Monocle
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@Ahmedali44 Thanks for the advice! I had a few bits done to the car but it worked out about €375 (I'm in Dublin). It was extra then for the standard Terraclean job which the mechanic said probably wasn't needed (in fairness he said this before he carried it out!). I wanted to be sure though. What DPF cleaner did you use? Might do this every 5,000 miles or so. @Shahpor I have had the car nearly seven years. I brought it in the from the UK at 30,000 miles in great nick. It was my first (and only so far!) decent car. So, I have looked after it very well. Particularly giving attention to the engine. EGR cleaning, manifold cleaning, etc. It's now at 144,000 miles and I still love the car. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but it has really served me well. I have noticed some drop in throttle response as the years have gone by. Particularly the last two years or 30,000 miles. BUT! I picked up the car this evening and it drove like the day I bought it! I only got 30mins driving but it was fantastic. I'm convinced there is a huge increase in fuel consumption too. I have a three hour drive tomorrow that usually gets about 35mpg so I'll report back tomorrow. I don't want to jinx it but so far so good!!! For those of you in Ireland, the DPF centre in south west Dublin were fantastic. I'll post full details tomorrow also. l will probably give it a few weeks before I call it a success but I am very pleased so far.
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I posted this a while back but I forgot to post in this section. I've added a few photos at the bottom as well. First off, I am not a mechanic so my terminology may annoy some of you! I did this as i was getting a lack of power at about 2500revs mainly in higher gears. It has improved dramatically. Fuel efficiency seems to have improved but only slightly so I can't say for sure. For this guide, I refer to right and left as you stand at the front of the vehicle looking into the engine. I know this is not the norm so apologies if confusing. Front refers to the front of the car as standard. Also, the elec. connectors are the biggest pain in the &%$£. Trying to squeeze the clip and pull at the same time is so difficult as they are usually well stuck in place being nine years old! Don’t give up! Job time – 10 hours over two days (I didn’t have a guide so hopefully you will do it faster – it would take me about 6 hours if I did it again) Set up tools, bench, laptop, etc. (1 hour) Disassembly (5 hours) Cleaning (2 hours) Reassembly (2 hours) Basic tools are required but just having a good socket set is very important. Not necessary to jack up vehicle but would help. I drove the front wheels up on 3inch blocks. This is the order I did it in, you may want to do it a little differently. I include headings for the most part but in general this order worked well. Here we go!... Covers: Remove primary engine cover Remove RH engine cover Remove LH engine cover Remove front engine cover Remove under engine covers (x2) Battery: Disconnect battery terminals Remove battery horizontal support brace Disconnect the electrical connection on the LH side of the battery cover Remove battery cover Remove battery Remove base cover of battery Remove battery vertical support brace Remove control module under battery (x3 bolts – long one goes on RH side) Disconnect 3 elec. connectors on control module Remove bottom battery case (x3 bolts) EGR: Remove EGR pipe and gaskets Disconnect EGR elec. connector Remove EGR valve Radiator: Open radiator cap and drain ***** (have bucket ready to take ~5 litres) Drain fluid Remove air intake duct above radiator Disconnect inlet and outlet pipes of radiator fluid reservoir tank Remove reservoir tank Various: Disconnect fuse box wire harness clips (x2) Disconnect common rail front end elec. connector Disconnect common rail fuel supply hose Disconnect common rail rear end elec. connector Remove wire harness support bolts (x2) Various: Disconnect EGR valve rear end elec. connector Remove five wire harness clips (red arrows) Remove harness support (green arrow) Remove sponge adjacent to EGR valve Various: Remove bolts (x3) on water pipe (blue arrow) below EGR assembly Remove clip at front end of pipe and slide hose off Remove vacuum hose (small) from water pipe (underneath) Remove elec. connector under vacuum hose & remove clip also (hard to see but you’ll know it has to be disconnected) Push hose assembly out of the way – towards battery area (no need to fully disconnect) Air Flow (Throttle) Assembly:- Disconnect three elec. connectors on air flow unit Remove bolt on air flow unit Common Rail:- Remove common rail bolt (x2) Remove common rail fuel lines Protect (tissue) the common rail connectors & ports Remove common rail and keep clean Inlet Manifold: Disconnect vacuum hose from inlet manifold Remove inlet manifold upper stay bolt (it’s a vertical support that can be hard to see) Remove air flow pipe to inlet manifold (1 clip also) (difficult to remove for me but keep twisting and pulling – there is a lip to overcome) Loosen inlet manifold lower stay nut (very difficult to access – hard to even see. This was the most awkward part of the whole job. You should really disconnect for easier access but it would be impossible to get it back on – loosening and pushing it aside was fine for me) See diagram below. Remove bolts (~x9) on intake manifold Remove intake manifold Cleaning: Clean inlet manifold – I used a power hose, carburettor cleaner, screwdriver for scraping & kitchen paper. Clean inlet ports – as above but I used a hoover continuously to prevent as much carbon as possible entering the valves/cylinders Reinstall in reverse – much easier than disassembly! Prime the fuel system. Photos: Photo 1 - Inlet ports exposed after inlet manifold clean. Of the four ports showing, the first has been cleaned mostly, the second is as found, and the third and fourth have some cleaning done. Highly recommend using a hoover if scraping any carbon from here. Otherwise just coat with carburetor cleaner and wipe away with a cloth. Photo 2 - Inlet manifold removed. Condition hard to see but constriction increases further into the ports. Photo 3 - Inlet ports - two untouched and two partially cleared.
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Last week my car went through the usual process of chugging, no power, check VSC, limp mode. It had been about 3 years (40,000 miles ago) since it had last happened. A good EGR clean and DPF regeneration seemed to do the job back then. So, now i'm at 145,000 miles (2007) and the same happened. I gave the EGR a clean (I usually do this every 5,000 miles anyway) but this time I pulled it apart and tried to ensure the two plates on the valve stem were seating properly. I'd highly recommend this extra attention as there was still a small gap after my usual clean. However, the DPF seems to be fully blocked this time. The P2002 fault appeared and I had the pressure checked. It should be about 3mBar at idle but was 50mBar (measured between turbo and DPF). The car is now in today for a full DPF clean. It's done using a Terraclean product. Fingers crossed. I'm having a full engine clean done as well (standard Terraclean service). Picking the car up later this evening so will report back. One thing I wanted to try was to check the operation of the EGR valve. I'm not a mechanic/electrician but have some level of competency . Can anyone tell me how to check that it is working? Was thinking of just running 12V through it direct from the battery but I don't have a wiring diagram.
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Thanks Newbie, that's all really helpful. I'm now not looking forward to the state of the silicon grease when I check it next! I think, as you have used the Toyota grease for many years and it has been very successful, I'm going to switch to it. The boots were in a good state the last time I checked so not sure what is happening. I'll investigate further. It's a simple job as you said - it's just that repetitive jobs frustrate me Thanks again - great advice throughout the thread.
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I've done a bit of research on this as I was fed up doing this job every 3-4k miles. Apparently Silicon grease (water resistant) is ideal for the job. Cheap and easily got. Small tube. I checked mine after 4k miles following application of this new grease and they did look a lot better than usual. Usual bit of dirt but pins were less rusted and seemed freer. I don't know the exact technical reasons for this but I'm sure someone here can shed some light!
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IS220D Inlet Manifold Cleaning - Carbon Removal
Monocle replied to Monocle's topic in Engine & Transmission
@Steve - it's only a small contribution that pales in significance when compared to the help I've gotten from this site! @Shahpor - I'll attach some pictures soon. They are not great though and I regret not taking better ones. I read somewhere about a Is220d owner removing pounds of carbon from the inlet. I'd say I got about half to maybe a full pound. I didn't change the gasket. It's metal (like the EGR ones) and looked in good shape so I didn't bother. One thing I should add is that there are torque specs for each nut and bolt obviously. I didn't torque anything. I went good hand tight on everything but a little softer on the common rail connections. It is very important that they sit right before finding the thread. I didn't have any issues though. I think DIY jobs like these all come down to confidence and it does help to know someone else has tried it first!!! The only problem is that bottom bolt on the inlet manifold stay. Persevere though! -
First off, I am not a mechanic so my terminology may annoy some of you! I did this as i was getting a lack of power at about 2500revs mainly in higher gears. It has improved dramatically. Fuel efficiency seems to have improved but only slightly so I can't say for sure. For this guide, I refer to right and left as you stand at the front of the vehicle looking into the engine. I know this is not the norm so apologies if confusing. Front refers to the front of the car as standard. Also, the elec. connectors are the biggest pain in the &%$£. Trying to squeeze the clip and pull at the same time is so difficult as they are usually well stuck in place being nine years old! Don’t give up! Job time – 10 hours over two days (I didn’t have a guide so hopefully you will do it faster – it would take me about 6 hours if I did it again) Set up tools, bench, laptop, etc. (1 hour) Disassembly (5 hours) Cleaning (2 hours) Reassembly (2 hours) Basic tools are required but just having a good socket set is very important. Not necessary to jack up vehicle but would help. I drove the front wheels up on 3inch blocks. This is the order I did it in, you may want to do it a little differently. I include headings for the most part but in general this order worked well. Here we go!... Covers: Remove primary engine cover Remove RH engine cover Remove LH engine cover Remove front engine cover Remove under engine covers (x2) Battery: Disconnect battery terminals Remove battery horizontal support brace Disconnect the electrical connection on the LH side of the battery cover Remove battery cover Remove battery Remove base cover of battery Remove battery vertical support brace Remove control module under battery (x3 bolts – long one goes on RH side) Disconnect 3 elec. connectors on control module Remove bottom battery case (x3 bolts) EGR: Remove EGR pipe and gaskets Disconnect EGR elec. connector Remove EGR valve Radiator: Open radiator cap and drain ***** (have bucket ready to take ~5 litres) Drain fluid Remove air intake duct above radiator Disconnect inlet and outlet pipes of radiator fluid reservoir tank Remove reservoir tank Various: Disconnect fuse box wire harness clips (x2) Disconnect common rail front end elec. connector Disconnect common rail fuel supply hose Disconnect common rail rear end elec. connector Remove wire harness support bolts (x2) Various: Disconnect EGR valve rear end elec. connector Remove five wire harness clips (red arrows) Remove harness support (green arrow) Remove sponge adjacent to EGR valve Various: Remove bolts (x3) on water pipe (blue arrow) below EGR assembly Remove clip at front end of pipe and slide hose off Remove vacuum hose (small) from water pipe (underneath) Remove elec. connector under vacuum hose & remove clip also (hard to see but you’ll know it has to be disconnected) Push hose assembly out of the way – towards battery area (no need to fully disconnect) Air Flow (Throttle) Assembly:- Disconnect three elec. connectors on air flow unit Remove bolt on air flow unit Common Rail:- Remove common rail bolt (x2) Remove common rail fuel lines Protect (tissue) the common rail connectors & ports Remove common rail and keep clean Inlet Manifold: Disconnect vacuum hose from inlet manifold Remove inlet manifold upper stay bolt (it’s a vertical support that can be hard to see) Remove air flow pipe to inlet manifold (1 clip also) (difficult to remove for me but keep twisting and pulling – there is a lip to overcome) Loosen inlet manifold lower stay nut (very difficult to access – hard to even see. This was the most awkward part of the whole job. You should really disconnect for easier access but it would be impossible to get it back on – loosening and pushing it aside was fine for me) See diagram below. Remove bolts (~x9) on intake manifold Remove intake manifold Cleaning: Clean inlet manifold – I used a power hose, carburettor cleaner, screwdriver for scraping & kitchen paper. Clean inlet ports – as above but I used a hoover continuously to prevent as much carbon as possible entering the valves/cylinders Reinstall in reverse – much easier than disassembly! Prime the fuel system.
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Alloy Wheel Help
Monocle replied to Monocle's topic in Lexus IS 250 / Lexus IS 250C Club / Lexus IS 220D & IS 200D Club
Thanks Keith & John. That's some great info. I was wondering how the centre caps would look and should I buy new nuts. Now I know! So now I have pretty much all the info I need. I'm now thinking of going with the 18s (225 & 255) in Anthracite. I'll keep you posted. -
Alloy Wheel Help
Monocle replied to Monocle's topic in Lexus IS 250 / Lexus IS 250C Club / Lexus IS 220D & IS 200D Club
They look fantastic. Exactly the type I'd be looking for. Thanks for the links. The one thing I am sure about is the colour and now it looks like I'll go for 18s. I am a fan of the original wheels but the spokes are a little too wide. Decisions, decisions! -
Alloy Wheel Help
Monocle replied to Monocle's topic in Lexus IS 250 / Lexus IS 250C Club / Lexus IS 220D & IS 200D Club
Thanks Brian. Unfortunately I'm in Ireland where everything car related is a rip off. I shopped around and most wouldn't even quote because they know these alloys and won't touch them. So this guy can happily throw a few extra quid on the price knowing he has this market to himself! Thanks again -
Help needed! I am in the middle of a TLC project on my IS220d (2007 140k miles). I am looking to get my alloys sorted. They are in a bad state as most IS drivers would be familiar with! I got a quote of ~£420 to treat wheels and bring them back to their original state. They have a full set of new tyres on at the moment. But I have been considering just buying new alloys and going bigger (currently have 17s). I have about £1000 to spend (including tyres). Here's where I need some advice:- 1) What size should I go for? Are 19s too big? I don't plan on lowering the car. And how do I know what size the wall size should be. For example I have 45r17s on front. If I go to 18s is that 40, 35, 30...? 2) Do I need to keep the wider rear or can I just move to 245s all 'round? Will the front take 245s? Currently 225 front. 4) Looking for a gun metal finish - the car is black - is it a good look? I know it's generally a personal preference but I'd be interested to hear some opinions. 5) Is the comfort of the ride affected much by narrower tyres? Not really concerned, just interested! 6) Is there anything else I should know? I recently painted the calipers blue which didn't get much positive feedback from friends/family so I don't want to mess this up as well! Thanks in advance!
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Front Discs Working?
Monocle replied to bobmc's topic in Lexus IS 250 / Lexus IS 250C Club / Lexus IS 220D & IS 200D Club
My rear caliper looked like this on one side due to the caliper seizing. Reasonably easy to check. Had to replace in the end as it was rusted solid in place. Take a wheel off, unbolt the caliper and see if it is free to move. Check both the piston and the two slide pins (the pins are more likely the cause of a seized caliper on the IS). -
I'm not a mechanic by any means but I do enjoy tinkering! The 220D gets a lot of stick here and rightly so. But if you have time and patience, you can do a few things to get the most out of it. Most of which I have learned here! I love my IS but have had to accept its limitations. It's now on 140,000 miles and I'm in the middle of a TLC project to keep it going for another few years. I religiously clean the EGR valve every 5000 miles and sometimes more frequently if I'm at something else in the engine - it's such an easy job. I recently pulled the inlet manifold off and cleaned it as well as as much of the inlet ports as I could. It was a big enough job taking about 10 hours total. I took a power hose to the inlet manifold to get as much carbon off as possible - probably not best practice! The reason I did the job was because the car was coughing when accelerating at around 50/60mph in 4th/5th. Since the job has been completed, it has only happened once in ten weeks. It was happening nearly every time previously. Thinking about trying the exhaust manifold next and the second EGR valve. It looks like an easier job than the inlet. Here are a few photos. They are not great I'm afraid but will give you a rough idea. Photo 1: The manifold itself removed. I had started cleaning the 5th and 6th ports Photo 2: Inlet ports. Right pair cleaned almost fully Photo 3: Inlet ports (not sure why it's upside down). As you look at it, the right four have been almost fully cleaned Photo 4: I'll type this up if someone is interested