Goofaroo

My 96 LS400 with 137K has developed an exhaust leak at cold start-up. Once the car is warm it quiets down and sounds perfect. It is coming from the passenger side somewhere near the engine. I am assuming an exhaust manifold gasket, cracked exhaust manifold, or a donut. I have done a few searches here and haven't found anything similar. Everything I read here seems to point to a crack in the EGR pipe. From looking at the pictures I have seen posted of the cracked EGR pipes I would assume that they would make noise even with the engine hot. Can anyone shed some light on where I might look for the source of the leak? Has anyone else had this occur?

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

what you do is take a 3 foot piece of vacuum hose, hold one end to your ear, put the other end down behind the motor, have someone start the engine and listen for the leak until you find it, then tell us what it was.

dashan

EGR pipe
10 characters

Goofaroo

[QUOTE]what you do is take a 3 foot piece of vacuum hose, hold one end to your ear, put the other end down behind the motor, have someone start the engine and listen for the leak until you find it, then tell us what it was.[QUOTE]

I tried that but it is hard to tell where it is coming from because the passenger side is so cluttered. It is also not that loud until you get on the gas and it is especially loud under when acceleratingwith the engine under a load. It goes away completely once it reaches normal operating temperature.

That seems to be the most common cause from what I have seen on the forum but does it make sense that the EGR pipe would expand and quiet down after getting warmed up? Maybe not a cracked pipe but a bad gasket on one of the flanges?

I am hoping to get a chance to put it on a lift this weekend and take a look at it but by the time I drive it somewhere it won't be leaking. Is it relatively rare that at 137K this car would have developed an exhaust leak besides the EGR pipe?

If I choose to block off the EGR is there a kit for this or do I just need to make a couple of plates? Will it throw an error code if I do this?

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

i too am having a similar problem and i am leading to believe it is the EGR pipe as well. you're right in thinking the pipe expands at higher temps sealing the leak. i would definitely remove the pipe and inspect it for cracks or a failed gasket.

Goofaroo

I am going to have to replace this EGR pipe. From what I have read here it sounds like it most likely the "lower" tube. I would like to get it ordered but I'm not sure which part I need as I have not yet been able to get under the car and take a look. Does anyone know by looking at the parts diagram below which part I need? I'm guessing number 4. A part number would be great as well as any suggestions about where to buy it for the best price. I have to replace both valve cover gaskets so I figured I might as well tackle the EGR pipe while I'm at it.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

no. 4 is the commonly failing one.

Goofaroo

Thanks. I just wanted to verify that before I ordered it. This thing sounds like hell right now and whether I keep the car or sell it, it needs to be put right.

akitomk3

iTrader: (2)

This happens after i replaced my starter. I'm pretty sure it's one of the 2 pips. Let me know how the process goes, because if i have to go through the same process for replacing the starter then it's a PITA. I'm sure there is another way of getting to it.

dashan

Your lower EGR pipe might have broken into two. You could just remove the lower half of the broken pipe (from under the car, without removing the Cat converter, put a plate to seal off the opening just before the Cat Converter. Removing the upper broken half is a pain in ...... Normally, EGR valve would close when the engine is becoming hot anyway.

Then, you move to the engine bay. Put two plates to block off the EGR circulation. Put a resistor to short the EGR air temperature sensor circuit, to get rid of the CEL.

dashan

credit goes to Envisage1010 at Utube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rW78uJ5KCM

shirkes330

Is this a problem that needs to be fixed or is it simply an annoyance because mine has started doing it since the beginning of winter and I don't really have the money to fix it right now? Any thoughts?

Goofaroo

Today I poked around online a bit to find the parts I need to replace the EGR pipe. Finding part numbers for these cars is not as easy as I would have thought so I am going to post them here:

Lower EGR pipe 25601-50060
EGR pipe gaskets 25628-50010 and 25634-50010
Cat gaskets (if removed) 90917-06043 and 90917-06072

I loaded up an online shopping cart and had a price of $156 shipped for all items listed above. The MSRP of the EGR pipe was listed on numerous parts sites as $143.99 but generally available online for around $115. I decided to go to the only Lexus dealership in Oklahoma City (about 1/2 mile from my office) and just bend over and buy the part from them for MSRP if they had it in stock. They had all the parts that I needed but they wanted $172.99 just for the pipe (in a Toyota labelled bag). It was hard to leave when I had the parts sitting right in front of me and I could have installed them this weekend but I made him an offer, he refused, and I thanked him and walked out the door.

I went back to the office and decided that before I ordered them online I would try the Toyota dealer. I called them and gave them the part number and he couldn't find any reference to it. He could find all of the gasket part numbers but not the pipe. A call to another Toyota dealer yielded the same results.

I will order the parts online this weekend but it is very aggravating that we have one Lexus dealer in this entire city and they are marking up parts well over Lexus MSRP. I would have gladly paid them MSRP for the parts I needed but I wasn't about to be held hostage by the only game in town and just bend over for them.

Has anyone else had this experience at their local dealer? I wonder if Lexus corporate knows what is happening to their customers when they visit a dealer's parts department?

Another question to ponder. Why can I buy Mercedes and BMW parts for much less than Lexus parts. I just did some suspension work on my wife's E320 wagon and parts were very reasonable. This LS400 has only travelled 137K miles and the suspension is sloppy as hell. I have already spent about $500 replacing the lower ball joints and strut rods and as far as I can tell, it feels like it basically needs everything else replaced. I will be posting another thread about that and I am hoping that I am wrong but I really think the suspension on this car needs a complete rebuild to make it right. From what I have seen, there are very few aftermarket parts available for these cars and the price of factory parts are astronomical. There, I'm done venting. Off to the beer.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

you're overpaying for your parts. is there some particular reason you don't want to use one of the forum sponsors like Sewell or Carson? LBJs are ~$130 for a pair, Strut rods (complete, not bushings) are ~220/pair. all OEM.

go to a mercedes or BMW dealership and see if they don't mark up pricing from MSRP. Dealerships make the bulk of their money off of service and parts sales, and most have no incentive to lowering their markup (which is all pure profit)

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

Lexus of San Juan, the only Lexus dealer in Puerto Rico, wants nearly $90.00 for a cabin filter... On Amazon they start at $20.00 and go up to about $40.00 I have always found dealers to be a rip off.