During the timing belt service at 197,500 the dealer did a ton of work. Tons of new parts less than 70k ago. The fan bracket was replaced at 231k.
What's frustrating is that despite all this work, it was a mess when I got it. The radiator was replaced again at 235k about a year before I bought it, like within a few days. By the time I drove it home from Phoenix to Tacoma, WA and realized the radiator was leaking it was like a week outside of the 1-year parts warranty... So I had to put another radiator in. Anyways, see the pictures of what I was dealing with when I got it...I bet the FIPG they added to the inlet messed up the main housing as well, which is unfortunate because all that was new!!! On a related note, the PO reported a lack of heat from the vents so they replaced both heater cores! The one behind the dash and under the seat!!!
Let this be a lesson that exhaustive dealer records doesn't always mean anything.
Part#: 166200W101 Part Desc: TENSIONER ASSY, V-RI
Part#: 1603250110 Part Desc: HOUSING SUB-ASSY, WA
Part#: 1635550080 Part Desc: JOINT, WATER BY-PASS
Part#: 1657150150 Part Desc: HOSE, RADIATOR, N0.1
Part#: 1657250150 Part Desc: HOSE, RADIATOR, N0.2
Part#: 9091603100 Part Desc: THERMOSTAT
Part #: 1634650010 Part Desc: GASKET, THERMOSTAT
Part#: 1671150090 Part Desc: SHROUD, FAN
Part#: 1640050360 Part Desc: RADIATOR ASSY
Part#: 1610009201 Part Desc: PUMP ASSY,WATER
Part#: 9091602586 Part Desc: BELT, V-RIBBED
Part #: 1356809070 Part Desc: BELT, TIMIMG
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For sure your coolant system was over pressurizing.
If you had you asked me to do a remote PPO inspection. I would have warn you, about concern with this engine over-heating. This is based on what little you've just now disclosed about history. I would have recommend a few extra checks and test, be done during hands-on PPO inspection.
1) Coolant level check.
2) Head gasket inspection.
3) Compression test.
4) Combustions Gasses test in coolant.
5) Pressure test of coolant system.
At that point, just on my recommendation of additional testing during PPO. Most will walk on the deal, before hands-on inspection.
Today, I'd do above inspecting and study service history very close, building a profile.
Here's the concern:
Lack of cabin heat front and rear heaters, indicates low coolant level. How many miles between when heater cores replaced and last services done before no cabin heat notation. Especially those service calls, that are dealing in anyway with coolant. This "paints a pictures". Heater cores replaced, would be a very big red flag. "Red flag" , that coolant so low, neither heater cores was getting coolant flowing through them. How long (miles) this went on for, is important.
What happens is: Coolant level is below level of heater tee's, top of radiator fins and water temp sensor. The engine coolant temp gauge reads, cool/low most times. Engine temp sensor is designed to read liquid, not air. Additional the air temp in coolant system carries/transfers much less heat, then coolant in block. When coolant in block, gets very hot (overheating). It would expand if not to low to point, it would submerges temp sensor. At that point, gauge would jump, possibly into red.
"Drove from Phoenix to WA, before finding radiator coolant leak". So engine lived in very hot region of USA, low on coolant. Indicated by cabin heaters not working. Then likely low again for some time, before you drove and on your drive home. Likely low coolant and run hot, for a lot of miles.
Weeps of coolant at new radiator hose. Is sign of over pressurized coolant system. Which is usually sign of a stuck radiator cap, which results in excessive pressure. But you've new OEN radiator, which comes with new T-rad cap. Very unlikely its cap, was stuck closed. Blowing a new radiator, is sign of over pressurizing. If not stuck cap, the why. Second most likely, is over-heating which increases pressure. As it over-heats, if coolant high enough. It will also blow out reservoir cap, which has a small hole for breathing from. This result, as all weeps and leak do, in low coolant level.
We must also consider. Blockage in the coolant system, from foreign object or substance. Like from excessive FIPG breakaway into system, stop leaks, heater tee plastic, etc. Can cause clog issues,, Which in turn, coolant system cooling and pressure issues. Just one more area, some tech may have missed up.
Clues are pointing to over-heating. The 2UZ is a million miles engine and hard to kill. But number one killer, is over heating.
One issue of over pressurizing. It blowing radiator at plastic. Either at it's seal or the plastic itself. It also result in leaks and weeps. Like the leak at upper rad hose, which is indication of system over pressurizing. Since a new OEM radiator, new OEM upper rad hose, new water bypass joint and OEM clamp installed as picture shows. Which would not leak, unless excessive pressure in the system.
Leak at thermostat (inlet cap), may be from over pressurizing. But could also be, improperly installing it. Wrench marks on cap nuts, indicate thermostat replaced at minimum removed. Guy's that put FIPG on O-rings, lack basic mechanic knowledge/skills. They'll install thermostat wrong too. Like; jiggle valve not at top, which it must be for system to bleed off air properly. Not replacing seal or letting seal/thermostat slip down, out of alignment during install are also mistake they make.
Typically these same techs, that add FIPG to O-rings. Tend to make other mistakes while doing Time-belt service. Like:
FIPG on water pump gasket.
Not sealing threads of tensioner pulley bolt(s). Typically we'll see oil leak, seen RH side engine, front, next to and below belt covers when they don't.
No torque wrench used. They think; "they have the feel", because they don't break bolts..... DUH
Routing oil sending unit and crank sensor wires wrong, in front of fan bracket.
Missing bolts & nut or installed wrong location or studs install backward.
They also tend to use wrong (cheaper FIPG) and too much of it. String and chunks of FIPG, breakaway and flow though the coolant system. I find this excessive FIPG in oil coolers internal fins/passage ways and behind thermostat and in thermostat passage (stuck open).
Other sign of over-heating, Coolant hoses swollen and or browning should be look for.
This thread makes me never want to let anyone else work on my LX.
Service history, is road map of where to start looking for what needs correcting and red flags...
I use history to build a profile, and as guide to know where to look. If history from local shops. Then, I've good idea of which do a good, okay, poor or down right damaging and dangerous service work.
The best engine I have. Is in a 2003 LX w/315K miles, without any service history records what so every. Nothing at Lexus, Toyota or carfax. It's a great engine! But that is not to saying all its service done correct. It is, actually is the biggest restore project I've even done/doing to date. So much done wrong, no wonder it wasn't drivable. Land Cruiser are tanks, and keep going and going. But at some point, the affects of poor maintenance/service catches up. Which will put even a tank, at the side of the road.
Here's the deal with service at any commercial shop.
1) In a hurry! Flat rate! Mechanic get X (book time) hours for any given service. If he does service, in halve of X, He doubles his income.
2) Not a specialist. Most INDY shops, work on all makes & models and don't have access service manuals. Even Toyota/Lexus tech, work on many different years and models. They're not specialist on 100 series.
3) Getting and keeping good mechanics. Pulling anybody off the street, that says he can turn a wrench.
4) Cheap aftermarket parts.
4) Bad day, to many interruptions, etc. Result in errors.
5) Don't want to fix or even look at anything not on work order. Just get it done and out the door.
Most people have no idea of how bad the issue of service is. They just know, it drove fine when they pick-up from shop. Unaware a ticking time boom has been left behind!
Today I'm able to spot a lot, just opening the hood and looking. It's the detail that matters. When someone works on these engines. It's normal to put stuff back as found, thinking correct. But when that one washer or whatever not correct because of hands that had touched it in the past, is very hard to catch.
I could list hundreds of examples, here's a few I find:
- Radiator fins never washed.
- Improperly removed and installed windshield, can be a very big deal.
- Wheel bearing service. Every shop is making errors, everyone!
- Improperly pounding off front rotor from front wheel hub, damaging wheel hub.
- Cross threading bolts.
- Pounding off ball joints, with BFH. WTF, does nobody have a puller.
- Curling air filter seal, while placing air filter in.
- Not topping coolant properly. So often.
- Curling radiator reservoir hose upward.
- Improper installed thermostat and use of old weak radiator.
- FIPG used on water inlet O-ring
- FIPG on water pump gasket.
- Over filling brake reservoir.
- Not replacing or making sure good bleeder cap on all calipers and AHC bleeders.
- Not using Toyota brake fluid. Not even Toyota or Lexus Dealerships, use Toyota brake fluid. They use bulk.
- Not backing off parking brake shoe adjustors, before removing rear rotors. Damaging pins.
- Not cleaning top of engine, before removing intake manifold (starter replacement).
- Not torqueing or checking spark plugs, to make sure they're tight, even when a tick heard.
- Routing wires & hoses wrong and or not securing properly.
- Not replacing gasket, seals, boots once removed or found past useful life.
- Using power steering fluid instead of ATF in power steering system.
- Transmission drain and fill, using wrong ATF or and or not setting level correctly.
- Replacing transfer case and or diff seals, install seal poorly resulting in leak. When only a clogged breather need clearing.
- Aftermarket wiring.
- Head cover and tube seal gasket, leaks. After replaced.
- Cam and crank seal leaks after replaced.
- Over tighten battery clamps.
- Use of screw clamps and aftermarket hoses.
- Improperly spliced wires, after damage.
I'm out of time, or I'd list more.
