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Replace valve stem seals


Shirleyanne
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Hi, I'm new to the club. Has anyone any experience of replacing their valve stem seals on the SC430? Preferably without taking the engine out! I'm getting lots of smoke on startup which stops after minute or two and doesn't do it when driving.

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I've never heard of a 3UZ-FE needing them. Is it blue smoke indicating oil being burnt?

It's perfectly normal to get some exhaust gas when it's first started up or for the first few miles, mine always has a little vapour trail when cold for a short time.

If it goes away after a few minutes and isn't evident while driving normally, that sounds okay. If there is blue smoke on start up or continuous clouds of white smoke, that might indicate a problem.  

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Well it could be the valve stem seals but I would say that's very rare with these engines. With regular servicing they are ultra reliable. It really needs to go to Lexus or a knowledgeable independent for a proper inspection and diagnosis.

 

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Although it is rare it happened on an LS400 that I owned for a very brief period last year.  Whenever I started from cold it would produce an uncomfortable amount of blue smoke. I put it down to valve stem seals, this was clearly due to lack of servicing from the previous owner.

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7 hours ago, The-Acre said:

Although it is rare it happened on an LS400 that I owned for a very brief period last year.  Whenever I started from cold it would produce an uncomfortable amount of blue smoke. I put it down to valve stem seals, this was clearly due to lack of servicing from the previous owner.

Wow so that was the bomb proof 1UZ-FE. I had one around to 230k in a Soarer and a 3UZ to 215K in a GS and not a hint of it. 

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15 hours ago, Neil E said:

Wow so that was the bomb proof 1UZ-FE. I had one around to 230k in a Soarer and a 3UZ to 215K in a GS and not a hint of it. 

I think is was simply lack of service, the oil was dark (unusual for an LS) and also very low.

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  • 2 months later...

If the smoke is only at cold starts, after the car has been sat overnight or longer, and also the smoking disappears after the engine has warmed up it might indicate the valve seals. However, if the engine was not serviced properly, and cheap/poor oil was used for prolonged intervals, I would buy a compression tester (on amazon for about £20 or less) and properly check that V8. This motor is indeed an amazing piece of engineering, but still vulnerable if mistreated.

I had a 2003 mazda 323f in which the belt driving the alternator and water pump broke. The engine overheated and boiled off the coolant. No damage to the pistons and bores was done, the engine still holds the compression properly, but it was hot enough to crack and deform the valve stem seals.

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