The culprit!


Codes all seemed to tie to one coil bank.
Purchased a '97 LS400 for $1800 that was cosmetically beautiful, but it wasn't running right. Vehicle was exhibiting massive loss of power, terrible fuel consumption and red hot catalytic convertors. But vehicle was NOT throwing a code.

Got around to working it today. First order of business was to solve obd problem. I used the "All my crazy Lexus issues solved" solution and got the OBD system working properly.

Wires,and plugs were old, so I replaced them as well as the coils and installed aftermarket Catalytic Convertors. Compression was a pretty consistent 210 and timing was right on the money.

Problem wasn't solved, but codes were now showing cylinder misfires coming from all cylinders on left bank (cylinder 2, 8, 3, and 5). I listened and heard arcing coming from brand new coil wire.

At this point I suspected a cap and rotor issue. Opened up the timing cover and there it was. Rotor had disintegrated leaving no place for the spark to go.

$38 fix. Plus $250 for Cats, and $13 for the replacement capacitors. (Bonus new coils, plugs and wires.)

Coil Wire arcing! Cuidado... these hurt!

 

Good job!

 

wow that rotor is toast! wonder what cause it to fail so badly like that...poor installation perhaps.

 

Plastic was extremely brittle... probably just 22 years old.