My First Lexus - Engine Light, Misfire, Smokey - Gulp!

[Mattydor]

Put some bg44k in with a tank of petrol, you will be surprised at the difference it makes.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BG44K-BG-44K-Fuel-System-and-Injector-Cleaner-/200786474899?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item2ebfce7793

Cool. Will do. Thanks

I've also ordered a workshop manual from eBay on CD, here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321218643307

Does that look like the real thing?

[IHgs300]

That's the one Mat.

[Mattydor]

Thanks again, Ian. Does the supplied funnel for the BG44K work okay with the IS 200?

[IHgs300]

I didn't get a funnel, i used flexible neck from fuel can.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

I didn't want to post the results until I'd had a drive but they are encouraging. I cleaned the filter up to an acceptable state. Not perfect at all (I've ordered a new one from Lexus, only £4.50). I've driven the car for the last few days and it's been like a different car. Still smokes a little but no misfires yet. I've bought an air filter, oil and oil filter and I'm going to change all that this week, but it's looking good so far.

Many thanks to all who helped. I may have just cut my losses and sold it for spares if I'd listened to the garage.

Glad to hear it :)

This has been my experience also, talk to the people that own these cars and work on them themselves, they generally know more than most garages :)

[Pete Shawn]

I didn't want to post the results until I'd had a drive but they are encouraging. I cleaned the filter up to an acceptable state. Not perfect at all (I've ordered a new one from Lexus, only £4.50). I've driven the car for the last few days and it's been like a different car. Still smokes a little but no misfires yet. I've bought an air filter, oil and oil filter and I'm going to change all that this week, but it's looking good so far.

Many thanks to all who helped. I may have just cut my losses and sold it for spares if I'd listened to the garage.

do you have the part number since reading this i would wanna changed mine too

[TigerFish]

Good result so far. I would definately recommend getting yourself a cheap code reader, well worth every penny.

[Mattydor]

do you have the part number since reading this i would wanna changed mine too

I think this is the part number: 15678-46020

This was from an IS 300 manual but the picture looked identical. I only had the first half of the number when I spoke to Lexus. The parts guy didn't actually know there was a filter there until he looked. I think he got it after checking my car's reg number.

[Mattydor]

I think I will, Tigerfish. Are there any recommended code readers (cheap but good) for Lexii?

[TigerFish]

this is like the one I have. Reads my GS430 no problem, couldn't read
my 99 GS300 but that was because pre 2000 GS's aren't OBD2 compliant.
Worked fine on an 2000 IS200 when I helped another member out on here.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/D900-Universal-Car-OBD2-EOBD-CAN-Fault-Code-Reader-Scanner-Diagnostic-Scan-Tool-/121144709680?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item1c34c99230

[steve2006]

Mattdor has quoted the correct part number for the filter.

Filter,Oil Control Valve.

15678-46010 (01/1999-03/2000)

15678-46020 (07/2001- on)

Priced around £4.50.

[Mattydor]

I've just picked up the new ocv filter. I didn't realise you were meant to be able to look through it!

Here's a comparison between (a) the old filter after thorough cleaning for over two hours and (b) shiny new see-through filter. That poor car...

Can't wait to find out what else is dying on this car. ;-(

[Mattydor]

I really thought that would help. There's no engine light on any more and for the first 15 minutes the car drives well. It just then rattles and plumes of light grey smoke come out of the exhaust. Sometimes it clears itself, sometimes it doesn't. Could a good dose of BG44K help something like that?

Without a fault code, am I totally in the dark? It feels like an intermittent timing issue. Could that be ECU? Fuel filter? Someone suggested taking off the valve cover and cleaning that out. I've read so many theories from other people with similar problems that I don't know what to do.

Thanks.

[Mattydor]

UPDATE: Took the car to get an oil filter removal tool. When I stopped I noticed a bad egg (sulphur) smell around the car. Could that be an O2 sensor problem? Fuel filter? Is there a way I can tell or do I actually need to take it in?

[Lexmanic]

UPDATE: Took the car to get an oil filter removal tool. When I stopped I noticed a bad egg (sulphur) smell around the car. Could that be an O2 sensor problem? Fuel filter? Is there a way I can tell or do I actually need to take it in?

That's your CAT & common on ALL cars

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

I also relate the rotten egg smell to the CAT but if any of your three CAT's were not functioning properly then it would def trigger the EML and a fault code... also any faulty sensor or if a sensor detected something was wrong, EML. And again if it was an ECU prob (very very rare) this would also bring the EML on. Timing being out would also bring the EML on.

I don't know what to suggest mate, sorry. :(

[Mattydor]

Well, I bought a fault code scanner. It seems quite comprehensive with lots of features I guess I'll never use. The EML light is no longer on so I guess the P1349 code was cured by changing the OCV filter. No stored or pending codes show now. According to the fault reader, everything is fine and dandy. Car still smokes like crazy after while driving, though.

I want to run the live diagnostics while driving but there wasn't much documentation about this on the device. Does anyone have an idea of what I should be looking for on the live data monitor, especially when the engine rattle happens that precedes the smoking?

It can also view the O2 sensors, by the way. Don't know if I can fathom anything with this?

Sorry if I sound like a total noob, but I haven't worked on cars since my 1982 Ford Cortina. Do cars even have points any more?

[clifton 94]

hi is the car using oil or water

[Lance]

The grey smoke is most likely burning oil. Does it have a blue tinge to it?

[Mattydor]

Clifton, it seems the car is using both oil and water.

Lance, the smoke is very light grey. Not blue at all.

Does this mean what I think it means? Head gasket?

Oil doesn't seem creamy, nor is the water oily. Is there a definitive test I can do to find out if it's a HG or is it a professional job?

The thing is, wouldn't it always puff out gouts of smoke if it was a head gasket? It does smoke a bit but only gushes the stuff out after that death rattle from the engine and sometimes only for a bit and then calms down again.

Maybe I'm clutching at straws...

[Lance]

Check your PCV valve. When you remove it from the valve cover there should be suction with the engine idling. If not it's clogged. The valve has a ball bearing check valve in it and should rattle about when moved. If not it's clogged you could clean or replace it.

[clifton 94]

Does the smoke stay in the air or disappear quickly

[Mattydor]

Lance - Thanks, I'll do that tomorrow. Could that cause a buildup of pressure that could knock the timing out?

Clifton - It doesn't disappear immediately. It's sort of hard to tell because it's only really happening when I'm driving. I do know that cars behind drew back a long way when it's happened and it was visible for a short while at least. And when I've stopped at lights it stays long enough to drift around the front of the car. But it's not a cloud of smog that lingers for ages, either.

[clifton 94]

sounds like oil burning trying cleaning the valve out first if this does the trick great but it may be cheaper to change the engine there is a few on eBay

[Mattydor]

Please ignore me. I was looking at the wrong pipe. Once I got the air filter box off it all made sense.

Help, I'm confused. I have the repair manual on CD and I printed off the IS 200 page for inspection of PCV valve. When I looked under the bonnet, it's completely different. I check the 2JZ-GE page and it's correct for that one. Isn't that the IS 300? The manufacturers plate shows the model as GXE10R. Am I jumping to conclusions here (2 cars welded together)?