2006 RX350 - the BIG job has been done!

[Connoisseur]

 Wanted to get the V6 plugs changed but everything I've read says it's a nightmare job,  fiddly, 4 hours, difficult and v expensive😶

So bought the oem plugs from Lexus Birmingham on eBay, £70 instead of £100 plus from Dealer, and took the car off to two guys who've looked after my Lexus cars for more than fifteen years off and on. 

1 hour later Pete and Lates have changed all six plugs using the 'remove wipers, arms and entire cowl but leave plenum/manifold in place' method 🙂 

tbh I was stunned and impressed. Lexus book time for the job is iirc 4 hours.

So quality work at a great price. What more do you want....?

A few pics:

[Connoisseur]

And the bonus is we put the car on the lift to have a good look underneath. Checked the spare and it is a brand new full size spare on matching original Lexus alloy! Cushtie as some might say....

[Spottedlaurel]

Sounds like a goodun and well worth the TLC you're giving it.

I'd love to try an older 300 or 350 now I've got used to my 450.

[Connoisseur]

One thing to note for same model RX owners. In pic 3 Lates on the left is holding the power & signal cable for the wiper motor. When back in place that cable sits across metal and plastic which over time has chafed the insulation. We wrapped it with extra tape and cable protector to ensure no future issues. A job worth doing anytime you have access. 

[welland]

Just noticed that your Battery is on the opposite side to my rx400h. 

[Connoisseur]

1 minute ago, welland said:

Just noticed that your battery is on the opposite side to my rx400h. 

Though you have a second Battery on yours, which is a tad larger🙂

[Herbie]

4 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

I'd love to try an older 300 or 350 now I've got used to my 450

Nah, you'd be disappointed.

Don't get me wrong, I loved our 2005 RX300 SE NAV when we had it but our late 2013 RX450h Advance is a whole order of magnitude better in every respect - more comfortable, more spacious, better ride etc., etc.

[Spottedlaurel]

7 hours ago, Herbie said:

Nah, you'd be disappointed.

Don't get me wrong, I loved our 2005 RX300 SE NAV when we had it but our late 2013 RX450h Advance is a whole order of magnitude better in every respect - more comfortable, more spacious, better ride etc., etc.

I don't know, it's probably a personal thing - I don't dispute that technically a 450 does do those things better, but I have several older cars on my fleet and I enjoy them all for how they do things. I still regularly drive my 1993 Camry and much preferred it to the 2015 Avensis when I had that.

I think it's really good to see Michael commit to a job which I imagine a lot of owners would ignore.

[Jaystar77]

Thanks for posting this.

I'm currently about 1000 miles away from doing the same job and was dreading the inlet mani removal.  Definitely gives me another option now!

 

[Connoisseur]

6 minutes ago, Jaystar77 said:

Thanks for posting this.

I'm currently about 1000 miles away from doing the same job and was dreading the inlet mani removal.  Definitely gives me another option now!

 

Only advice I can give is to make sure you have all the right tools, esp magnetic ones,  a v good lamp, and do one plug at a time from the left. By the time you get to the toughest one at the rh back you'll know what you are looking for and how to do it.  Good luck.

[pedrofromredro]

19 hours ago, Connoisseur said:

 Wanted to get the V6 plugs changed but everything I've read says it's a nightmare job,  fiddly, 4 hours, difficult and v expensive😶

So bought the oem plugs from Lexus Birmingham on ebay, £70 instead of £100 plus from Dealer, and took the car off to two guys who've looked after my Lexus cars for more than fifteen years off and on. 

1 hour later Pete and Lates have changed all six plugs using the 'remove wipers, arms and entire cowl but leave plenum/manifold in place' method 🙂 

tbh I was stunned and impressed. Lexus book time for the job is iirc 4 hours.

So quality work at a great price. What more do you want....?

A few pics:

Do you know if same can be done for Rx400 

[Connoisseur]

7 minutes ago, pedrofromredro said:

Do you know if same can be done for Rx400 

Yes, the job is similar, in how to and level of difficulty....

[Boxbrownie]

Bit surprised profession mechanics did not disconnect the Battery while working on the vehicle........

[Herbie]

47 minutes ago, Boxbrownie said:

Bit surprised profession mechanics did not disconnect the battery while working on the vehicle........

And with no insulated cover on that positive terminal either  

[Connoisseur]

On 3/1/2019 at 1:37 PM, Herbie said:

And with no insulated cover on that positive terminal either  

he heh, ah yes Herbie, picking that up from local Dealer tomorrow👍

[Connoisseur]

tbh I’m not. As professional industry engineers I trust them to know what they need to do when.........

[Boxbrownie]

46 minutes ago, Connoisseur said:

tbh I’m not. As professional industry engineers I trust them to know what they need to do when.........

Having seen the aftermath of a 1/2” socket drive extension weld itself between the terminal and Battery clamp causing the Battery to catch fire (the mechanic could not pull the extension off the battery) I am surprised, that’s all.

Although it was one of the more obvious causes of “thermal events” my company investigated over the years 😀

[Connoisseur]

2 hours ago, Boxbrownie said:

Having seen the aftermath of a 1/2” socket drive extension weld itself between the terminal and battery clamp causing the battery to catch fire (the mechanic could not pull the extension off the battery) I am surprised, that’s all.

Although it was one of the more obvious causes of “thermal events” my company investigated over the years 😀

hmm, I see your point!! Experience trumps everything eh 👀👍

[Herbie]

3 hours ago, Connoisseur said:

tbh I’m not. As professional industry engineers I trust them to know what they need to do when.........

I'm a time-served, fully qualified electrician by trade (although I've not actually worked as an electrician for many years) and to me yes, I know what needs to be done and when to do it, but it's more a case of 'accidents can happen' so you try to minimise that possibility.

My four-year apprenticeship took place in Courtaulds factory here in Preston and it was brilliant in that they had their own power station on site with four turbine/generator sets, generating 6.6kV, with 12 substations around the site.

One day I could be replacing a lightbulb in an office and the next I may be working in the power house on one of the gennys or even laying and jointing a new substation feeder cable.

My point is, even though that car Battery is only 12V, there is no way on earth that I would leave both terminals uncovered for a stray spanner or screwdriver to fall or roll down onto and possibly cause a short circuit.

[Farnham Dave]

On 2/16/2019 at 5:51 PM, Connoisseur said:

 Wanted to get the V6 plugs changed but everything I've read says it's a nightmare job,  fiddly, 4 hours, difficult and v expensive😶

So bought the oem plugs from Lexus Birmingham on ebay, £70 instead of £100 plus from Dealer, and took the car off to two guys who've looked after my Lexus cars for more than fifteen years off and on. 

1 hour later Pete and Lates have changed all six plugs using the 'remove wipers, arms and entire cowl but leave plenum/manifold in place' method 🙂 

tbh I was stunned and impressed. Lexus book time for the job is iirc 4 hours.

So quality work at a great price. What more do you want....?

A few pics:

Brilliant. I actually took mine to Lexus instead of my local garage for the spark plugs (wanted hybrid service anyway)... That way, I'm still friends with my local garage!