The mystery grommet! Large rubber plug in flywheel housing

br1anstorm · April 21, 2023

I've been spending the last few fine days under the car. My 2002 IS300 SportCross was in need of some cleaning up and rust-removal, so I've been applying Lanoguard (but I'll leave comments on that for a separate post).

I removed the various plastic undertrays/shields in order to inspect and access the underside of the car. Incidentally these undertrays seem to do a decent protection job.

But while looking around the engine/transmission/driveline down the middle of the car, I noticed a very large rubber grommet - it is actually a blanking plug - fitted into the mounting bracket (or is it part of the casting of the engine block?) just forward of what I would call the flywheel (or the torque converter.?). And this 'grommet' was slightly ill-fitting - see photos. The lower lip is slightly buckled, and clearly some oil seeps out because the insulation padding on the undertray is oil-soaked.

It looks as if the grommet covers a hole which gives access to the bolts on the flywheel itself, presumably necessary if removing/dismantling the transmission.

Anyway, I pulled this grommet out. I noticed two things. First, it isn't exactly oval in shape: it is very slightly U-shaped, so will only fit one-way up. Second, the inside of the rubber surface had two fairly substantial "grooves" worn into it. See last pic. I can only guess that this must have been done by the heads of the bolts on the flywheel as it rotates.

Now here's the question. What exactly is the part number of this grommet, as it seems sensible to replace it? It is clearly a very specific part, not a standard oval or circular grommet, because of its unique slightly curved shape. But I cannot find it in any of the various parts-catalogues I have looked at (including the Amayama website). It doesn't seem to be listed or shown in any illustrated parts-diagram.

br1anstorm · April 21, 2023

An immediate update!

I have cleaned off the grease and muck, and I have managed to find the part number for this mysterious rubber grommet. It is 90950-01809. And a quick online search reveals that it is described as a "Flywheel Inspection Cover". Evidently it fits the 1JZ engine in various Lexus and Toyota models.

That's the good news. The less encouraging news is that it seems hard to source. eBay lists suppliers in the US, Poland and Latvia, with the price anywhere upwards of £25. My local Toyota dealer quotes £23. It looks as if I can order it from Amayama for about £12 inc delivery to UK...... Can anyone suggest a better deal from a UK supplier?

lexus22 · May 5, 2023

To be honest, £23 seems reasonable, at least you know it's the correct part and that you will actually receive it 🤔👍

ColinBarber · May 5, 2023

On 4/21/2023 at 1:07 PM, br1anstorm said:

Can anyone suggest a better deal from a UK supplier?

It's such a low volume part, and one they hasn't been used by Toyota for quite some time that finding a non-genuine part isn't going to be easy in this country. You really only have three options - purchase new genuine part from Toyota dealer (worth asking a T dealer as often L dealers are more expensive for the same part and this is used on older Toyota cars with 3G-GE engines (e.g. MR2 and Celica) as well as 1JZ engines (Supra)), import from Amayama etc. or find a secondhand part at a scrap yard.

br1anstorm · May 11, 2023

Thanks to both chris @lexus22 and @ColinBarber. I've just been catching up after a week or two away. In fact after checking UK dealers (Lexus and Toyota) and Lexus Parts Direct, whom I have dealt with for other parts, it became clear that Amayama offered the best deal at about £12 delivered: half the price of other quotes. So I ordered it, and the part - genuine Toyota/Lexus - arrived by airmail from the UAE within less than a fortnight. I'm well impressed, and plan to fit it this weekend. Problem solved, I hope!