Got a problem with MK1 GS300. Coolant levels changing in expansion chamber and stream of 'bubbles` in the chamber from startup. This bubbling gets worse after few miles and is audible after parking up. Expansion chamber has just overflowed last night after short trip. Water not boiling, not steam as measured temperature. Engine temperature sometimes rises when idling. New radiator fitted recently and system pressure tested no problems. Above symptoms only started after service by non Lexus garage. Spark plugs, oil, air filter, starter motor changed. Coolant was low when I collected car. Mechanic said that a water pipe had to be disconnected to gain easy access to starter motor???!!! Are we talking head gasket here with gas entering coolant system? Or air lock? Any help would be appreciated.

change the expansion tank cap first....let me know how you get on...pm me if needed

I know this sounds silly but i had the same problem only a few months ago.. stopped at carpark and thought that it was cool enough so took rad cap off unfortunatley it was still under a lot of pressure and it shot up in the air..(never to be found again) had to be towed home anyway got new rad cap next day from lexus and a friend sowed me how to refill rad by leaving cap off with car running topped up to top of rad with water... after a while it went down so topped up some more and continued doing this till it did not go down anymore then replaced rad cap.. all has been o.k since, He said it could have been the rad cap that could have gone and not sealing properly although you say it was a new rad i assume it was a new cap too .. it could have been where they took of the hose then never topped the rad up properly and never bleed it properly hence possible air lock?


jac
you may also want to check my originl thread when i had the problem
[url="http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=51&t=5376&"]see all comments here[/url]

hey guys there is a website-evanscooling.com that has waterless coolant just drain and flush the rad then fill with npg coolant guaranteed for 250,000 mi. you never have to open the system to add fluid or change for the 250,000 mi. pretty much it's like buying your last rad coolant.

DOn't know if its related but my water pump baring has just gone and made the car noisy on start up. oddly enough it went the morning of my MOT so I took the car car back the next day to be fixed. just off to pick it up now... will ask of the syptoms you discribe are familar to them....

Loz

Ps....


Supply and fit Water pump...

£90

Bargain? I think so... that would be one hours labour and £15 for the water pump at Lexus....

Garage diagnosed problem as cylinder head gasket faulty. Allowing combustion gasses to flow into coolant system - hence bubbling coolant from startup in expansion chamber.

I'll post a further note as to the cost and effectiveness of the repair.

Would still like to know if Bosch spark plugs are gonna give me trouble and should the gap be reduced by 0.2mm because of the LPG conversion.

Just to finish, apart from all this hassle, LPG is brill at 29.8p per litre!!! No change in performance at all.

If they did not do a proper job servicing your car and the cooling system got air it in, it's possible the the block overheated and warped causing your head gasket dialemma. Unfortunately, I don't know everything about cars, I just know a little bit about a lot of things, but if any techie mechanics out there read this, maybe they could say if it was possible. If it is the case, I'd get an independant technician to give you a report so that you can threaten the garage nicely into doing the repairs. Was the garage where you had the work done part of the RMIF (Retail Motor Industry Federation)? If they are and they prove to be unhelpful, you could try going direct to the RMIF and see if they can help.

Good luck, we're all counting on you

This is a classic cyl head gasket symptom....

Do the usual checks first though....

- Cooling system leaks?
- Radiator Cap
- Thermostat
- Electric cooling fan and control unit/AC system

iv got the same problem(water would bubble out of coolant tank), i removed the thermostat and it seems to have calmed the bubbling in the radiator but very rarely i may just hear the odd bubble when i stop after a long journey (but i dont lose any water now).
i tried to use a liquid based gasket seal ( the one you put into the radiator and flush out afterwards but not had any luck) ive been told to get the head gasket and cylinder gasket changed ( a very expensive procedure ive been told)
any ideas of what i should do and what is involved with changing head and cylinder gasket (oh yeah ive run out of air con refrigerant).

[quote name='jinn_faz' date='Oct 24 2005, 09:44 PM']iv got the same problem(water would bubble out of coolant tank), i removed the thermostat and it seems to have calmed the bubbling in the radiator but very rarely i may just hear the odd bubble when i stop after a long journey (but i dont lose any water now).
i tried to use a liquid based gasket seal ( the one you put into the radiator and flush out afterwards but not had any luck) ive been told to get the head gasket and cylinder gasket changed ( a very expensive procedure ive been told)
any ideas of what i should do and what is involved with changing head and cylinder gasket (oh yeah ive run out of air con refrigerant).
[right][snapback]298818[/snapback][/right][/quote]

Take it to a good independent garage get them to replace the headgasket...if youve never done that type of engine work before...dont take it to Lexus dealers unless youve got plenty of money to give them £110 per hour when i asked them there hourly rate .

[quote name='chips229' date='Oct 25 2005, 06:20 PM'][quote name='jinn_faz' date='Oct 24 2005, 09:44 PM']iv got the same problem(water would bubble out of coolant tank), i removed the thermostat and it seems to have calmed the bubbling in the radiator but very rarely i may just hear the odd bubble when i stop after a long journey (but i dont lose any water now).
i tried to use a liquid based gasket seal ( the one you put into the radiator and flush out afterwards but not had any luck) ive been told to get the head gasket and cylinder gasket changed ( a very expensive procedure ive been told)
any ideas of what i should do and what is involved with changing head and cylinder gasket (oh yeah ive run out of air con refrigerant).
[right][snapback]298818[/snapback][/right][/quote]

Take it to a good independent garage get them to replace the headgasket...if youve never done that type of engine work before...dont take it to Lexus dealers unless youve got plenty of money to give them £110 per hour when i asked them there hourly rate .
[right][snapback]299099[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

Thank you, ive just found out that the radiator is blocked, so i need a new radiator (L reg gs300) i will replace the thermostat and radiator cap (TRD if i can find any in the manchester region)
thanks again
ps if any one knows of where i could get a trd thermostat id appreciate it
ive found a radiator and cap on ebay.

rad blockage/corrosion is common on series I GS300s because the coolant change was really only an option on the service schedule so not everybody got it done, or the vehicles have got to the age where people don't service them at main dealers and the premixed Toyota LLC coolant doesn't get used.

Useful Info

[url="http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtProg/machinery/Articles/engcool.htm"]http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPro...les/engcool.htm[/url]

[quote name='jinn_faz' date='Oct 27 2005, 01:13 AM'][quote name='chips229' date='Oct 25 2005, 06:20 PM'][quote name='jinn_faz' date='Oct 24 2005, 09:44 PM']iv got the same problem(water would bubble out of coolant tank), i removed the thermostat and it seems to have calmed the bubbling in the radiator but very rarely i may just hear the odd bubble when i stop after a long journey (but i dont lose any water now).
i tried to use a liquid based gasket seal ( the one you put into the radiator and flush out afterwards but not had any luck) ive been told to get the head gasket and cylinder gasket changed ( a very expensive procedure ive been told)
any ideas of what i should do and what is involved with changing head and cylinder gasket (oh yeah ive run out of air con refrigerant).
[right][snapback]298818[/snapback][/right][/quote]

Take it to a good independent garage get them to replace the headgasket...if youve never done that type of engine work before...dont take it to Lexus dealers unless youve got plenty of money to give them £110 per hour when i asked them there hourly rate .
[right][snapback]299099[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

Thank you, ive just found out that the radiator is blocked, so i need a new radiator (L reg gs300) i will replace the thermostat and radiator cap (TRD if i can find any in the manchester region)
thanks again
ps if any one knows of where i could get a trd thermostat id appreciate it
ive found a radiator and cap on ebay.
[right][snapback]299581[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

TRD thermostats straight from TRD site they have a list up i don't remember the link thought and if anyone needs a spare rad cap i have a standard one around somewhere

Is there a drain tap to replace the old coolant on the Mk2 ?