Wife's 1,900 mile LX600 just shuddered to a stop on I-10, this should be fun. (3 Viewers)

[doktorno]

Yup, headed from Austin to Houston this afternoon at about 95 (Texas) and check engine came up on the display. First it was slowing and then it would not respond to throttle inputs. She made it to the shoulder, and after waiting a few minutes it would achieve thirteen MPH with smells and shuddering, so I had her jump the ditch to get on the feeder so she would not get hit. She made a to a gas station for a walk around: no blocked air flow, no fluids leaking or blowing, but it stank like hell. Waited for fifteen minutes, and it restarted with the check engine light gone. She drove it straight to the nearest dealership.

Against what I understand about engine codes, she was told by the service department they might not be able to figure it out and it might just be an "anomaly" that happens.

I told her to buy a GX460...

 

[Zill]

I thought it was going to be a spun rod bearing since those are the symptoms on the 3rd gen Tundra, but the engines are typically toast and not drivable after a 15 minute break.

Hope the dealer gets to the bottom of this, and this goes to show how much we will miss the low stressed V8’s in this new generation.

 

[usnick1982]

Production year, month? Should be on a door jumb sticker. Premium fuel?

 

[Oakleyguy]

I thought it was going to be a spun rod bearing since those are the symptoms on the 3rd gen Tundra, but the engines are typically toast and not drivable after a 15 minute break.

Hope the dealer gets to the bottom of this, and this goes to show how much we will miss the low stressed V8’s in this new generation.

For what's it's worth, this very well could play out as an electrical gremlin. I'm curious what the dealer ultimately determines. I experienced something like once in a german car, and it turned out to be off-spec gas and the car went into limp mode when a knock was detected.

Admittedly my knowledge is limited, but I haven't seen any mechanical issues with the Japanese built V6TT engines reported.

 

[doktorno]

Super unleaded only in our house. Turns out it was closer to 100mph for at least twenty minutes. @usnick1982 I will get the sticker, car still at dealer.

 

[doktorno]

Waiting on the codes but just hung up with the dealer. There were a multitude of events: a combination of 20% fuel in the tank, sustained 100 MPH, and what the dealership is calling low-grade fuel (my Wife calls bull**** on this one, stopped at Hruska's on 71) caused the vehicle to slow down to protect itself.

They stressed that the vehicle never actually came to a stop, but slowed down.

 

[CJF]

So what was the smell?

 

[doktorno]

@CJF Not sure, must have been hot. It was 67 outside yesterday. The prognosis is the heat from the engine caused the fuel, which circulates back into the tank, combined with the fuel quality, to allow the fuel temperature to rise and become insufficient for the horsepower requested. If the fuel quantity was greater OR the fuel quality higher, this would not have happened.

Dealer did not test the fuel, but it is their opinion that since the engine was detonating the fuel is to blame.

They basically said my 4,600 hour multi-commercial IFR rated pilot wife who has been to five Jeep Jamborees in her old YJ and also owns a 7spd manual Carrera with 97,000 miles pumped the wrong gas and drives too fast. Car is not built for this scenario.

P0300-00 Misfire
P0300-27 Emission Misfire
P0300-85 Overtemp Misfire

 

[shelby95]

Waiting on the codes but just hung up with the dealer. There were a multitude of events: a combination of 20% fuel in the tank, sustained 100 MPH, and what the dealership is calling low-grade fuel (my Wife calls bulls*** on this one, stopped at Hruska's on 71) caused the vehicle to slow down to protect itself.

They stressed that the vehicle never actually came to a stop, but slowed down.

Won’t help your current situation, but I call ahead (979-378-2333) so they have my cheeseburger ready when I get there to fill up...worth noting to other readers that this is a busy Chevron (one of very few, maybe one of 2 or 3 stations in the corridor) so the claim of low-grade or old fuel is bulls*** for the betting man.

 

[Oakleyguy]

Off spec gas can happen. That’s what happened to me In the M3, cruising along at 40mph. Premium from Shell. Dealer pulled the logs and indeed it was detonation.

For what it’s worth I think you have a higher chance of getting stale premium fuel at gas stations outside of town. Even if it is frequently traveled. Most customers are pumping regular.

 

[Oakleyguy]

So what was the smell?

I’d hazard unburnt fuel since the engine is going to severely retard the timing.

 

[doktorno]

Won’t help your current situation, but I call ahead (979-378-2333) so they have my cheeseburger ready when I get there to fill up...worth noting to other readers that this is a busy Chevron (one of very few, maybe one of 2 or 3 stations in the corridor) so the claim of low-grade or old fuel is bulls*** for the betting man.

@shelby95 Will also order you a loaf of bread or some kolaches. Asked my wife about grabbing the wrong pump and she described how the grades were flipped and she made that mistake years ago. We both went to school in Austin so we have been stopping there for decades.

Also interesting is that filled up on the way to Austin, so the fuel in the tank had taken her 170ish miles, also reaching 100mph but not sustained, and it was on the return trip AFTER 95+ for twenty minutes on a warmer day she had a problem.

I know my old Mercedes have a fuel chiller built into the refrigerant line to cool the fuel, and I confirmed she was running without the A/C.

What if what the dealership was trying to tell me about the low fuel quantity was that the fuel temperature reached a threshold, from the heat of the engine and the turbos, that caused detonation? Because the fuel quantity was low the heat could not be dissipated? Heat from the engine would explain the smell, and she has spent enough time around s***ty running big-bore Continentals to know what fuel smells like. Just don't ask her how the remote works.

Or the gas sucked. Still not buying this one.

 

[Oakleyguy]

I haven't personally seen a Toyota product with a fuel chiller and I'd be frankly surprised if fuel temperature played into it. You get a lot of undercarriage cooling at highway speeds.

If it was my car I'd hang my hat on bad gas. Now, if it happens again after a fresh fill from another station then something is definitely up.

 

[bjowett]

@CJF Not sure, must have been hot. It was 67 outside yesterday. The prognosis is the heat from the engine caused the fuel, which circulates back into the tank, combined with the fuel quality, to allow the fuel temperature to rise and become insufficient for the horsepower requested. If the fuel quantity was greater OR the fuel quality higher, this would not have happened.

The fuel system on the LX600 is returnless, so as not to send hot fuel back to the tank. Again, no excess or unused fuel ventures back to the fuel tank. I’m sure that single high pressure pump can make some heat… the original fuel system design from the LS500 uses two high pressure pumps.

 

[Njck22]

shoulda stopped at bucee's

 

[Lou Gill]

Your wife is qualified to drive at 100 mph for sustained periods of time?? Nothing worse then drivers like her on the road!!

 

[doktorno]

@Lou Gill, I would counter that worse than my wife driving 100 are the drivers at or below the speed limit with their head in their phone. If you are ever in Houston and want to discuss in person, I am buying drinks and dinner. I'll have my wife pick you up...

 

[doktorno]

shoulda stopped at bucee's

Ethanol free at Bucee's....

 

[Joe T]

Your wife is qualified to drive at 100 mph for sustained periods of time?? Nothing worse then drivers like her on the road!!

Pretty normal on those highways. Have done LOTS of traveling between Houston-Austin and Houston-San Antonio. There are stretches where this is normal and some where 83 is comfy for the areas cops sit.

My bet is a bad batch of low grade fuel.

 

[Joe T]

Ethanol free at Bucee's....

They actually buy in bulk from the cheapest supplier so its hit or miss. I forget what its called but they send out a buy order and let whatever supplier bid/fill it.

In my stage 2 tuned S63 coupe and a couple high compression hot rods I have I specifically stick to the corporate Valero stores as they source a lot from the gulf coast. And my girlfriend does Shell as its something to do with her being middle eastern.


But whatever, they are both Top Tier and this works for us. If its finicky stop at the corporate stores and keep the receipts. There is probably others besides these 2.