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http://www.ackits.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi
$86.20.....included evacuating the system, 2.2 lbs of freon, labor, and tax ($80 plus tax).
If you only need 1.25 lbs, it's heck alot cheaper and SAFER to stay with R-12 than convert over to R-134. Conversion means big $$$.
My LS-1994 model does'nt have CD button, just radio and tape only.I want to add cd player to it. Some one already have experience w/ this matter, can give some advise about what kind, how much and how to install it.Your advise will be greatly appreciated.Thanks
Can post on this town hall or mail your advise to:
mle204@hotmail.com
Timing belt is rather critical as a broken one can cause all amount of havoc. The deal is (and they never tell you this) but water pumps can crap out before the 120,000 timing belt change (mine did on extended warranty thank God). They will replace the water pump for the price of the pump as all the labor has been done (the chest is open so check my left lung too). Another thing you might think of (again, they don't tell you), is to flush the power steering fluid and clean the screen.
Good luck!!
LS timing is humongus and should last for more than 60K. My first generation LS has 117K on original belt and still going. I check the condition of the belt regularly though.
I feel safe going 90k for the TB replacement on the LS; that's what I plan to do with my '98.
My 1994 LS has this very apparent snapping/popping sound fro the front end when i apply the brakes , and I did a test and noticed the sound occurs when I press the brakes moderately hard not when light braking. The sound happens it seems just once (after startup) it is not repititious but seems to be getting louder, It will just go pop/snap and this is generally at low speeds (like in a parking lot). The wheel is usually turned but not always, if that has anything to do with it. If anyone has some sort of idea on what could be causing this please post, I want to have an idea of what to expect before I head into Lexus.
Thank You,
Paul
Thank You for letting me know, however when I head into Lexus what am I looking at paying for each of these items, what is the least expensive and what is the most. I just want some sort of idea idea so I am not totally shocked I had the Lower Ball joints replaced a few months ago, are those also commonly replaced at this age?
Thank You,
Paul
Most lux car suspensions are shot between 70k and 100k....the soft isolation rubber hardens and breaks down from wear, ozone and lack of proper lubrication/treatment [Wurth Rubber Care].
Tension rods are around $150 each plus an hour or two [they vary in design and price depending on year]. Upper A arms are expensive [lots of expensive strong metal]....a thousand ought to cover it.
Be glad you don't have air suspension the shocks are $900 each.
Have you changed your shocks and gotten at least an annual alignment? Rack bushings and rack shock absorber, sway bar bushings?
Keeping the TIRE/WHEEL radial force imbalance at 5 pounds or below is important to lowering stress on suspension.
Then there is the complicated rear suspension and its bushing wear!
Check it out, I was talking to the owner of a large transmission repair shop and he has only Dextron 3 for all cars and adds Lubeguard to make the fluid work in all transmissions.
http://www.lubegard.com/automotive/index.html
But if you flush the tranny every year or two the cost differential will even out.
Just remember you are dealing with something that costs close to $4,000 to replace so chose wisely!
You can always pan drain 3 quarts out and refill to optimize the exact chacteristics you want!
The newer 5 speed AT use a different stick slip lock up ratio than the older 4 speed units.
The are details most owners wouldn't feel or know what they feel during a shift.
The tranny ecu measures the ATF temperature and the load and compares them to a look up table in a PROM [the exact chacteristics of say T-4] and sets the pressures to duplicate a perfect shift.
As the tranny wears or the ATF changes [from age/dirt or different types] the specs are wrong and you get hard / soft/ funny shifts].
The newer "drive by wire" no direct connection between accelerator pedal and throttle are even more sensitive to ATF type and spec!!!!!!
If some one want see pics, please get to this site :
www.geocities.com/tle1042002/accidentpage.html
Ps: This Lexus ES 300-1997 bought w/14000 miles on 1-12-2000 as preowned from Hennessy Lexus in Atlanta, GA,and serviced by same dealer.
You might go over to the Toyota Camry board in Town Hall and ask about any similar experiences over there on front end damage with no bag deployment. The ES300 was (and is) very similar to the same year Camrys.
I believe if you browse around on the internet you can find CV boots that have a seam so you can DIY.
Thanks.
I have a 92 model in the UK, and I drive in lots of stop start traffic.
I'm trying to find alternatives to getting Lexus pads again (as I feel they are too soft and wear out way to quickly).
I have found a site called rockauto.com, which looks really good. The pads I have seen are made by Raybestos or Wagner. Are they any good? Do I go for ceramic enhanced or standard ones?
Does anyone know whether brake pads for US LS400 would not be compatible with a UK LS400?
It shouldn't make any difference, I guess.
Thanks,
My first pad lasted 90K miles and I still have my original rear pad.
I heard that Lexus pad is one of the longest lasting...
I love this car, except it's AC is blowing warm air, I need to take it in to check. What are the possibilities?
thanks
back in april 2002, i replaced my front brake pads(napa)and then had the rotors resurfaced. now i have 119k and every time that i apply the brakes, the steering wheel starts to shimmy -left right-u know what i mean. oh, i forgot to mention that before the shimmying, i started to hear the infamous screeeching sound from the brakes. u guys think its the napa pads? I did read in here somewhere that they were okay. i am not sure they are now. i just put them on in april..do i need to resurface rotors(front two or all) or resurface and replace front pads?Talk to me.
Why risk having problems? just use Toyota (Lexus) pads, it is a sure thing and they last so, so long, further justifying their cost. My 97 LS had 80K miles (112.000 Kilometers) on original rear pads!. There are plates inside the calipers, and certain clips and pins (Found in later models like my 97) that should also be changed for a perfect brake job.
e-mail Ryan who runs Lexus parts website (www.irontoad.com) for brake part pricing. I priced NAPA for rotors and quality pad's. Prices were pretty close so I went with original Toyota parts. We get what we pay for, and for pads you will receive the extra cost for original pads with longevity, guaranteed.
Good luck Gentleman
Sheldon
I dont beleive you got my question.
I have new napa pads(ceramix)front. only turned front rotors once @ 85k. when i apply brakes now, i get screeching and slight shimmying. my questions is-what gives? resurfaced the rotors once and at the same time put new pads. Is it the napa pads that suck?
You can quiet the pads by,
1. chamferring the leading and trailing edges at about 30 degrees.
2. Applying red goo, brake pad backing plate compound sold at NAPA.
3. Use metal and/or paper shims between the pad backing plate and the brake pistons. NAPA has a good set o fthese and so does Lexus.
Slight shimmying is likely caused by one or both rotors not being turned quite correctly.
For shimmying, sorry another turn could make matters worse. There is a tempered surface area (Thickness) on rotor able to handle the constant pressure, heat & contact of pad during braking. When turning, braking etc. this area is used up, and when turning this area is actually removed. Say for example you turn again and you even solve the shimmying problem I think you will have rotor's that will be unable to offer good performance & last long or endure proper braking. I also consider, for you, the out of pocket cost to remove, turn (Cut) and re-install the rotors, are you doing this yourself? if not it has to cost $ each time you do it, to a point were new rotors would be cheaper, and also offer 85K more driving miles.
Let us know what you decide and the outcome, interesting what path you take and the results I say.
Sheldon
Rotor's can be turned twice, only if turned correctly, and only if prior to the turning the rotor has a somewhat even surface to work with. I regularly see rotors with such deep gashes and indents (1/8 inch) that I just trash the rotors and start new.
My daughters 2000 Civic had severe shimmying. I turned rotors and installed new pads. The shimmying came back and I found 1 pad severely worn within 2 months. I replaced rotors and pads, however I purchased after market rotors (Auto zone, low quality and price) and pads. Once again within 6 months shimmying and screeching. I then purchased all new brake parts from Honda dealer (Including new rotors) 12 months have past and running fine. I wish I had installed original Honda parts and changed rotors first time around.
Sheldon.
Ceramic pads? I have heard they require special rotor's, have you asked Napa about this? perhaps the ceramic pads are not well suited for use with ordinary rotor's?
wwest post #836 gave great advice, I wonder now if your technician put back the plates and shim's? I have seen people toss them out and not put them back in with new pad's this would certainly create a problem with screeching.
Post 843 Congratulations, and enjoy your new auto! 30K is very very low miles for a 1995 year model. Have you performed a carfax check to verify the mileage is correct? When you first start a car the oil is cold and not fully distributed around upper engine parts. Some, although very little and very short lived noise might occur. If it is very loud or lasts more than a minute check it out with a pro.
For supension noise, it will get progressively worse (Not better) and in any case the car should be put on a lift and the suspension components should be looked at. A tech will put force and pressure on the various pieces to see just how loose and worn they are. This must be done with the weight of the car off the wheels, (Thus on lift). So if the components are not super worn or loose you can still drive a while, or you might find them dangerously close to failing, causing the car to be unsafe to drive as is. I am on my third LS 400, all of them have had the popping noises etc., I did not replace the components car's drove fine. I did have them checked out thoroughly though.
Sheldon
By meaningless I meant fix the engine problem and the Trac gets enabled again.
So after getting the air suspension removed and the standard suspension installed, I tried the "sport" button, and no light illuminated. Makes sense. The technician also removed the bulb in the "height" selection on the dash. So I thought everything was okay, because the technician said he would remove those bulbs, as obviously those functions no longer exist.
But today, I start the car up and the "Norm" light on the instrument cluster starts blinking. I hit the sport button, and the sport light comes on steady.
Then I hear what I think is the air compressor, going, like it used to when I would flip the "height" switch to raise or lower the car.
So I thought the air suspension was dead, but now it's come back to haunt me.
If anyone could shed some light on this bizarre problem, or tell me if it could be somehow related to the check engine warning, I'd appreciate it.