goku2

Then why does the autoshop have 5 hours quoted for removing and reinistalling the fuel injectors? One problem for me is that I've never removed fuel injectors, spark plugs or anything of the sort on a car before. It kind of sucks that my first real work in the engine bay of a car is going to be on an LS400 which is far more complicated than say a Civic of the Same year..

python

iTrader: (4)

first things first ...fix the cel ....also i had a cel on and it was code 26, my engine was idling rough, i fixed the 02 sensor and it idled fine after that....so i know first hand it can cause a rough idle, fix the cel and go from there

Gordy35

You may also want to check the spark plug wires and distributor caps

3UZFTE

Mitchell on demand states its 4.9 hours. I know first hand, it shouldn't take an experienced mechanic that long, especially if they have tore down a 1uz before. As you can see here, the fuel rail is still in place, but is loose. At this point, all injectors can be removed. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/4436111-post16.html

Remove air intake, spark plug covers, throttle body, disconnect anything egr related including the back egr passage, remove the upper intake, basically your fuel rail is accessable. I can't imagine it taking anyone longer than 5 hours to replace all 8 of them, if everything goes to plan. Research, and tackle it. Good luck.

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

change your precat o2 sensors..i had that same code and replaced my o2 sensors and it went away..

goku2

yeah unfortunately the o2 sensors aren't more than 2 years old and 10K miles ago so I really don't want to be thinking about them. I believe I said in the thread already that I ran with the MAF disconnected which makes the car ignore the O2 sensors and while it ran better, it still misfired, something that would certainly happen regardless of any sensors if the injectors were messed up.


hey btw, has anybody ever carefully examined their Smog Check to see future potential problems with their car? I'm looking at a 2007 smog check and notice that while it does pass, it's slightly rich at 15mph but more lean than average at 25mph. (High HC vs High NOX)

19psi

shops quote by book time no matter if the job actually takes more or less time than that.

have you checked for vac leaks yet with some carb cleaner?

python

iTrader: (4)

i had 2 bosch 02 sensors go out on me less than 10,000 miles later so u need to have a shop check to see if they are switching properly

goku2

Why don't I just try disconnecting them and see if the problem goes away? When a car is warming up, it isn't suppose to be reading from the O2 sensors, which technically would mean that if it were O2 related, the issue would only happen after the car is warmed up and or when the O2 sensors are at acceptable temperatures.

python

iTrader: (4)

that makes no sense...the light will come back on when it warms up either way....go have it looked at and stop guessing, u have spent more time posting and trying to avoid having it fixed properly then if u just took it and had it fixed, the fact is this...when u have a problem with ur car or anyone for that matter and a post is made about it, people can only give suggestions based on knowledge and/or personal experience, no one can ever tell u for sure what wrong with ur car without looking at it and running tests that will determine the exact cause....

goku2

Learn to read! I said the check engine light has gone away, but the car is performing a bit better. It misfires at all speeds and loads, cold or warm, sometimes you can really feel the effects of the misfiring and sometimes you can't. It most definitely doesn't misfire when going into DFCO (duh). I also noticed that (before getting rid of the light) when I reset the computer so there was no code, the check engine light would not come on if it was just idling, but when it was driven like under load. Now however, after the italian tuneup, it doesn't come on AT ALL, under any circumstance which to me says it's related to the injectors and not something like the O2 sensors.

Also I am avoiding having it "professionally fixed" because I'll be paying through the nose in order to have them improperly diagnose it. Anyway if I can't fix the car myself, I have no business owning this car because it's prohibitively expensive to fix otherwise.

19psi

why assume it would be improperly diagnosed if you are paying a professional to do it? a professional mechanic will stnad behind their diag. and if it's wrong, the y'll eat it and try again for free. that's at any reputable shop including the dealer. spend the 1 hour diag fee and then you'll know for sure. it's cheaper than throwing parts at it and wasting time.

python

iTrader: (4)

just because u dont have a light on doesnt mean u dont have a stored code....looks like someone is going to be selling an LS soon! why even start this thread if u can fix it?

Kansas

Based on my 19+ years experience with Lexus LS cars, I'd bet my Lexus trained mechanic Fred could figure out this problem in short order with his decades of knowledge and his diagnostic skills and tools.

Developing a relationship with a good Lexus shop can save a lot of guessing and especially a lot of money. I've seen cases where stored codes didn't even point to the cause of a particular problem -- some error codes are like a "phantom" of a non-existing or temporary problem ... an anomaly.

I'm reminded that the worst the gen 1 LS400 I used to have ever ran (no power, wacky idle) was at the 13 year mark when wires broke in the left trunk hinge. In fact, except for once when the alternator failed from leaking PS pump fluid, that was the only time that car ever ran improperly during the 13 1/2 years I owned it -- drove it from new until over 183,000 miles and it ran (and looked) like new when I sold it.

We all like to figure out problems for ourselves but we seem to be all over the map in this thread.

There is no shame in occasionally taking a car to a professional mechanic. There are some great ones around who are honest to boot.

goku2

Unforuntately I've yet to meet a really cool mechanic that knows his **** and can learn from, instead I get irresponsible idiotic mechanics who expect me to foot the bill even if they clearly misdiagnosed the issue, all while paying through the nose. These cars are simply too expensive to own unless you do your own work, so I'm trying real hard to fix the issues myself. As for the check engine code, after the check engine code going away, I reset the EFI and checked again after driving around and I haven't had the check engine light since then.

Hey if you guys can, please post your Smog Check results! It would make sense to me that you can figure out how well your car is performing or see upcoming issues by looking at the smog check report.