Why do these things happen on Sundays? I've lost one of the two screws that secure the mass airflow sensor on my '07 RX330. I could order a new sensor, because the O-ring is pinched from being mis-seated anyway, but the replacement sensors don't come with screws, do they? If a dealer was nearby I'd go beg one off the mechanics bay, but it's 60 miles away. The hardware store might have something close but I'd hate to booger up the screw seat. Any thoughts on this silly screw-up?

 

Obviously I cannot picture it and you say you lost 1/2--can you make do with 1, or, is there a similar screw elsewhere under the hood that you can borrow?

Don't feel bad, **** happens. With the LS430, all I wanted to do was to (who the heck knows why) at 21:00 on a Sunday night, exchange the coolant in the overflow, with new 50/50. I decided to utilize the Prestone antifreeze tester to do the suction job, instead of going into the basement to get the HFT fluid transfer pump.

The entire tube fell into the overflow. That pos Prestone plastic had weakened and again, the rubber tube fell all the way in to the reservoir. What I did was unconventional. Tried a single Chinese take out chopstick with duct tape folded to be double-sided, didn't work due to the oily wetness. I then broke off the fins that divide the reservoir so I could use long needle nose pliers to grab all the pieces and the rubber tube. The pliers could not spread with the fin in place. I bet I have "the" only LS430 in the world who has the fin missing inside the overflow. I thought man that was really dumb. I could not find the overflow tank and then someone said it's integral to the shroud so as they say, F it!

edit ps let us know how it goes and don't feel bad, or take a step back and wait until tomorrow

edit pps my buddy said there is a grabber, that probably would have been the best thing for me to have done, but I did not know that tool existed--maybe you can grab your screw with it, if you see it

this would have worked for me if I had known

 

The car is running fine with one screw, but I'd hate to make the trek to the dealer with just one. Might have to. I will look around for another like screw, thanks for that.

 

if the screws are the same, just go to home depot, pop the hood, take out the second screw, go in and get a match, then go back to the car and put them both in.

 

Probably have to do that. I was hoping there might be an online resource vs. the 35 mile drive, but I guess not.

 

Screws appear the same from my 2005 Highlander to the 2009RX. Try a Toyota dealer nearby or a wrecking yard and don't feel bad, but get a magnetic tip screwdriver.