johnatg

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter. I think the silver side is a metal base for the compressible material that's coloured (I have a stack of them and they are green with the silver covered with some sort of non removable brown film).

Not heard of them and certainly never come across them, but if anyone's interested: http://getech.org.uk/Product/PlayDetectors/

Don't worry - it fits. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

Interesting - did you use Liqui-Moly MTX Carb. & Valve Cleaner rather than the throttle valve cleaner? I have cleaned the PCV valve on my MX-5 from time to time ( I guess partly because it's obvious and easy to get at) - I squirt WD-40 into it. A good deal of gunk comes out - but I don't think it has got to the point of not rattling at all - but it rattles better after cleaning! Must try that with my IS250. It doesn't seem to be very easy to find NOACK ratings - I use Dexos2 (GM branded, so sold as Dexos2 product rather than licensed) - I can't find a NOACK figure at all for the Dexos 2 spec.

It's getting to b a major problem with petrol engines but diesels are worse. Most engines (both petrol and diesel) have EGR valves (although thankfully not IS250s). But oil vapours get into the inlet tract via the crankcase breather anyway. The culprit identified by Shell for the severity of the carbon build up is Viscosity Improver - that is not a DIY additive but is put in the oil during manufacture to provide 'wide band' viscosity - ie 10W-30, 0W-40 etc. The bigger the difference between the two numbers the more VI is required. It certainly helps to change the oil much more frequently than recommended. The problem doesn't seem to have hit us IS250 owners in UK too much but there are a lot of reports of it in US. The CM article referenced shows intake valves in a Mini Cooper S (petrol) engine at 77K miles - they are in a dreadful state before walnut shell cleanng.

The CM article shows pics of the Mini (1.6 'Prince' engine in a Cooper S) inlet valves before and after treatment - before they were well carboned up (this engine suffers particularly badly apparently) - after, they were spotless and the tract walls nearly so. To be fair the TerraClean method comes under the heading 'Chemical combustion chamber cleaning' so I guess that would be irrelevant as far as inlet valve carbon goes. It does show impressive results for other processes - they have a technique for cleaning EGR valves which involves connecting the tool to the EGR cooler. (Pictures shown in the article) They have DPF cleaning techniques too - both might be of interest to our diesel friends!

Front: 0º11' = approx 1mm toe in. So you are well within range (spec is 1mm +- 2mm = approx 0º11' toe out to 0º22' toe in) Rear spec is 3mm +- 2mm = approx 0º11' to 0º55' so within spec (at the lower end of acceptable toe in). If my calculations are correct +- !

Yeah - the problem was actually always there but the carbon was washed off when fuel was injected before the valve. Walnut shells are soft compared with the bore etc, so they don't cause any abrasion to the metal, either in the valve area or bores. The technique involves setting each piston to TDC which fully closes the valves. Then the ground up shells are blasted in and vacuumed out. The operator checks the results and does it again if necessary, and also checks that there are no shells left in the inlet tract. Then moves on to the next cylinder. You need an adapter tool which incorporates a nozzle injector and vacuum extractor and it has to fit the inlet tract exactly - ie a different adapter for each car model. Do they have them for IS250s??? It's not a cheap process - the article quotes from £299 for a 6 cyl BMW so maybe an IS250 might be similar. The conclusions about TerraClean are mixed - ie no objective evidence and TerraClean are very cagey about how it works. They are supposed to be supplying proper evidence later this year. I've got a USB endoscope - keep intending to have a look at the backs of my valves - you need to insert it down the inlet tract, not into the bores - you wouldn't be able to see the valve backs from the combustion chamber side.

This is a topic we come back to now and again. Just a heads up really - there's an interesting article in 'Car Mechanics' this month (March 2016) about dealing with the subject (Decoking modern engines). Apparently Dr Helmut Leonhardt of Shell Lubricants has done a lot of work on the inlet valve problem on Direct Injection engines (including his PhD) and puts it down to Viscosity Improvers in the oil - the carbon comes from oil which gets into the inlet tract via the crankcase breather system and EGR valves (no EGR valve on IS250s though). The article covers cleaning techniques including walnut shell blasting (there's a photo sequence of it being done on a Mini) and TerraClean. So there you go if you're interested.

Off the top of my head, Jack, your alignmemt figures look reasonably OK. Unfortunately, Lexus specify toe as a measurement in mm (taken at the middle of the wheel at the edge of the tyre, if you see what I mean - how the hell you're supposed to measure it I don't know). The spec is 1mm +/- 2mm difference between the front and back of the wheels. I really can't be bothered trying to convert that to degrees and minutes, but your figures show slight toe in which is OK. The other figures are within spec. You can adjust front toe and rear toe and camber. One tyre place I went to (National Tyres) said I should get my rear alignment checked as they reckoned the tyres were worn slightly more on the outsides than the insides, but said they weren't prepared to adjust it as It's so complex rear suspension. The workshop manual tells you how to do it - I won't go into details but there's an adjustment plate with cams. (I didn't do anything about it - the tyres were completely worn out and the uneven wear was very slight and I put it down to enthusiastic driving rather than any problem.) What you are aiming for is for the wheels to be perfectly parallel when the car is in motion. I have one (actually I've got two) of those alignment gauges which you drive over and it shows if the toe needs adjusting. I have done it with some of my other cars but not yet with the Lexus - must give it a go.

You can get the rubber parts for the brake calipers from various sources - eg www.brakeparts.co.uk . A front set, which consists of the rubber seals, the little ring for the top pin, a bleed screw cap and caliper seal and boot with a circlip for the caliper boot for £10.66 + postage (per side). They sell all other parts for the brakes (including exchange calipers) - a useful place to know - I've used them many times - always excellent products and service (usual disclaimer!)

BTW - it's very odd, but if I click on the link it takes me an amazon.com site and the comments on the product there are a bit worrying (and not in line with my experience of Techstream). But if I copy and paste I get to the (presumably intended) amazon.co.uk site. I'm on a VPN so maybe that's why?

It may well be correct - the first link is to a Techstream unit but from the comments it appears to be a US version of the software (maybe they all are). I'm not sure that it's a good idea to try and update the software - you may have problems with activation (unless anyone knows any different?). Just get a Techstream from one of the sellers on eBay. They may or may not be kosher and I hesitate to post a link because we're not supposed to talk about illicit stuff here. It will run on a Windows 8 PC (preferably upgraded to 8.1 and on to 10.) It will work on the '14 GS250 for sure and I would think on the GS300. The OBDII socket is under the dash, in front of the steering column - usually has a cover over it (it is actually part of one of the body ecus)

Techstream consists of a cable/connector (with the correct J2534 ARM chip in the connector) and software, which I'm afraid only runs on a Windows PC. The only thing you don't get from those who sell it is the computer. I know it runs OK on Windows 7 32 bit - I think it's OK on Windows 10 32 bit (the software runs but I haven't connected it to my car since I upgraded to Windows 10). I hear there are problems on 64 bit but apparently there are workarounds. AFAIK there is no version for Apple IOS, either phone or computers - it might work on Apple computers running Windows but I don't know. Techstream provides live running data, code reading and settings changing. It's quite complex and the screens are - well, comprehensive. Some OBDII readers have an ELM 327 interface - they don't work on Toyota/Lexus.

Techstream - it's the only way (that I know of)

I think behind the glove box. IS250 wiring is quite unbelievably complex and I can't identify exactly where these particular connectors are on the multitude of electrical parts location diagrams. My old Sunbeam Rapier wiring diagram all fitted on one page and wasn't particularly crowded. Not sure that the car did a significantly different job.... Those were the days!

That will read codes but it won't change settings.

Hmm.. just checked - mines a Laser 4880 - works perfectly. The 5176 is not right at all - no cut-outs and they are vital. Not sure why they do the 5160 - looks just like the 4880 but maybe weaker/cheaper?

Sure enough - this is the symptom header: P0983 Shift Solenoid "D" Control Circuit High (Shift Solenoid Valve S4) Here's a the repair sequence - hope it helps! http://tinyurl.com/j8ew65y (It might be hard to read in your browser - suggest you copy the image into a jpg viewer such as Irfanview - then you'll be able to enlarge sections) It could easily be a fault in the wiring harness connected to the solenoid. It's not going to be easy to check all of that, unless you are lucky and it's somewhere obvious. You might do best to consult an auto electrician and get him to check the wiring - that will be cheaper than going to a Lexus dealer, where they'll just bang in a new solenoid at vast expense and if it's the wiring the fault will still be there.

Yes - I reckon they stored a set of Avensis seats and Lexus seats together and got confused about which went with which. The rears are Lexus seats, the fronts Avensis. Hope someone hasn't gone away with an 'Avensis' set with Lexus fronts!

The tool you broke looked OK. I think the mistake you made was hammering it - you should never apply a hammer to alloy parts, especially die cast ones - they are pretty brittle. (Although I'll admit to having done it myself in desperation once or twice. But it's always fatal). I know you hammered the ratchet, but the shock will have caused weaknesses in the alloy. These tight filter housings will undo with sufficient steady pressure from a long enough breaker bar on the correct filter tool. (You can effectively lengthen a short breaker bar with a piece of piping (eg scaffold pipe or exhaust pipe). At least you broke the tool and not the housing! I always change my own oil - do all my own servicing. I have a pair of drive-on ramps - they raise the car more than a jack and axle stands. Mine look like these, but I've had them for thirty years or more: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-2-Tonne-Car-Ramps-Extra-Heavy-Duty-Pair-/221923597888?hash=item33abad5e40:g:iSYAAOSwuTxV-C8w I have to put a piece of wooden plank just in front of them to raise the car a bit before the wheels reach the ramp to clear the front lip and I have long strips of webbing sewn on to the front rung which go right to the back so the back wheels anchor the ramps, otherwise they just push forward on my rather slippery drive.

If it is tightened to 18ft lbs and no more, it will be simple to get off next time. But it looks as if you'll need a new tool. And a ramp is always a good idea - much safer than any other method of raising the car, and you certainly can't change the oil without raising it. I guess you've had it on your jack and, I hope, axle stands - that ought to be OK. I'd get a garage to loosen the filter for you this time - you don't want to break another tool. BTW - most filters have a torque setting these days - the 'hand-tight' thing is a rule of thumb which has been OK in the past but has now been superceded.

I agree - that seam on the back part should be curved like on the rear seats and the controls are different (eg no recessed panel on mine). Other subtle differences too.

I don't think the three claw type will work anyway and as you say might damage the housing. A Toyota garage will do - several Toyota models use the same filter housing and tool. They will have the tool and the technique for releasing really tight housings.