propman

thanks for all your info, pics......my starter is on its way. i will tackle it this weekend and will post when im done.

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

wow i truly appreciate taking time to get this done and documenting your progress. i know when tackling a big project that you just want to finish and grabbing a camera with your hands dirty is the last thing you wanna do. kudos! your insight will be valuable to others, including me (not looking forward to it though).

as for the rotors, i believe it is supposed to be smooth like that! over time the metal corrodes and causing the metal to become sandpaperish.

WadeNelson

I just completed replacement of the starter on my '96 SC400. I'm an experienced tech and this job is a bear. +1 on the Harbor Freight t-handle "articulated" ratchet. Without that (and luck) the job would have been utterly impossible. My guess is that 7/10 shadetree mechanics who start this job never complete it. Pay a shop whatever they want to do it for you, but MAKE SURE they've done one before or you are going to get a phone call saying they can't do it for the price originally quoted. The coolant bridge gaskets are NOT available from Lexus,, you may find some on eBay. But that's ASSUMING you can lift the bridge sufficiently to swap them, I could not. Starter replacement is quite obviously the Achilles heel of this otherwise fine car. Knowing what I know now I should have simply sold the car at the first sign of trouble. But nooooo! I read 3 or 4 stories on the Internet of guys who managed to change them out, Guess what. The guys who failed probably didn't post anything. This job took me approximately 8 days calendar time, 10-12 hours under the hood, ALONG with replacement of a half dozen rock-hard coolant and vacuum lines, TBI cleaning, trips to O'Reilly's, Internet research (where the @#$@!!! does that vacuum line go! To the power steering pump, where else!) etc. My stress level was a 13 on a scale of 10 when I realized you simply could NOT move out of the way all the things in the way of reaching those damn bolts. These ARE 20 year old cars, baked plastic parts like the VSV ports and the release "triggers" on electrical connectors ARE going to break on you. And for some you can't get replacements! SOME guys reportedly drop the rear of the tranny and use a six foot collection of swivels and extensions to loosen the starter bolts. That's probably the way to go, provided you have a lift and an impact gun, and a wingman "up top" to guide the socket onto the bolts. Seriously. If you haven't been wrenching 10 years, possess every tool known to man, have the patience of Job, and are a registered masochist, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS REPAIR.

Be sure and read: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ry-by-bdr.html and
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...starter-today/

The right tool for the job: http://www.harborfreight.com/t-bar-w...het-98484.html

Ignore highlights on this "stock" photo.

nthach

I see guys at the junkyard pull starters out of these quite regularly - and I wonder about the coolant bridge gaskets if they are NLA, what material are they made out of?

I was planning to attack this, my mode of attack would be to take off the throttle body to gain access to the plenum bolts but leave the EGR and ISC valve intact, pull the fuel rails with the injectors still intact, undo as much wiring as I can, pull the lower intake and use a 14mm flex ratcheting wrench to get at the bolts without having to pull the coolant crossover bridge and rear wiring harness.

WadeNelson

Pardon my French, nthach, but I was once an arrogant idiot of a young man as you appear to be now. I needed then, as you do now, an "Old Dog" to bytch slap me down a few notches.

For starters, guys at junkyards will take a Sawzall to anything in their way of removing a desired part. You can "wonder" all you want, if you had simply asked I would tell you the gaskets are one of those
paper jobs with a rubber stripe around the center, so NO, you can't make one or substitue "Goop"

I appreciate your sharing with me how you plan to attack this. Perhaps when you GROW UP a little bit you will ask for advice rather than proudly announcing your PLANS, seeing as I just completed
the job. I could tell you, for instance, there is no room for the HEAD of a 14mm flex ratcheting wrench as you stated you intend to use. Maybe if you'd actually READ my post you'd notice I told
you about a specific Harbor Freight tool that WILL do the job and save you a lot of heartache. Why, may I ask, when someone TELLS you the easiest way would you ANNOUNCE you plan to do it
otherwise? Sheer arrogance? Stupidity? Distrust? Yeah, I purposely went on the Internet to spread misinformation about how to complete this miserable job.

I could tell you all sorts of things about "removing all the wiring you can" and pulling the rails with the injectors "intact." Or the injector "maintenance" you might want to do as it's 3 extra minutes
while you've got the rails out. HAD YOU ONLY ASKED.

Now don't get me wrong. I've mellowed in my old age. I've sought forgiveness from all the people I offended with my youthful arrogance and know-it-all attitude. The Bible sez, "If you paln to seek war (like replacing a UZ-1FE starter) begin by seeking advice." Not boldly announcing your plans, Captain Kirk.

Consider your bytch slapping over, and good luck with the repairs, HOWEVER you choose to do them. I hope you live long, prosper and eventually become a wise OLD DOG.

Wade Nelson "YEAH NO!"

Banshee365

​​​​​​​Was that necessary?

Stroock639

damn, this makes me wonder how the pre-mellowed WadeNelson would've replied lol

brybo86

this is my thread baby!

To clarify, I agree with the crazy dude above.

there is absolutely ZERO chance you get to the starter bolts without removing the coolant bridge on a 95-97.
Plan all you want. Not gonna work.

my learning curve got REALLY steep when I bought my LS.

went from rotating tires, changing oil and brakes on a 2008 Honda accord straight to
95 LS timing belt and water pump
and a month later
95 LS starter replacement.

Superfast1

I've recently replaced the starter in my 97 LS400 as well (check out my post: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-love-her.html) & I agree w/ Brybo86 that the rear water bypass/bridge will need to be lifted (no need to remove it completely) in order to get to the two 14mm starter's bolts. You'll also need the 14mm flex wrench, preferable flex racket wrench for the bolts as the socket won't do because there's no room for it. To ease the removal of the four 12mm nuts on the rear water bypass/bridge, especially the two next to the firewall, get yourself a flexible extension then attach the 12mm socket to it. This way, the extension can be slightly bent & fitted through the tight space coming from the top down. Don't forget to replace the rear water bypass/bridge's gaskets (qty 2) to ensure a leak free for this major replacement. The dealers have them for about $9 ea. For those of you that are willing to tackle this job yourself, I have all the torque values listed in my post. You may also want to clean the inside of the plenum, upper intake manifold & throttle body & do a major tuneup i.e. replacing spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor caps, rotors & etc... while the top half of the engine is right out in the open. It's hard work but you'll feel a sense of a major accomplishment when it's done & done the right way. Good luck.

WadeNelson

From having read EVERY post on EVERY Lexus forum on the Internet about replacing that @#$!!# starter, I conclude there are two ways of doing this job, the last mile...

You can LIFT the bridge, and perhaps sneak a flex-head ratchet underneath, OR

You can SNAKE the Harbor-Freight articulated ratchet down from the top. (*recommended*)

Despite considerable effort, 15-20 minutes worth, I could not find or make sufficient room for MY flex GearWrench to slide onto the passenger side starter bolt coming FROM THE TOP. Too much junk in the way, including just the "bowl" shaped part of the transmission body directly behind the starter. Maybe YOUR wrench has a smaller head which is why SOME folks report success using one, or maybe the approach angle makes the difference. I also DID NOT unbolt the EGR tube support bracket, perhaps others did as in the "rear view of motor" photo above that APPEARS to be an interference item.

NEITHER tool may PROVIDE you the torque needed to initially break 'em loose. I used a combination wrench with an open-end and a socket on the other end, along every demon I could summon by reciting Psalm 23 backwards!

Most ratchets (3/8" or GearWrench) are simply gonna snap if you apply that much torque. And there's simply no place to put your hand/arm to apply that much, unless you know the right demons... think angry thoughts about your ex-wife and the alimony you've given her while you're tugging on it... unless, as I did, you GET LUCKY.

Perhaps the SC's and LS's are SLIGHTLY different in regard to the coolant bridge; a lower EGR? Coolant? pipe, with two TRULY inaccessible bolts prevented me from lifting mine off the studs.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-love-her.html

If you can't COMPLETELY remove the coolant bridge then there is NO WAY to replace the fancy-pants gaskets underneath, suggesting "from above" is waay preferable. Never break the seal! And you can't simply lift the coolant bridge because the wiring harness is held DOWN by connections to the transmission? limits its vertical travel even once you unbolt its plastic tray. (Anyone who sez this job isn't a clustertuck hasn't done it...)

Another poster claims the bridge gaskets ARE available, my Lexus dealer sez "Nope."

p.s. When you're done remember to command those demons into some Hyundais or Kias passing by. Their owners will never notice the difference.

Banshee365

I will check on this tomorrow. I will be VERY surprised if they are not available.

Banshee365

This is simply not correct. You and your Lexus parts guy are wrong. I just checked my dealer source and there are a couple hundred in the US scattered across the warehouses. Absolutely no problem in getting the coolant bridge gaskets.

I checked for a 95-97 but the others are likely the same part.

2KHarrier

Great information on this starter swap. I'd love to pick up a 1st or 2nd gen car as a project, but (like the 3rd gen) that starter scares the crap out of me. I've done plenty of deep dives into an engine bay, but that would be a job and a half.
Hats off to the guys who have done it successfully.

Superfast1

WadeNelson- Here's the rear water bypass gasket p/n: 16341-50010. I bought mine at a local Lexus dealer in Cerritos, Ca close to where I live for $9 each. Do yourself a favor by replacing both left & right gaskets before you re-install the rear water bypass to ensure a leak free on such a big repair job. As stated in my previous post, the removal of the water bypass is a must in order to get to the two 14mm starter bolts but you don't need to remove it completely. Just lift it up about an inch enough to clear the 4 studs so you can access the starter bolts & swap out the gaskets later. You'll need to pry & lift the ECU harness up a bit to make room for the water bypass.
Now for the two 14mm starter bolts, I actually had to bend one of my 14mm wrenches (the closed end side) about 15 deg using a vice then used a pipe as an extension to break loose the bolts first then used the 14mm flex ratchet wrench to remove them. It's hard work but if you have patient, you can get them out. Also get yourself an adjustable extension w/ a magnet at the tip if you don't have one. It's a great tool to hold on to the bolts so you won't drop & lose the bolts during the removal & installation processes. You can do it. Good luck.

dicer

When I did a starter it took about an hour a bolt to get them out. And maybe a minute or less to get each of them back in. Yeah they needed some help engineering that whole starter deal.