New to the lexus world, Buying a 97 ls400 and have some questions.

[LexusMel]

I hope you guys dont mind me picking your brains some? I'm getting a 97 ls400 on monday dirt cheap. The car has 223K and still runs, drives, And looks like new. So i can't pass it up. Was a friend of mine company's car. When i went for a test drive last night it ran and drove perfect. But after she sat a couple of hours and i restarted it i heard the slightest of a bottom end rattle before the oil pressure built up. My main question right now is, How hard is it to get the oil pans off these cars? Thinking of putting in a set of rod bearings. Will be Monday or Tues before i can get it on the rack and see for myself. Any help or advice???? Thanks! Mel

 

[bryanallen_1]

You New "old" 97....

I can tell you right now that the Ls400 is the best car you will ever own. Even if and when you put money into it, it returns the favor 10 fold. I have a 1992 Ls400 with 250,000 miles on it and it is by far the SMOOTHEST running vehicle I have ever owned. When I first got mine, I had the oil system "flushed", trans fluid changed, Lextreme's EGR delete kit (Highly recommended), and I cleaned the throttle body thoroughly. It runs strong and now doesn't make the noise that I had in common with the 97 you are searching for.

 

[V8sprint]

Warning!
1uz-fe rod bearings are specialized.
Can not buy any old LS400 rod bearings like the manufacturers will lead you to believe!

The rod bearings are on a numbered system which is found only by adding a certain number of marks on a crankshaft added to another number found on the rod. It is quite intricate.
Lexus selected the rod bearings as the crankshaft was tuned at the factory.
Therefore the only place to find these bearings are from a Lexus Parts dealer.

If you are asking how to take the oil pan off!? I would not deal with rod knock and simply do a full engine replacement or at the very least the entire bottom end (shortblock). Why? Because you will have to remove the entire engine to reach every rod anyway. Unless you are only going to remove the bottom oil pan and replace the first four rods bearings ;]

 

[Lextreme II]

V8 is right. Please read this article. http://www.lextreme.com/bearing.html On another hand due to wear and tear of the usage, even the link above doesnt apply. You need to double check for clearance. Good luck.

 

[LexusMel]

Thanks!

Thanks for the replys guys! That link helps a lot.

 

[Vander]

So did you get the car Monday? How is it?

 

[LexusMel]

Just got home from picking it up. Drove it 75 miles to my house. Runs and drives like a dream.