Is this normal??
05-23-17, 08:34 PM
#16
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
The day after I bought my LS after replacing coolant hoses upper and lower, it would heat up to about where yours was. This was in November too when outside temps were 50-55 in AZ so I didn't know it at the time, but I had improperly bled the cooling system and was about half a gallon low on coolant.
Make sure to add coolant through the fill valve in the center front of the engine through the 17mm fill hole.
I have a feeling that's your problem, just need to get all the air out and double check to see if you're low.
Also, if you don't have a genuine Toyota/Lexus thermostat, I would have one swapped in since aftermarket one may have higher heat ranges compared to OEM causing the gauge to fluctuate to an elevated level.
Make sure to add coolant through the fill valve in the center front of the engine through the 17mm fill hole.
I have a feeling that's your problem, just need to get all the air out and double check to see if you're low.
Also, if you don't have a genuine Toyota/Lexus thermostat, I would have one swapped in since aftermarket one may have higher heat ranges compared to OEM causing the gauge to fluctuate to an elevated level.
05-23-17, 09:55 PM
#17
Lexus Fanatic
PM Sent your way
05-24-17, 05:39 AM
#18
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thanks for all the help, I did get a Bluetooth OBD port reader and it did confirm that the car is fluctuating between 84 and 85 degrees Celsius. Mostly staying at 84 or 183 degrees to 185 degrees. Seeing as I believe these cars come with a 180 degree thermostat isn't that what it should be running at or no? If so that's weird that the needle illustrates that high. But again could just be me being paranoid.
05-24-17, 04:50 PM
#19
Pole Position
A drain and flush wouldn't be a bad idea. Especially seeing how it sat for a year before you bought it last year. http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/cooling/coolant.html . Also a good idea to change the thermostat. Running at the temp you are is normal. Pretty sure the stock thermostat is a 180*
05-24-17, 05:29 PM
#20
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
A drain and flush wouldn't be a bad idea. Especially seeing how it sat for a year before you bought it last year. http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/cooling/coolant.html . Also a good idea to change the thermostat. Running at the temp you are is normal. Pretty sure the stock thermostat is a 180*
05-26-17, 06:28 AM
#23
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by 981uz
Going to go ahead and take it to the dealer and have them run a diagnostic test on the cooling system. Good or bad idea?
The dealer will cost you big time. You can trust him to give you real practical advice.
That car is too old to take it to the dealer. You'll pay its value in repair costs that it may or may not practically need real quick.
05-26-17, 07:00 AM
#24
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Don't take it to the dealer. Take it to the guy I gave you in PMs.
The dealer will cost you big time. You can trust him to give you real practical advice.
That car is too old to take it to the dealer. You'll pay its value in repair costs that it may or may not practically need real quick.
The dealer will cost you big time. You can trust him to give you real practical advice.
That car is too old to take it to the dealer. You'll pay its value in repair costs that it may or may not practically need real quick.
05-26-17, 07:16 AM
#25
Lexus Fanatic
He'll do the diagnostic for free because he knows he's going to have a shot at selling you $1000+ worth of repairs. He knows you're sensitive to it being "working right" and you're likely to do those repairs because of that. He sees you coming. The dealer is incredibly expensive. I'm not kidding when I tell you that you can easily spend what you paid for the car with a few common repairs. Thermostat at the dealer? $1000.
Here's the thing with old cars like this, they ALWAYS have stuff that technically "needs to done". You can take it to Lexus and they'll present you with an estimate for $4,000 worth of stuff that is "deficient". What you need is somebody like Nelson who will go through that with you but that you can trust to tell you in a practical sense, what actually needs to be done and what doesn't given the age and value of the car.
I wouldn't bring that car anywhere near the dealer.
Here's the thing with old cars like this, they ALWAYS have stuff that technically "needs to done". You can take it to Lexus and they'll present you with an estimate for $4,000 worth of stuff that is "deficient". What you need is somebody like Nelson who will go through that with you but that you can trust to tell you in a practical sense, what actually needs to be done and what doesn't given the age and value of the car.
I wouldn't bring that car anywhere near the dealer.
Last edited by SW17LS; 05-26-17 at 07:21 AM.
05-26-17, 09:14 AM
#26
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
He'll do the diagnostic for free because he knows he's going to have a shot at selling you $1000+ worth of repairs. He knows you're sensitive to it being "working right" and you're likely to do those repairs because of that. He sees you coming. The dealer is incredibly expensive. I'm not kidding when I tell you that you can easily spend what you paid for the car with a few common repairs. Thermostat at the dealer? $1000.
Here's the thing with old cars like this, they ALWAYS have stuff that technically "needs to done". You can take it to Lexus and they'll present you with an estimate for $4,000 worth of stuff that is "deficient". What you need is somebody like Nelson who will go through that with you but that you can trust to tell you in a practical sense, what actually needs to be done and what doesn't given the age and value of the car.
I wouldn't bring that car anywhere near the dealer.
Here's the thing with old cars like this, they ALWAYS have stuff that technically "needs to done". You can take it to Lexus and they'll present you with an estimate for $4,000 worth of stuff that is "deficient". What you need is somebody like Nelson who will go through that with you but that you can trust to tell you in a practical sense, what actually needs to be done and what doesn't given the age and value of the car.
I wouldn't bring that car anywhere near the dealer.
05-26-17, 09:20 AM
#27
Lexus Fanatic
To Nelson? Yes. He services all my Lexus cars, from ones I had that were older to my new ones. He's serviced all my other cars too. I've been using him since 2008
To give you an idea on cost. He just replaced the front brakes on my 2015 LS460, including the rotors for I think it was like $375. Lexus of Rockville wanted $380 to turn the rotors. No parts, just to resurface the rotors lol. Nelson replaced the rotors and pads for less than the dealer wanted to resurface the rotors.
Stay away from the dealer! It's fine for warranty work and it's nice and the loaners are great...but it's VERY expensive.
To give you an idea on cost. He just replaced the front brakes on my 2015 LS460, including the rotors for I think it was like $375. Lexus of Rockville wanted $380 to turn the rotors. No parts, just to resurface the rotors lol. Nelson replaced the rotors and pads for less than the dealer wanted to resurface the rotors.
Stay away from the dealer! It's fine for warranty work and it's nice and the loaners are great...but it's VERY expensive.
05-26-17, 02:41 PM
#28
Pole Position
Do NOT bring it to the dealer. Only time they are worth it is for warranty work or a recall.I don't know this Nelson guy but he sounds like your best bet. If you tell him that "so and so" recommended you he's not gonna over charge you or do a bad job because he's not gonna want to lose a valued customer just to charge you an extra $100 or something.
Good decision to cancel the dealer.
Good decision to cancel the dealer.
05-26-17, 03:45 PM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
He's going to be honest regardless, but tell him I sent you and he will take great care of you.
05-28-17, 05:25 AM
#30
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter