Please Help my lexus rx350!
10-21-22 | 08:21 AM
#16
Thread Starter
10th Gear
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: la
In the hope of getting things to work, you will be spending some $$$($?). Just work out the math.
The worst thing you can do is crank the engine before taking care of essentials. If you have water [more than moisture] in the cylinder, the engine will not crank as air is compressible while the water is not. Also waiting for things to dry seems reasonable, but not for engine and moving parts as they begin rusting.
Before doing anything, take the spark plugs out and squirt engine oil/transmission fluid mix into the holes. Then gently turn the crank pulley nut [with a wrench] back and forth to begin with and hopefully full 360 degree turn forward. Then plug the holes and do not install the coil packs.
Once everything is in order, [rinse preferred but replacement of fluids has been done], remove the plugs, hand crank agains 2-3 turns. Leave the plugs out and use the starter to spit out the oil introduced before [cover the holes with rags]. Then proceed to install plugs and coil packs and try to start.
Remember with the engine running [idle] transmission fluid is also being circulated.
The worst thing you can do is crank the engine before taking care of essentials. If you have water [more than moisture] in the cylinder, the engine will not crank as air is compressible while the water is not. Also waiting for things to dry seems reasonable, but not for engine and moving parts as they begin rusting.
Before doing anything, take the spark plugs out and squirt engine oil/transmission fluid mix into the holes. Then gently turn the crank pulley nut [with a wrench] back and forth to begin with and hopefully full 360 degree turn forward. Then plug the holes and do not install the coil packs.
Once everything is in order, [rinse preferred but replacement of fluids has been done], remove the plugs, hand crank agains 2-3 turns. Leave the plugs out and use the starter to spit out the oil introduced before [cover the holes with rags]. Then proceed to install plugs and coil packs and try to start.
Remember with the engine running [idle] transmission fluid is also being circulated.
10-21-22 | 08:33 AM
#17
Thread Starter
10th Gear
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: la
Bank 1 and bank 2 are the front and rear cylinder heads. The rear one is very hard to get at and to do so requires several hours of work. You have to either remove the windshield wiper motor assembly, or the intake manifold etc. There are youtube videos on this procedure and threads on this forum. It is a big job. Be very careful removing the individual spark plug coils as the wires are fragile and easily broken. I don't think the engine will be in a condition where you can crank it with the rear bank plugs out as more of the engine may be disassembled unless you do the wiper motor removal method. Just get a flexble tube video scope to look into the spark plug holes. Amazon probably has something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ING-RK7NJ-c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf-4hq3kJFI
For the transmission see ths video. There is no dipstick. There is a drain plug and inside the hole is a small plastic overflow tube that must be removed with a 6mm allen wrench per the video. Then the fill hole is on the side and the driver side front wheel needs to be removed to get at it. It is a 24mm bolt and all of this is in the video. However you can only drain about 2 quarts at a time this way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRxSu4-4ojo&t=77s
Filling the transmission and adjusting the fluid level is a pain in the A$$ as shown in the video and your car needs to be running.
To drain the gas tank get an electric fluid pump with a hose you can stick into the tank. Amazon probably has something or maybe a local auto parts store.
Of course all of this work may be for nothing as your car still may not work or work properly after all of this labor and drying out. Electronics may be damaged permanently and there really is only so much one can do to fix stuff in this situation.. It will probably stink in a few months from mold.
As Salim said below - do the math. And figure the odds. It will probably be better to sell it to a junkyard for $200 and then spend $3000 on another car than to spend $3000 trying to get this submarine running again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ING-RK7NJ-c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf-4hq3kJFI
For the transmission see ths video. There is no dipstick. There is a drain plug and inside the hole is a small plastic overflow tube that must be removed with a 6mm allen wrench per the video. Then the fill hole is on the side and the driver side front wheel needs to be removed to get at it. It is a 24mm bolt and all of this is in the video. However you can only drain about 2 quarts at a time this way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRxSu4-4ojo&t=77s
Filling the transmission and adjusting the fluid level is a pain in the A$$ as shown in the video and your car needs to be running.
To drain the gas tank get an electric fluid pump with a hose you can stick into the tank. Amazon probably has something or maybe a local auto parts store.
Of course all of this work may be for nothing as your car still may not work or work properly after all of this labor and drying out. Electronics may be damaged permanently and there really is only so much one can do to fix stuff in this situation.. It will probably stink in a few months from mold.
As Salim said below - do the math. And figure the odds. It will probably be better to sell it to a junkyard for $200 and then spend $3000 on another car than to spend $3000 trying to get this submarine running again.
I really appreciate your thought. I am ripping all the electronics to the barebone circuit boards every single one of them. They dont look bad or rusty. Fingers crossed they will work again. For the engine I am going through all the videos step by step from engine oil change, transmission fluid change to taking the spark plugs out n crank the piston by hand. I will keep you guys updated. Thank you!
10-21-22 | 10:19 PM
#18
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 15,704
Likes: 1,119
From: Austin, TX
I really appreciate your thought. I am ripping all the electronics to the barebone circuit boards every single one of them. They dont look bad or rusty. Fingers crossed they will work again. For the engine I am going through all the videos step by step from engine oil change, transmission fluid change to taking the spark plugs out n crank the piston by hand. I will keep you guys updated. Thank you!
This is not how it works for electrical components. Many electronics stuff is washed in clean water during manufacturing. Attempted recovery also at times is initiated by a rinse [distilled water] followed by cleaners that remove water. The "rust" in electronics is the calcium like residue which starts appearing as the water dries out. This calcified copper wires and traces jeopardize the isolation from other traces. It also starts eating the copper and over time creates breaks. This calcification is worse where there are dissimilar metal (copper-wire to aluminum/alloy terminals). Connectors are worst as they retain pool of water and later chunks of calcification.
Summary:
Actual water/moisture is a problem. Instantaneous death of a component. [Everything must be dry before you attempt to electrify 5-7% unswitched, rest is powered in On/run]]
Once dry the mineral deposits cause corrosion [white powder stuff] which causes shorts and opens. Worst is where there was pooling of water. [Slow death as it gets worse over time]
There are so many places that it can happen, harnesses, connectors, servos, modules and replacing each will cost you more than a new vehicle.
Flooded vehicles are totaled for a reason.
Salim
PS: At least three members have suggested to abandon resurrecting a flooded RX. I still want to answer your questions as best as I can.
10-23-22 | 07:42 PM
#19
Thread Starter
10th Gear
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: la
I I just give you guys a quick update on things. I dry cleaned all the electronics and put them all back. For the engine, i changed the engine oil and transmission fluid. i used vaccum machine to suck all the water out from baank 1 and 2 plus drained the fuel tank out ( there is indeed water the the fuel tank). i managed to video each hole of the cylinders and could see the cylinder head moving so no more water. i also managed to hand crank the engine and could do 360 degree no problem. I am now thinking of connecting all thing back except the spark plugs back to the engine and attempt to crank the engine withe the starter. However i m now facing the problem which i am not too sure off. The car doesnt response to the wireless entry key, only physical buttons in the interior work. hazard light could be switched on but not indicators. i initially put the charged up old battery in and heard siren and no things worked so i thought the battery was not stable. i did change to a new battery but still same thing happens. it feels like the system doesnt receive the key. Also there is not anything coming on in the dashboard. Could i possibly blow a fuse somewhere ? Can someone help please. I do know that there could be a millions things wrong with the system once in contact with water but this particular experience i have now is kind of relating to something very basic. Thanks
10-24-22 | 09:41 AM
#20
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 19
Likes: 9
From: California
It’s my understanding that modern day cars have electronic circuitry built in to recognize chips embedded in the keys or key fobs to prevent theft (RFID technology). This system has most likely damaged by water and could explain this issue.
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