deanbrown

Hi all,

The wife limped home on a P0306 with a flashing Track Off light, smell of gas coming out the back, almost stalling. One code - P0306 (misfire on 6 cylinder).

What's the significance of the flashing Track Off light?

Am I on the right track here - I assume its not the coil, but either a plug or a cable or possibly an injector? I assume a bad coil would show other cylinders also, but not sure if they start usually with just the one code.

Thanks for any advice,

96 LS400 265K miles

Edit: I pulled the plug on cylinder 6 and it has a strong spark, at least 1/2". Engine runs the same with that plug pulled. Plug was clean with a gap of around 1.2mm which is within limits.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

check all ignition components, if it's been a while I would just replace.

coils, plugs, cap, rotors, wires.

deanbrown

Ok thanks PD. I had a memory lapse but it came back just now - I changed the TB in 2011 and did the distributor caps and rotors then at the same time. But not the wires, plugs or coil packs. I think this makes my life muuuuch easier. The wires plugs and coils have around 200K on them.

Does the flashing track off light mean anything?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

nothing of value until you fix the rest of it.

LScowboyLS

gas smell + flashing trac or ECT light is often indicative of failing ECU capacitors, and a 96 is one of the most common year models for this, especially in humid areas like NJ

I would run Yamae's ripple test or else pull the ECU and take photos of the inside and post so Yamae and I can visually inspect it

deanbrown

Here's some pics. What do you think?

LScowboyLS

I think you just figured out what's wrong with your car!

good job!

just make sure to use the 6 caps specified in the links in post #1 in my failing ECU caps thread

here is the list of values, but to make sure you get the rare type that the LS400 needs, follow the link for each size when you order, these are not capacitors you can buy locally (the actual ones you order will be higher voltage, and have many other differences, such as high temp, high ripple rejection and low-ESR)

Qty. 2 of 10uF - 50v
Qty. 1 of 47uF - 63v
Qty. 2 of 100uF - 10v
Qty. 1 of 220uF - 16v

deanbrown

Thanks! (BTW it was not ME who figured it out!) Thank god for CL forums and all you guys.
I keep trying to get the wife to get another LS, because it is starting to be a bit of a time sink (TB, egr pipe, numerous rotors and control arms, etc. etc.) and this is the first time that it left us undriveable. But I digress. I'm gonna get this rebuilt somehow and follow up with the results.

Cheers!

Edit: Does that burnt part on the mother board mean the in-board wire is no good? Looks like if the caps are replaced, the break would still be there.

deanbrown

So here's an update. I got the ECU back from a guy who does rebuilds (on Ebay). I payed $150 for this. I put it back again in the lexus, and started her up.

At first, there was roughness and misfiring, and smoke and gas smells, but it got better and better over around 15 minutes, I assume because part of the cats or other exhaust components were flooded with gas and crap from earlier.

It drives like a new car now. But, now I have 2 engine codes, one may be low coolant level (P0125) but the other is P0430, which is possibly O2 sensor or bad cats.

Do you think its possible that the ECU is not fixed properly, and that it is mis-reading the sensors, or is it more likely that the O2 sensor was killed by the flood of crap that went through it? It smells a bit gassy when it's running. If the injector circuit on the ECU were not repaired properly, has anyone ever had such an issue?

Here's a pic of the repair - you can see new tracks on the mother board, and it has 6 new capacitors.

Merry Xmas everyone!

LScowboyLS

These do NOT look like the correct, very rare, low-ESR, high temperature, long life, high ripple rejection premium Japanese capacitors which I specified in my original failing ECU capacitors thread. I don't know of any place in the world using the correct capacitors, that is why I made my initial write up for folks to do it themselves, or at least provide the capacitors to their technicians of choice.

could you perhaps get the numbers and markings off of the capacitors and post them, they don't look like the ones I specified in my thread, and I specified all of the ones in the world that will work correctly!

deanbrown

What happens when you put in a different cap? BTW I'm pretty much done with this ****ing vehicle now. I got my money's worth in the last 15 years.

LScowboyLS

the LS400 needs a very specific rare type of capacitor, the repair doesn't work right with just normal capacitors!

and shame on all of the "rebuilders" out there, none of which apparently know what they are doing, and use the wrong type, just pouring salt into the car owner's wound by engaging in a business they are not competent to be in, but this happens throughout automotive repair!