swfla

iTrader: (1)

Kepp reading on transmission drain and flush. Lexus protocol involves temperature readings to get the correct fill level. Great news about your son and the LS is made for road trips. We don’t get to do that often enough!

7milesout

Today I replaced the wiper blades (1st time ever) and the HVAC filter (first time ever). I just did the rubber inserts with 2 new OEM rubber inserts. There's a little bit of a learning curve with those metal arms. But not too bad if you pay close attention when taking it apart.

That HVAC filter was way nastier than I had expected it to be. It was dry, but had a fair amount of leaves and what not in the filter. A testament to how well it is filtering. I was surprised to see that much stuff.

Seeing it was that much stuff, I'm going to go ahead and put 2 new engine air filters in it. They could be just as nasty, and it is time for it anyway...

7milesout

Just to follow up, I got the cabin air filter replaced (no issues) and reset the system by holding, I think it was, the OFF button.

Then I replaced the engine air filters (they weren't so dirty). But now, it's go so much more power, it pops wheelies! I can barely hold the front end down. It's like riding a CR500.

Ok, not really. I feel and hear no difference.

I am thinking about going ahead and replacing the battery, with a Wally World special. Just for peace of mind knowing it's not going to cause problems whilst I'm way out of town. I'm 38 months into the Napa 8424AAA I'm currently on. It turns over just a skosh weak, but not bad.

I just remembered, the Panasonic never gave up, it just turned over real slow. I bought the first Napa The Legend 8424, and man, the starter speed seemed like it doubled. Then a year short (or more) of the 84 month warranty on The Legend, it just conked out. It never sounded like it slowed down. Just working fine one day, and clunk the next day. I got $67 prorated on the 8424AAA replacement 38 months ago. I would not want that trouble when I'm 1,000 miles away and needing to get on base. I just called Napa again, and the current warranty is based on the first battery's purchase (in 2016). So I have no warranty on this current 8424AAA.

Seems like a good time for a Wally World special. This trip is going to be a thing of beauty!

comotiger

Hello 7miles,
Congrats on your son's graduation and his next move! He is making you and the family proud!

Your car has low miles. As long as it has been serviced regularly with oil changes every 5000 miles, the things you have replaced (engine filters and wiper inserts) should be all you need. Make sure the coolant level is at Full. The serpentine belt is the only other thing that would concern me, being a 14-year old car, so if it is in good condition, you should be all set. Safe travels to RI and back. Will someone spell you on the long drive? Hope you are taking an overnight break along the way.

I took my family of 4 on a week-long 3000 mile round trip to Idaho from Missouri at the end of July. We drove about 750 miles per day staying overnight in Wyoming. My sons (22 and 19) spelled me for a few hours each day. I wasn't sure I wanted to let them drive! But it was easy driving because the interstates were pretty empty mostly, except near Salt Lake City and Kansas City, where I drove.

Before the trip, I had my 2014 LS serviced and fully inspected at my Lexus dealership, and asked them to check the serpentine belt carefully. The car performed flawlessly, except that the Pre-Collision System light turned on a couple of times for a few minutes and turned off on its own. I didn't notice any effect on the car's performance and the Lexus advisor in Boise said it was nothing to worry about.

The only "regret" from the trip is I did not record the odometer turning 100000

7milesout

Thanks for the reply comotiger. It's going to be mostly like a Cannonball Run. Because one middle son is working a co-op job at BMW (where he tells them daily they should *try* to meet Toyota quality, instead of this crap quality) and he will have to take 3 days off. Shouldn't be a problem though.

And the other son is in college and will have to take at least 3 days off from college. The Cannonball Run approach is mostly based on their schedules / availability.

I plan to leave on a Tuesday night about 11 pm. I will take Tuesday off and try to sleep during the day. The problem is The Iron Dome, she is not nice and will not be quiet to let me sleep, I hope I can sleep through it. Long story, don't ask. Then the youngest and I will leave at 11 pm and drive to Greenville, SC where I will pickup my middle son about 2 am. Those 2 sons can sleep from 2 am for as long as they can sleep, while I put the hammer down (with Mike Valentine and Waze on the lookout).

When they wake up, I will do the same as you. Let them take a couple few hours each until we get near the big-***-Apple. At that time I plan to take back over and run it on into Newport. I'm rolling up I-81, around the I-95 nightmare. I've done I-95 maybe twice, it was hell both times. I've done I-81 two or three times, it was a pleasant cruise every time. I'd like to be getting into town about 6 or 7 pm, shove nutrition into my face, and go to the really nice place I've reserved and CRASH. That will be ~7pm Wednesday. Thursday we will meet the Officer Candidate. He will either have to do some damn formal cocktail dinner, one in which I don't care to do, or he will get time off base. That's what I'm hoping for. Friday he will magically lose the "Candidate" and become an officer. From the end of graduation ceremony, at this time, I have no idea what will happen. They might tell him to go somewhere right now, they might tell him he has to stay on base (until a medical issue is resolved, a slight heart murmur), or they might say, "go live at home for 4 or 5 months until Nuke Power School begins, but every day go to "work" at the local recruiting office, and make the enlisted staff do pushups and sit-ups, whatever you want them to do."

I hope he gets to come home for a few months. It will be bittersweet, as after he starts at Nuke School, I may see him a few times during that Power School year. But he wants to do a submarine because they will put him "in position" immediately after Power School, in a sub. Whereas if he does a surface ship, he'll have to sit around with his thumb up his **** for probably even 2 years before they put him in Nuke School. And during that 2 years, he has to do non-nuclear related crap and he is not interested in anything but making steam by bashing neutrons. And he's concerned he may forget stuff during that 2 years. Once he gets on a sub, it will be probably a year maybe more before I see him again. If he were already in a sub, my guess is he would be under water in the Med or the Arabian Sea, (while the crew goes about) priming Tomahawks, just in case ... while he makes steam.

I told him I wanted him to stay home, live in the basement and just play video games. But kids these days. They always want to run off and do crap. So off he went. I may have to give him a spank for running off.

comotiger

Hello 7milesout,

You have a good plan for the drive up. Even with plenty of rest, it will be a slog from Greenville while your sons are sleeping. Driving at 3 or 4 am cannot be fun.

Excuse my ignorance, who or what is the Iron Dome? I only know of the one protecting Israel!

7milesout

The Iron Dome in my case is the female I'm married to. Nothing makes it past The Iron Dome. ...Nothing...

comotiger

LOL. I was thinking that but wasn't sure. Same here!

7milesout

Well, it would appear that my LS has the Cold Weather Package. It is the LWB, and it does have the retractable headlight washers (although, I'm guessing they are probably more accurately, retractable headlight sprayers). My guess is, they spray the headlights in order to remove snow/ice from them. Off-hand I don't know what triggers them, but I doubt mine have ever popped out and sprayed. Anywho - I don't care. I've maybe only had mine in rain less than 10 times. On to the issue at hand.

Based on that, looks like I should be opting for the BIG OLE MONSTER Group Size 27 battery. Seems I remember there being a thread on here where someone had posted measurements on the different group sizes. I'll go back and check that.

Everything is clicking along for my son. My son has only 1 thing remaining (tomorrow 8/21) that could cause him to "roll" back. Rolling back means he is removed from his initial class and put with the trailing class. All classes are 3 weeks apart. So far, he has not failed anything, and has been marching right on past all tests, physical demands, etc. He had to take an engineering test. He was the only "kid" out of ~140 in his class, to get a score of 100. He's pretty darn smart.

comotiger

Yes, this is the battery to get. I installed Interstate MT-27 last year and it's doing great.
Here's the battery thread.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ery-specs.html

Good luck to your son!

7milesout

I rode my murdersickle in today, and wanted to ride it a skosh during lunch. So I wheelied it all the way to Wally World. And then did a reverse wheelie when coming to a stop in the parking lot. It's more conservative to just wear 1 tire versus two. I just wanted to see if Wally had any Group Code 27 battrees available. As it *seemed* like GC 24 size was going to be more common.

Well, they had a WHOLE MESS of GC 27 batteries, every blame one of them made this month. 810 juicy CCA. I only saw maybe two GC24 battrees, (only 700 measly pathetic little dried up crusty juiceless CCA) and those 2 battrees were as old as the hills ... made way back last month. So if I take a notion to when I get home, I'll whip out the Lexus, peel back the plastic crap covering the battery, and then do big ole smoky burnouts equivalent to what a top fuel dragster does, all the way to Wally World and "slap" a brand new crust-free battree in it. That'll learn 'em.

I'm in a redneck mood for some reason.

7milesout

IMPORTANT INFO:

Generally 50% (or greater) of my posts / replies are non-sense. But I have some info here. About the Group Code 27 battery, and fitment into these vehicles.

So yesterday evening I went to remove the NAPA8424AAA battery. Upon doing so, I ran into the plastic jacket that rides over the top of the battery. It goes on overhead of the battery, like a T-shirt. It also has a wire harness mount point on the side of it, to stabilize the + wire harness. Maybe if someone has a battery installed by ... probably anyone other than themselves, they might likely throw this plastic jacket out. Anywho,

When fiddling with the plastic jacket trying to remove it, I thought, "there's no way a GC27 battery is going to be small enough for this jacket to fit over." But I thought I might throw it out as well, if it won't work with the GC27 battery.

I took the GC24 NAPA battery and jacket to Wally World, and looked at the batteries and indeed, that plastic jacket will not work with a GC27 battery. So I was talking to the Walmart worker. He looked in a database and was showing me, that it called for a GC24 for my car. I asked him, "there's no option there for a 27?" He looked a bit and he said and showed me, "that option begins in the 2013 MY." Me knowing that the 2013 was a minor model change, it then CLICKED to me what was going on.

In 2013, Toyota modified the battery area to be able to house the GC27 battery in those vehicles with the Cold Weather Package. But prior to 2013 MY, the Cold Weather Package was available, however those vehicles would be equipped with the GC24 battery. So, I'm now the proud new owner of the GC24 (with only 700 measly pathetic little dried up crusty juiceless CCA) battery. I feel emasculated being relegated to the GC24 battery. Not really.

I also think that without the plastic jacket, at GC27 battery might shoe-horn down into a 2007 - 2012 vehicle, but it would likely be a big-*** hassle, and not worth the trouble. So I didn't bother. I'm sure a GC24 with only 700 measly pathetic little dried up crusty juiceless CCA will work just fine (unless I use the equipment from the Cold Weather Package and then clunk, everything will fall apart).

I think my LS is totally primed now, ready to hit the road. Oh wait ... I forgot to clip the damn wire harness back into that damn plastic jacket! Doh! I can't hit the road yet with the car being all out of whack like that!

Gerf

The t-shirt you're talking about is a spacer to bring the battery to the proper height for the hold down to be effective, usually they are put on the bottom of the battery. The 2013 facelift was a major change.
Your 2010 L model included the headlight washers in the comfort package and the cold weather package was available also, you can read all the options in this brochure.

7milesout

In the Toyota world, the 2013 is only a Minor Model Change. Not a major. Been there (at Toyota as a design engineer), done that.

If that jacket is supposed to be on the bottom, I've never found it there. It was not on the bottom of my original Panasonic battery ... it was on the top of it. And the top of the jacket has shapes to fit to the hold down bracket.

Lastly I'm not certain the clip would clip into place correctly on the side of the jacket if the jacket is upside down. That clip "bracket" has support walls (on one side, the bottom) that might prevent the clip & wire harness from clipping in if those support walls are facing up.

No ... it's supposed to fit over the top of the battery. It fit perfectly to the Panasonic battery from the top. The Walmart battery has some "shoulders" on the top outer sides, that make it a bit of a squeeze to get the jacket seated all the way down flush to the top of the battery. It does sit all the way down, but it has to be worked a bit to fully seat it.

7milesout

Oh yeah, the Walmart battery had a lift/carry handle on it. It could have been removed, but I would lose it or throw it away if I removed it. I left it on because it is so much easier to lift it out of that hole with the handle. But the handle did make the plastic battery trim cover not want to sit all the way down. The clips help hold that trim down, but I'm not sure the clips won't come loose and let the trim lift. Time will tell.