New Engine

[Prash]

Hi Guys,

I hope you will find this useful. The car spends time between Italy and UK. thought it will never happen to me but it has!! My car is a 2006 IS 220D. No warning lights but it has been spraying coolant for a while through the little tube which comes out of the expansion tank. I bought this car when it was just under a year old from new. Took the car for the 70K service at Lexus in the UK and they told me that my head gasket has gone. I am having a new engine with modified EGR unit. They found that the car had consumed a lot of oil and the EGR was blocked again despite a clean during the previous service at Lexus Como. In the last year's MOT emissions test, it was recorded, "emission to clean to measure". However, this year the emissions test recorded smoke in exhaust gases. The smoke is not that noticible but it must be coming from burning the oil. This means the catalytic convertor and the diesel particulate filter must also be damaged. Lexus said they will consider replacing these too once they have stripped the car down and assessed the damage. They have done this in the previous cars they worked on. There is a test called the BLOCK TEST which you can request for head gasket gas leak, also test for turbo gas leak. Initially, Lexus Como (Italy) thought it was a slight presure build up in the coolant system due to blockage. Apparantly, if its the head gasket failure, the pressure will be 1 bar in the expansion tank (I think this is when its fully gone). So they cleaned out the three radiators (air con, turbo and water), charged me four hours labour (266 euros) and told me it was safe to get back to the UK!! When I got back to the UK, car was booked in for the service and I was told I needed a new engine! To qualify for this, there must be proof of oil consumption, the car must be below 7yrs or 110k and fully maintained. So all of you out there, get it sorted before its too late and you end up paying for it all.

[LawrenceR]

This is happening to me now. The only sign I have noticed is the coolant overflow so far. The car has been serviced when needed, its booked in with Lexus on Friday and it meets the extended warranty criteria so they will hopefully sort it out! Check out my thread there is some good info on there if your interested. Good luck.

[Prash]

Just wondered how you got on with your problem. I have a new engine along with new rear calipers under warranty. The engine is very quiet and the characteristics are totally different. For the first time, I am able to access all the power around 2000 rpm and the 6th gear at around 65-70mph withoutt the car vibrating. The car is very quick, infact a little frightening with all that torque coming through. Hope you get yours sorted, good luck!!