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How do I remove the air intake Manifold on my 2nd generation RX350
I need to replace my rear bank oil control valve selonoids in the rear engine. To do this, it I need to remove the air intake manifold to access them. There is one bracket bolt in the back I can't get to, any suggestions? I greatly appreciated it.
You need a stubby ratcheting 12 mm wrench. You may be able to use a 12mm 1/4 drive ratchet and socket.
The ook says to remove the cowling near the wiper motors etc. to give you extra space to work with. You should have had at least two brackets bolted to the throttlebody/rear of the manifold. Both of which are 12 mm.
You would be better served using a 12mm wrench that has a 12 point or a socket with a 12 point arrangement as you will not have a ton of room to manuever the wrench or ratchet more thana 1/4 turn at a time.
I took off the throttle body completely to allow access enough for my hands to reach beind the manifold/plenum to take the bracket bolt out..
I need to replace my rear bank oil control valve selonoids in the rear engine. To do this, it I need to remove the air intake manifold to access them. There is one bracket bolt in the back I can't get to, any suggestions? I greatly appreciated it.
I've had exactly the same problem. My car threw a P0015 on a long trip. Isolted it to the Bank 1 Oil Control Valve. It's in the worse possible location, next to the firewall under the plastic intake. I struggled to remove the intake bolts/nuts, then loosened the throttle body but couldn't get it to budge. Also - could not disconnect the two sensor connectors. My two questions are:
1) Where the heck is the hardware securing the left back side of the manifold?
2) How the heck do I disconnect those connectors to the two sensors?
TIA
For sensor connectors, I find a pair of large 90 degree, and 45 degree needle nose pliers (12 inch or so total length) good for clamping down the release tab, while getting good force to wiggle and pull off connector. Sometimes helps to first push it in a bit, wiggle then pull off while holding release tab down, hard.
Pic of that back bracket where the hard to reach bolt goes, manifold already off in this pic:
Many thanks Mesquite77!! The Lexus dealer quoted over $600 for this job for labor only ($175 X 3Hrs). Cheap as I am, even though I attempted this and gave up twice, I declined. The code actually cleared the next day, so I'll probably put this off until the next time it happens. Even with 130K Miles, the car is still going strong. I think I'll give it a third try now with this information next time it throws P1500.
I would try an extended reach electric ratchet with a wobble or a flex head ratchet but definitely remove the cowling.
To remove the cowling you have to take the cap nuts off the windshield wiper arm connection points, then if they don’t come out you can smack the wiper arm about 3 or 4 inches away from where they connect to the motor smack it hard and that should pop it out. If you don’t want to do that you can get a quarter and a vice grip and put the quarter on top of the threaded rod and use the vice to clamp the top of the quarter and the bottom of the wiper arm then tighten the vice till it pops. But smacking the arm with force should work
That's the money shot$$$.
Very generous of mesquite77 to show the secrets to getting at that bolt.
Originally Posted by surveysez
Many thanks Mesquite77!! The Lexus dealer quoted over $600 for this job for labor only ($175 X 3Hrs). .
Dealers drool for easy clean jobs like this.
A good tech can yank that plenum in 15 minutes.
So yeah, you will see after you been in there a couple of 2 or 3 times it can be torn down without power tools in 30 mins tops by a diy guy.
Originally Posted by Rx330fnboi
I would try an extended reach electric ratchet with a wobble or a flex head ratchet but definitely remove the cowling.
I love my "Extended Reach" Gearwrench reversible head ratchets with flexible head.
That's the money shot$$$.
Very generous of mesquite77 to show the secrets to getting at that bolt.
Dealers drool for easy clean jobs like this.
A good tech can yank that plenum in 15 minutes.
So yeah, you will see after you been in there a couple of 2 or 3 times it can be torn down without power tools in 30 mins tops by a diy guy.
I love my "Extended Reach" Gearwrench reversible head ratchets with flexible head.
you talking about the long ratcheting double box end flex wrenches? I just have a set of regular size combination metric Mac flex head wrenches that go 7,8,10-19 I would like a nice long reach flex head set. Someone is selling a snap on set near me they want 280 bet I could get em for 220 but cash is too tight up till I finish my engine swap. Also want to get a blue point sliding top tool cart with 2 drawers for 180. Hoping they’ll still be available in a month.
but I really love my 3/8” ryobi extended reach electric ratchet and my p262 impact that kicks the snap on equivalent out of this world. Got them both with 4 batteries 2,4,4 & 6 amp hours and a bag for $350 with tax. If they were snap on they would have cost $1400 but I would have had one more charger and a ****ty 1000 cycle/ 1 year warranty.
you talking about the long ratcheting double box end flex wrenches? .
Nice score on the impact gear.
Yeah, I'm glad you caught that so let me correct myself, I meant wrenches not ratchets and I just checked and remember now that I went with the Mountain long reach instead of the Gearwrench because you get the 12mm and 14mm in one wrench and it has the offset that gets you around brackets- it's like a super duper shallow socket and doesn't slip off so easy.
Nice score on the impact gear.
Yeah, I'm glad you caught that so let me correct myself, I meant wrenches not ratchets and I just checked and remember now that I went with the Mountain long reach instead of the Gearwrench because you get the 12mm and 14mm in one wrench and it has the offset that gets you around brackets- it's like a super duper shallow socket and doesn't slip off so easy.
Here's the one I'm using.
I believe mountain wrenches are made by the same manufacturer as icon but without the warranty and the higher price.
I really like that setup but I would like it more if they made a six point version with one side ratcheting flex and one side stationary each one with the protruding lip but on opposite faces of the wrench. I’ve been looking for this configuration and the closest thing is the craftsman v series but only the stationary side is six point and the ratcheting flex doesn’t have the lip. And a set only contains 6 sizes which isn’t great.
right now the only flex head wrenches i have are the regular sized mac’s which I got used for $150. They are six point and I really like them. Then I have the flex head 72 tooth Pittsburgh pro ratchets in 1/4 and 3/8 and although not the best they were worth the price..
all I need now is a nice service cart/ tool box but I’m strapped till I finish my rx330 engine swap out.
But once OP removes the cowl this won’t be much of a struggle. I’m stuck right now since I rounded out a hex cap bolt holding in my intake plenum and am waiting for a set of amartisan bolt biters that were supposed to be here yesterday. I definitely should have shocked that bolt before I tried to bust it with my electric ratchet. Even pb blaster twice a day for 2 days didn’t help.
hopefully op learns from my troubles before he goes to zip those hex cap bolts off.
03-28-13, 03:48 PM
How do I remove the air intake Manifold on my 2nd generation RX350
Rear Oil Control Valve Access - P0015
