So this weekend I decide to tackle the starter in my 2000 LS. I really had nothing to do all weekend. I didn't post pics because as you know it the people that have done them before I know what they have gone through.

I would like to know how many of you decide to tackle this project and time frame it took you. I like to hear some errors or How many times you had to run to the parts house to pick up gaskets you forgot.

Starting with me, I decide to purchase just a starter kit, contacts, and the magnetic plunger. I really thought about it and decide to put a re-manufactured DENSO in as the replacement. So know I have extra parts I don't need including intake gaskets. I got a really good deal on it but had to drive 2hrs there and back.******* This is the fun part******* me and the Old man tried leaving the rear water bypass in and tried working around it. That was a 1hr fail. So now realizing this part had 2 gaskets on both sides. I had to find them quick, by the way it's almost five o'clock and the Lexus dealer parts closes at 6, and its almost thrity miles away with traffic. Tack on another 2hrs of driving. So now almost having 7hrs into this project, I'm still being professional at the moment. I'm thinking to myself what went wrong? I should've just side forget it on the gaskets and used old ones? NO. I would be pissed if that thing leaked cause of lack of laziness. unprofessional. So these are the kind of things I'm looking for from you guys that have taken this starter out, just want to hear your stories.......... A new experience but well worth the knowledge, chalking up another notch in my Auto belt carreer. By the way still not done, decide to close things up for the night, no need to rush this and forget something due to lack of concentration tommorrow is a new day.

 

what do you have and dont need... parts wise? and what do you want for them? we have 4 ls400's in the family, so we stay on the alert.

 

LoL. This job took me about 10 hrs. I know it's long but ran into some problems.Ex, I turn the intake manifold over crack the plastic throttle and bent a injector connector. Used some adhesive <super glue like> to make do. I was bolting down the intake manifold then one of the threads wouldn't allow me to torque down to 13ftlbs. I had to run a tap to the head and die to the bolt. This was pretty cool, got franctic when the bolt wasn't fastening. I thought the bolt was stretching or ruined the threads in the hole. I pulled out of that one. Not a bad way to enjoy a weekend.

 

I reused some of my gaskets. No leaks after 2 years. Job took me about 6 hours. Lost the fuel line crush washer and spent an hour getting another one, then found the SOB sitting on the strut tower.

Longest part for me was burping the coolant system. Swear I was adding coolant for almost a week periodically until it was completely full with no air pockets.

 

i started my starter replacment about 2 months ago. tearing it down took a few hours over the course of a couple days. since then i have put more hours (and $$$) into cleaning the engine, replacing ignition components (caps, rotors, plugs, wires), deleting the acc, and having the manifolds cleaned ultasonically (upper will be going for round 2 since i didn't remove the egr connection and there is still buildup). i also bought an egr delete kit and removed the tube completely.

now i'm just waiting on money to buy the remainder of the parts i need (i always seem to spend my money on custom parts even though the car doesn't drive) including a complete oem gasket kit plus whatever isn't included, misc covers that were missing/broken, and all new connector housings (replacing the old brittle plastic).

in the end i expect it to be a ~$2k project that takes 3 months if i don't do the custom finishing i had planned. attention to detail. lol.

 

what, no extrude/hone on the manifolds?

 

funny you mention that... i've actually thought about it.

 

one back pedal. today losing coolant upper rad hose. i must of moved the clamp out of the rubber form groove. put it back and filled up the reservoir. no leaks.

 

reason why even I decided to pay $300 and 3.5 hours to get a tech to do it because I am not going back in there to fix something I didn't know about.

 

I ordered my Starter rebuild kit yesterday from Sewell, $94 w/shipping & tax. but the old man will get my nephew do do this.

 

if your doin this alone. my suggestion take intake manifold off in two parts. save stresss on lower back? great time to clean your iacv.

 

My nephew Jon will do this, I am 76 and I know better than to try it. he done my WP/TB and SRB's, I just do the light stuff, brakes and whatever.

and I will clean the IAC.

WELL he found the problem and fixed it....
plunger and contacts were eat up, take a look:

 

We repaired the started a different way,
he took the long bolts out of the starter motor, and replaced the contacts with out removing the starter fron the block.... didnt have to fight that back bolt..
WELL he found the problem and fixed it....
plunger and contacts were eat up, take a look:

 

Billy did you re-use your intake manifold gaskets? How many of you re-used your gaskets on the intake and rear bypass water joint? I replaced mine, but the old ones looked good.

 

the kit came with new ones and we used them, but the old ones "looked" good, so I saved them.