:zee: LS400 POWER STEERING FLUID & EXHAUST SMOKE COMBINATION :zee:
Here was my problem the car is a LS400 1990
Morning start up, the car would smoke, white smoke, only at the start up. Also the Power steering fluid was going down even though it was not leaking.
How to solve this problem?
By the back of the power steering pump, behind the fluid reservoir, has a little vacumm valve that has two little hose coming in to the (Throtle Body/Intake Manifold) The function of this valve is to rev the engine up, in case of you turning the steering too much to one side , and having the A/C on, it will keep the engine from running RPMs too low.
To test and make sure that you could have the same problem, umplug the two little hoses from the (Throtle Body/Intake manifold) and buy two,litle caps and plug the two little niples where the hose where attached to the manifold.
Drive for few days , and keep an eye on the fluid level and the start up in the morning.
If the smoke is gone and the fluid in no longer going down, you will need to replace the little valve. I replaced my one by myself, it is quite a job, but I manged to do it. Also it is a good time to flush the system and replace the fluid. (MAKE SURE YOU PROTECT THE ALTERNATOR DOWN BELOW) If you have any question feel free to contact me . Good luck.
reated an account just to reply to this thread! Hopefully the info will be useful to someone. biggrin.gif
:zee: LS400 POWER STEERING FLUID & EXHAUST SMOKE COMBINATION :zee:
HonakerAuto
Group: Members
Joined: 30-May 08
Member No.: 24504
Location:Florida Panhandle
Lexus Model:1993 LS400
We have a customer's vehicle here ('93 LS400) that has both issues (smoking and power steering fluid loss). This particular one has had the P.S. pump replaced by other shops three times already in an effort to remedy its persistent leak, but apparently nobody else that had worked on it knew to check that valve.
By the way, the valve in question is not the idle speed control valve as the O.P. had described. Toyota lists it as an "idle-up" valve, but this particular part does not regulate the engine's idle speed. The valve that does that (the ISC itself) is actually on the side of the throttle body.
What it really does is sample manifold vacuum and use that to command the pump to boost the steering fluid pressure as vacuum increases, so as to give more responsive steering at higher speeds. The problem is that when it fails internally the fluid passing past it on the pump side gets sucked into the intake, simultaneously creating both the smoking and P.S. fluid loss problems. (Worse, if you inhale enough fluid into the intake there's always the risk of a hydrolock and corresponding engine damage.)
The part shows on our copy of Mitchell OnDemand as costing about $200 (dealer list), the dealer I called showed it as about $100 list, and there's no labor entry for it but given its location expect to have to pay slightly above pump R&R time (which runs about 3 hours for the '93 LS400) to have it replaced if you're not mechanically inclined enough to do so yourself. It's not available though aftermarket channels so you'll need to hit up your Lexus dealer for it.
Hope all of this helps in some manner!
Created an account just to reply to this thread!
Hopefully the info will be useful to someone. biggrin.gif
I signed up to thank mig25 and HoneckerAuto, and to confirm!
I woulde like to thank you mig25 and HoneckerAuto for the information.
I just had an opportunity to buy 1991 LEXUS LS 400 wiyth the heavy smoke comming from the exhaust, loss of power stearing fluid, and really wrestling with the stering wheel. CAUSE NO POWER stering the CAR WAS UNDRIVABLE.
I bought it for almost nothing as the owner was scared to fix the engine and the power stering at the quote given him by the dealership.
I took the chance, and I won.
The car has it all on, and after repair of that stupid valve performs like new.
Full luxus at one month salary!
Just to confirm that the valve in question is LEXUS Part number 17630-16040, US LIST PRICE U$ 122.46, DEALER COST U$ 91.86.
The perts salesman called it "air valve".
After replacing it car is better that any BRAND NEW wheels.
All you need is a "skinny" 17 mm wrench.
The replacement with all the preparation took me about 10 minutes!
You access it from the under your car.
The wrenches are to thick, so you need a "skinny" one.
I disconnected both houses before replacement.
I plugged the houses with the 6n mmm bolt.
Than with the electrical tape sealed the intake manifold and other "throtle in" to which were connected the hoses.
The first cold start in the morning resulted in NO smoke!
At trhis moment I knew that is the end of the problem.
Power Steering Fluid & Smoke Combination
in Engine & Transmission
Posted
reated an account just to reply to this thread! Hopefully the info will be useful to someone. biggrin.gif
Created an account just to reply to this thread!
Hopefully the info will be useful to someone. biggrin.gif
I signed up to thank mig25 and HoneckerAuto, and to confirm!
I woulde like to thank you mig25 and HoneckerAuto for the information.
I just had an opportunity to buy 1991 LEXUS LS 400 wiyth the heavy smoke comming from the exhaust, loss of power stearing fluid, and really wrestling with the stering wheel. CAUSE NO POWER stering the CAR WAS UNDRIVABLE.
I bought it for almost nothing as the owner was scared to fix the engine and the power stering at the quote given him by the dealership.
I took the chance, and I won.
The car has it all on, and after repair of that stupid valve performs like new.
Full luxus at one month salary!
Just to confirm that the valve in question is LEXUS Part number 17630-16040, US LIST PRICE U$ 122.46, DEALER COST U$ 91.86.
The perts salesman called it "air valve".
After replacing it car is better that any BRAND NEW wheels.
All you need is a "skinny" 17 mm wrench.
The replacement with all the preparation took me about 10 minutes!
You access it from the under your car.
The wrenches are to thick, so you need a "skinny" one.
I disconnected both houses before replacement.
I plugged the houses with the 6n mmm bolt.
Than with the electrical tape sealed the intake manifold and other "throtle in" to which were connected the hoses.
The first cold start in the morning resulted in NO smoke!
At trhis moment I knew that is the end of the problem.
That trick make me at least 5,000 U$ !
Count SAS