Fixing Lexus Se-l 2009

jackcramerr · June 21, 2015

So I just bought a 2009 SE-l.

Now there are a few things that need fixing and I would like to do most myself.

Help me de cipher these please :

Heater Ventilation System - Recharge and Service Air con (not done priced 149.95). What is this ? Ac I'is working fine... what to do here ?

brake discs /drums/callipers - O/S/R caliper seized (not done priced 118.75) - what is this ? ...

Front tyres needs to be replaced and comments say inner extreme edge worn possible because pteflex wasn't carried out. I assume I need to replace both front tyres and get alignment done. is it OK to do alignment at kwik fit?

In Others I see MLV (DON'T know what this is ) and allow refurb to be done .

thanks.

ChrisIS200SportTTE · June 21, 2015

Ok so you want to fix this yourself buy you don't know what's involved in an A/C service or why the calliper has siezed?

Well good luck but Ok.....

A/C service consists of re gasing the unit, changing the filter and cleaning the system out. You won't be able to regas it yourself buy you can change the pollen filter. Also cleaning through the system is a specialist job.

Your rear calliper is siezed probably due to the piston inside the calliper corroding and sticking. You will either have to take the calliper off, take it apart and try to clean the pistons up or buy a new calliper.

No it is not ok to get an alignment at kwik fit, not in my opinion anyway. Go somewhere that knows what they're doing in regards to geometry and wheel alignment. There's at term "throwing good money after bad" that's what inevitably happens when you use kwik fit.

toffee_pie · June 21, 2015

indeed. for wheel alignment go to a specialist wheel alignment centre, they will load the profile into the hunter tool or whatever system they have and calibrate accordingly.

jackcramerr · June 21, 2015

Oh ok thanks ChrisIS200SportTTE.

Yeah if there is a special method for AC then I won't be able to do it... question is, it is working fine so wonder why this has to be done. I did change gas of a car once when I was a teen working in a garage to make some money after school.

Brake Calipers, ok. I might replace them. I heard someone saying that's it's easy job to service them but I personally don't have a clue about lexis. Pads are near done so will do that as well. Is there a is 250 service manual somewhere ?

I will get the alignment from lexus done. that was my real question actually , if kwikfir have profile or will they use generic. nearest lexis is 2 and a half hour drive so will need to take a day off for it.

I just moved from a mazda 3 sport and I did basic maintenance on it myself. So I am hoping that skill set will help me do the easy stuff. things like struts end links brake pads trans oil head cover seals coolant replace steering oil flush ... or am I too rookie to play with this new toy ? my knowledge is all dependent on Web, forums like this and being a help boy during my teen years and saw engine rebuild and stuff but didn't use my head and did what was told. I just enjoy working with my hands and so long as I know what I am doing.

So with all that in mind, is it still a no ? I can't be a trained pro obviously and that's not my first job either ...anymore..

Thanks all.

ChrisIS200SportTTE · June 21, 2015

The A/C is entirely up to you. I mean your car isn't going to stop working if you don't service the A/C. I just change the filter in mine once a year as these are very cheap and it's a 5 min job. I only get mine gassed when it stops blowing as cold as it should.

These are the guys you should use for an alignment if you're anywhere near them.

http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk

madasahatter · June 22, 2015

Rear Calipers europarts 75.00 easy do it yourself i would personally do both, Rebleed complete system and brake fluid change done. I bought pagid pads

very pleased with braking perfomormance. Aicon regass about 50.00 dont use quick fit as already stated, plenty of places do it better look in phone book.

jackcramerr · June 22, 2015

Thanks madasahatter.

Do you think cleaning and greasing the caliper can make it work or you think better replace them ?

Had a quick look and I would say pads are near 40%. Trying to assess how fast I should resolve this.

Also, the front tyres need replaced but I think it can last me a month for few as I am not driving this car much and am busy these days. However, is it OK to use the car with a bad alignment ? Does it only affect tyres or can it affect anything else ? Should I get alignment done with bad tyres then save up and later buy good sets and do it again ?

I hope there is nothing fancy to brake bleed as in reseting of ECU or something... is it old simple ABS bleed ?

jackcramerr · June 22, 2015

not a priority at all

one other topic, Body Kit and Brake/accelerate pedals.

Body kit: First time I saw lexus was a sport model and I loved the spoiler and front lip. Would you guys think I should install these on the SE-l ? I think it will require drilling a hole in the bumper ? Or can I avoid that ? Is it worth the looks or you guys think or should I not disturb the originality ? And is it worth buying them off eBay after market or get one off a broken 2008/2009/2010 (do they all fit??)?

Spoiler is I think just 3M TAPE... I hope it doesn't add to noise or rattle. Wonder what OEM does.

Pedals: Again, I saw on eBay from 15-25 pound ones. No idea about quality. Worth it or not, anyone tried them ? Or I call lexis and order them all ?

madasahatter · June 22, 2015

After market kits are circa 300 same as on sport model unpainted. Calipers only push in try working in and out you will need another body to do this, if piston comes out clean the area where it comes out with fine wet and dry it may have a build up.

Grease the rubber seal i use red brake grease and also the pin and rubber boot. As for pedals should be easy enough famous last words Lol.

Here You go

27123432021

is200 Newbie · June 22, 2015

Personally, I would concentrate on getting your brakes done first ... more important than the spoiler I would say.

In my experience with refurbing the callipers - you can un-seize them easily enough but while you may spend time and money on the parts needed to clean and free the calliper piston it will be worth your while in changing it for a new unit as you will need to buy the calliper seal kit.

Chances are that the work you will do will last a year or so until they will need to be done again.

Pitting in the piston chamber and on the piston itself will have took place if waters got in there and you will never remove the damage done.

Remember though if you are still going down this route to use the correct grease as others will react to the rubber boots etc and the rubber will lose the elasticity it has and thus it will lose the ability to seal onto the piston creating water / dirt etc to enter again.

madasahatter · June 23, 2015

AS newbie states brakes are more important i would buy new myself piece of mind , paint them as well any colour.

jackcramerr · June 28, 2015

I am going on the route of greasing them. I do not see much signs of seize.

What are these bolts that are holding the brake pads ? Do I need to grease them ? pads slide on these ?

Also is the slide pin in red ? I see just one of these. I read somewhere I am not meant to remove this and just loosen it so the support braket separates. ... Is that the case ?

If I suspect the calipers are done or nearing done then I will replace them.

jackcramerr · June 28, 2015

I am going on the route of greasing them. I do not see much signs of seize.

What are these bolts that are holding the brake pads ? Do I need to grease them ? pads slide on these ?

Also is the slide pin in red ? I see just one of these. I read somewhere I am not meant to remove this and just loosen it so the support braket separates. ... Is that the case ?

If I suspect the calipers are done or nearing done then I will replace them.

johnatg · June 28, 2015

The one marked in red is one of the slide pins. The other one goes into a blind hole.

You need to remove the top slide pin, then rotate the caliper so the pads clear the disc and push the caliper off the bottom (blind) slide pin. It is these slide pins which seize, especially the bottom one. Sometimes it is impossible to rotate the caliper because the pin is seized - it should move with effort, but worst case is to use violence to remove the caliper from the pin - even cut the pin. To do that you need to remove the caliper complete with mounting bracket.

(You don't actually need to remove the pads to do the above, but it's probably easier if you do, and certainly easier to get the caliper back on the slide pins with the pads out.)

Clean and grease the pins - opinions vary as to the best grease to use - I use 'Corrosion Block' - popular with the motorcycle and aircraft communities but largely unknown in car circles. Buy it on eBay from motorcycle specialists - there is a spray version and a normal grease version - the latter is what you want.

You don't need to oil/grease the pad retaining pins - they should just be clean.

You can easily replace the pollen filter - it's mounted in the back of the glove box. MOST IMPORTANT - put the ventilation in recycle mode with engine running before you switch off to do this job.

toffee_pie · June 28, 2015

dont forget the last point above..!

jackcramerr · June 29, 2015

oh boy... I removed the filter to see how bad it is then I out it back in... without changing the vent settings... How bad is this ?

Also what do you guys think of Pollen Filter that is carbon activated ? Or should I go with a standard one from euro car parts. Thanks .

johnatg · June 29, 2015

Unless you or your regular passengers suffer from hay fever, you might as well get this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-IS-250-Saloon-Comline-Cabin-Pollen-Filter-Genuine-OEM-Quality-LOW-COST-XE4-/361095802349?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5412fcaded

Pollen filters are more or less optional anyway.

If you removed the filter easily, you were in recycle mode. If you had to force the little door you have almost certainly broken some links - there is a thread on here about someone's d-i-y fix, (which involved a lot of effort) and also one (was it on the US Lex forum?) from a US garage proprietor who had to shell out about $2000 for repairs (he also posted a video of how to do it properly)

Don't mess without a workshop manual - a google search will turn up CD ones (you only ever get CDs of manuals these days - hard copy ones have largely disappeared)

jackcramerr · June 29, 2015

no force required at all. The door just behind the shelf right ?

The only thing that took time for me was the filter itself as initially I couldn't see the marks on how to press the clips. once I saw them it was very easy.

Also I followed the manual that came with lexus. I can't recall it mentioning the recycle step. In fact the only reason I wanted to see the filter was because when I opened to read the manual, the page that opened up wa's about pollen filter replacement.

Now I am not sure if previous owner broke it...

Thanks for the tip. There is a CD that came with this car. Wonder what that is. Wouldn't it be good if I ask Lexus for a copy of a service manual ?Which manual do you guys use?

madasahatter · June 29, 2015

Is the pollen filter in a drop down in side of glove box? why does it have to go on recycle before changing never herd that one before.

johnatg · June 29, 2015

The filter fits in a tray, horizontally at the back of the glove box.

If the ventialtion is not in recycle, vital links in the system get broken when you force a flap to get access to the tray. When its in recycle, the tray is clearly in sight. The damage potentially caused is just ridiculous for the ease with which it is caused If it is damaged it will no longer switch between recycle and fresh air - not sure if other functions will no longer work properly. It is extremely expensive to fix with new parts. As I said, someone did a d-i-y fix on here a few months back - it was not easy, but it worked.

See here:

madasahatter · June 29, 2015

Okey Dokey so when its in recycle tray flap lifts on its own so filter is in view and then resets itself.

johnatg · June 29, 2015

Found it - toffee_pie (Eric) - this time last year. Pretty coy reply above on this thread, old chap!

How to wreck (and fix) the ventilation when changing the pollen filter:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/90945-botched-cabin-filter-install/

toffee_pie · June 29, 2015

indeed, a year ago to the date give or take.

Its still working, but I broke blood to fix it.

as mentioned the flat on the filter lid is motorized, (and the centre one too).

jackcramerr · June 30, 2015

I didn't see the shutter so yeah it was in recycle mode.

jackcramerr · June 30, 2015

I bought the pagid brake pads rear. They don't have that ridge slot in the middle like the oem ones have. Should I replace them with BOSCH which have that slot?