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Just picked up a 2000 ls400 really clean 113k. Original owner passed away and the family traded it in. Drives amazing. I did front brakes, oil change and drained and filled tranny fluid. The day I bought the car it threw p0763. It’s been intermittent. Sometimes the tranny shift great other times it doesn’t shift into 4th. I bought the solenoid and I’m getting ready to replace it. My question is how can I tell which solenoid it is? I know I can check an ohm reading but the car had been running good for 2 days with out throwing the code. Is it possible that the solenoid is going to check out fine when the car is running good?
If the gear fluid is anything but a clear red I would start a changing routine also.
Change what comes out. ca 2 quarts. Fill exactly the same , Do once more after driving 20 miles or so. Repeat 5-6 times when convenient.
Will give you mostly new fluid. My gearbox on my 1995 worked flawless after oil change.
I’ve changed the fluid once already. Got out like 2.5 quarts. The light has stayed off and been shifting fine now for a couple hundred miles. So I think I’m going to do another drain refill tn and see what happens. The fluid was pretty dirty. So hopefully fresh fluid will fix it. I don’t really feel like dropping the pan.
Sound like a good chance new flid will fix it. My fluid was probably 20 years old and had 95k mile on it. Very dirty and shifts were rough especially when cold.
I exchanged 12 quarts . On the 1995 LS400 I used the method utilizing the cooling tubing to the radiator. Faster. The 2 quart at the time method feels safer Though and I used that on my second 1998 LS400.
To make life easier I exchanged the exakt amount of grams of fluid each time. weighed on a houshold scale Hence I did not have to fuss with the level much.
Thanks. I just dropped the fluid again with the car hot. Got just under 3 quarts this time. Took it for a run and gave it a good beating. Everything is shifting smooth. So time will tell.
fluid looks much cleaner already.
I had to change that solenoid on my 99LS last May. (search, you will find the thread). Be careful not to bend the pan when prying it, take your time and be patient. It was my second time dropping the pan and first time I used FIPG to glue it back and had a very light leak couple years later. Second time around I used a FelPro fiber gasket, much easier to work with, I have a tiny seepage somewhere, but its so light that I don't worry about it - no drops on the ground. It's best not to drop the pan with original FIPG there, but if a few cycles of 2qts changes don't help with the code, you will have to drop the pan and change the solenoid.
How much did you pay for the car, may I ask?
Last edited by valex; Jan 31, 2020 at 07:33 PM.
Reason: adding
I payed 3900. I know it’s on the high end. I live in New York so everything is expensive. Accords and camrys are going between 3-4k for something decent.
I payed 3900. I know it’s on the high end. I live in New York so everything is expensive. Accords and camrys are going between 3-4k for something decent.
Nice clean car, good price too. If that solenoid is all you have to do for right now, you are doing very good!
Last edited by valex; Feb 1, 2020 at 06:50 AM.
Reason: spelling
……….. It was my second time dropping the pan and first time I used FIPG to glue it back and had a very light leak couple years later. Second time around I used a FelPro fiber gasket, much easier to work with, I have a tiny seepage somewhere, but its so light that I don't worry about it - no drops on the ground. It's best not to drop the pan with original FIPG there, but if a few cycles of 2qts changes don't help with the code, you will have to drop the pan and change the solenoid.
I used the Toyota FIPG during a timing belt/water pump install and was not impressed with it. $16 wasted along with x amount of coolant all over the place. Permatex grey worked perfectly fine.
So the code came back on. Tranny shifting weird again. I dropped the pan and replaced the solenoid. I took ohm reading on the old solenoid and it was 13 ohms I believe so it was probably still fine. I think the problem was a contact issue with the plug. I read some other guys mention that. So I bent the tab slightly on the solenoid so the plug fit tightly. It’s been maybe 1000 miles no code. I think it’s fixed. Thanks for the help. 👍
I payed 3900. I know it’s on the high end. I live in New York so everything is expensive. Accords and camrys are going between 3-4k for something decent.
For such a clean 2000, I don't think that's a bad price at all. It's a clean car in good shape with a fully intact interior. You can fix mechanical issues, it's a lot harder to fix trashed interior leather.
Originally Posted by Tdoa1119
So the code came back on. Tranny shifting weird again. I dropped the pan and replaced the solenoid. I took ohm reading on the old solenoid and it was 13 ohms I believe so it was probably still fine. I think the problem was a contact issue with the plug. I read some other guys mention that. So I bent the tab slightly on the solenoid so the plug fit tightly. It’s been maybe 1000 miles no code. I think it’s fixed. Thanks for the help. 👍
Your car looks super. Just look at the leather on the driver seat. looks new after 20 years.
The price was very good I think for the shape it seems to be in. Any rust issues on underbody?.
These cars seem to increase now in value if you take care of them.
They are outstanding in terms of quality. Fine machines.
Some annoyances though. Like the starter giving up and the occasional seized screws.
My starter was done by previous owner luckily at 90k miles on my 1998.
Not a small job....
Yea the more I think about it I definitely got a good deal. No rust at all very clean. I’m in love with this car. Drives so damn nice. I did front brakes. I need to do the rear I have a slight shake when braking assuming it the rear rotors. And another thing I notice a rattle in the steering when driving in a parking lot over bumps. Thinking maybe the steering shaft. Not sure haven’t looked into it yet. It’s not really that bad. Other than that I want to change up the wheels. Definitely will help freshen up the look.
First ls400 couple pics and a question
