cabin filter ($30)

next week, i will do the rest so here is my list (please add if i am missing something)

1. transmission oil change
2. steering wheel oil change
3. brake oil change
4. coolant
5. differential oil change
6. spark plug change
anything else???

also, what is a PCV valve? do i have to change them as well??
what else should be included in tune-up??

Thanks!!

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

I strongly suggest using T-IV for tranny fluid, and Mobil 1 ATF for the power steering