Maintaining a 200k+ mile 💯 series

[Ellex the 470th]

Is your car very rusty with a heavily neglected engine? Head gaskets are a really rare failure on the 2UZ, so I assume it was allowed to overheat to an extreme degree. I'm guessing it was run dry of coolant?

Rust will kill anything, but the engine damage is a tough thing to do on these. Somebody must have been trying to do damage to it unless a heater T blew and they just kept driving on it.

all I know is that I replaced the timing belt upon purchase, then the car started running super rough a couple of hundred miles later, had all the plugs and coils replaced. Still didnt fix the rough running, was diagnosed by two shops who said the head gasket needs replacement. I used Bars leaks head gasket fix and the car is running pretty well, fixed the hard start issue. I realize its a band aid. The latest thing is that the brake light went on out of nowhere and a very short time later lost all brakes, this after blowing thru 3 pints of brake fluid. One shop (a third shop this time) said all the brake lines are corroded, and need replacement along with the connectors, but they wouldnt touch it. So a 4th shop quoted me 3 weeks and $2k and thats IF the Master cylinder/ABS module didnt blow, which would be another $3k. If thats the case, as painful as it would be (because i LOVE this truck when its behaving) I'm gonna cut my losses, and save up for a much better, more well maintained version.

 

[suprarx7nut]

all I know is that I replaced the timing belt upon purchase, then the car started running super rough a couple of hundred miles later, had all the plugs and coils replaced. Still didnt fix the rough running, was diagnosed by two shops who said the head gasket needs replacement. I used Bars leaks head gasket fix and the car is running pretty well, fixed the hard start issue. I realize its a band aid. The latest thing is that the brake light went on out of nowhere and a very short time later lost all brakes. One shop (a third shop this time) said all the brake lines are corroded, and need replacement along with the connectors, but they wouldnt touch it. So a 4th shop quoted me 3 weeks and $2k and thats IF the Master cylinder/ABS module didnt blow, which would be another $3k. If thats the case, as painful as it would be (because i LOVE this truck when its behaving) I'm gonna cut my losses, and save up for a much better, more well maintained version.

The head gasket is rather easily diagnosed if the shop knows what they're doing. Compression check, maybe borescope inspection, leak down test. It's very rare on a 2uz so perhaps they were guessing without giving too far into it.

Brake lines sound like they're just rusted away. Not really any fault on the car, just the climate and perhaps lack of preventative measures along the way. An added expense of life living out east.

Good luck either way!

 

[Ellex the 470th]

The head gasket is rather easily diagnosed if the shop knows what they're doing. Compression check, maybe borescope inspection, leak down test. It's very rare on a 2uz so perhaps they were guessing without giving too far into it.

Brake lines sound like they're just rusted away. Not really any fault on the car, just the climate and perhaps lack of preventative measures along the way. An added expense of life living out east.

Good luck either way!

I want to say that I am a FAN of the 80 AND the 100 series! I didnt mean to convey any negative thoughts about this platform, at all! I absolutely love what Toyota/Lexus created! I am just super bummed that I didnt do my due diligence and almost inexplicably ended up with a real POS example for my efforts (or lack thereof). Yes there is significant underbody rust, despite the fact that the exterior and the interior are really in quite good condition. Im thinking that the previous owner started having issues (they did replace the AHC at one point with "conventional" shocks) and just parked it, possibly on dirt, where it rusted away

 

[YezusLX]

all I know is that I replaced the timing belt upon purchase, then the car started running super rough a couple of hundred miles later, had all the plugs and coils replaced. Still didnt fix the rough running, was diagnosed by two shops who said the head gasket needs replacement. I used Bars leaks head gasket fix and the car is running pretty well, fixed the hard start issue. I realize its a band aid. The latest thing is that the brake light went on out of nowhere and a very short time later lost all brakes, this after blowing thru 3 pints of brake fluid. One shop (a third shop this time) said all the brake lines are corroded, and need replacement along with the connectors, but they wouldnt touch it. So a 4th shop quoted me 3 weeks and $2k and thats IF the Master cylinder/ABS module didnt blow, which would be another $3k. If thats the case, as painful as it would be (because i LOVE this truck when its behaving) I'm gonna cut my losses, and save up for a much better, more well maintained version.

As someone who got the "good deal" LX that turned into the $15k nightmare I will posit this:
Hopefully this will be helpful. I have had something similar on multiple Toyota vehicles that were mistakenly diagnosed as failed head gaskets specifically related to vehicles with 2UZ engines. (I am not sure why this is usually related to those engines...) Most of the time it turned out to be fouled plugs. In my LX the dealer called it a head gasket and then after some extra steps later it was their poorly installed TB tensioner causing the 2UZ to skip timing and run rough, then not run. It fouled a couple plugs along with tensioner. I have also had an '06 4Runner diagnosed at the dealer with head gasket failure and a $2k estimate. Turned out to be 7 fouled plugs and 2 coils. And then also on my '01 Sequoia from leaking plug gaskets (donuts) ended up fouling plugs and ruining some coil packs. Previous owners neglected it and it threw a code leading to head gasket diagnosis from wince I ended up purchasing it. All of them run now with zero issue. If I were in your position, I would Flush the coolant along with the Barrs you poured in, as that makes another mess or leads to further damage to water pumps down the road. If you truly do have a head gasket leak you will begin seeing oil in your coolant reservoir. First as a sheen then the milkshake. Sounds to me you are on the right road with plugs. I would, maybe throw $60-75 at a TB tensioner and return it should it not be the issue. If the shop that did the TB has any warranty maybe they will replace it on their dime. Then add some diagnosis time to someone willing to spend an extra 10 mins perform a leak down/compression test and the like looking over your issue to confirm. The brake master issue is just a garbage coincidence unfortunately and all too common on the 100. Brake lines in a rust prone area are just the cost of doing business. I hope this is helpful. Good luck! Sincerely.

 

[Ellex the 470th]

As someone who got the "good deal" LX that turned into the $15k nightmare I will posit this:
Hopefully this will be helpful. I have had something similar on multiple Toyota vehicles that were mistakenly diagnosed as failed head gaskets specifically related to vehicles with 2UZ engines. (I am not sure why this is usually related to those engines...) Most of the time it turned out to be fouled plugs. In my LX the dealer called it a head gasket and then after some extra steps later it was their poorly installed TB tensioner causing the 2UZ to skip timing and run rough, then not run. It fouled a couple plugs along with tensioner. I have also had an '06 4Runner diagnosed at the dealer with head gasket failure and a $2k estimate. Turned out to be 7 fouled plugs and 2 coils. And then also on my '01 Sequoia from leaking plug gaskets (donuts) ended up fouling plugs and ruining some coil packs. Previous owners neglected it and it threw a code leading to head gasket diagnosis from wince I ended up purchasing it. All of them run now with zero issue. If I were in your position, I would Flush the coolant along with the Barrs you poured in, as that makes another mess or leads to further damage to water pumps down the road. If you truly do have a head gasket leak you will begin seeing oil in your coolant reservoir. First as a sheen then the milkshake. Sounds to me you are on the right road with plugs. I would, maybe throw $60-75 at a TB tensioner and return it should it not be the issue. If the shop that did the TB has any warranty maybe they will replace it on their dime. Then add some diagnosis time to someone willing to spend an extra 10 mins perform a leak down/compression test and the like looking over your issue to confirm. The brake master issue is just a garbage coincidence unfortunately and all too common on the 100. Brake lines in a rust prone area are just the cost of doing business. I hope this is helpful. Good luck! Sincerely.

Thanks, I appreciate this. I wonder if the shop that replaced the TB knew what they were doing. I knew there was some deferred maintenance when I first bought the truck, so I pretty much immediately ran out and had the TB replaced by a Toyota dealer (the only shop within an hour that was willing to do this job). All the real problems on my truck happened AFTER having that replaced; what was meant to be preventative maintenance *might* have been the reason for all my issues. I have no idea how to be sure of that. RE: the Barrs, I actually added it RIGHT AFTER having the coolant flushed so Id have to do that all over again, probably no big deal, but the Barrs changed engine startup from very rough, battery draining start, which often needed a jump, to a mildly rough start which sorts itself out pretty swiftly. the leakdown/compression test was done both by a local shop and, having no one else to go to, I re-confirmed it at a Lexus dealer. Its possible that I'm just getting a huge run around. Anyway, thanks and I will try the things that you have suggested once I get my truck back from the shop that is doing the brake lines.

 

[Ellex the 470th]

Haha don't feel bad. I got my 2005 w/ 161,000 on it about a month or two ago. So far I've had to do the A/C condenser, full exhaust, fuel tank, timing belt, left CV axle, and now I broke a fuel line under the hood I'm waiting for parts on. It runs and drives like a dream but I'm a solid $7k deep into it so far. So much so that I've decided that all add on's and mods are going to wait a while which isn't usually my style.

yeah, pretty much the same. I need a new fuel tank as well, and a heater core replace, not to mention other maintenance that I am trying to tackle. Yes, all the add-ons I had planned will have to wait until I get the truck properly sorted. Best of luck!

 

[diabetik81]

yeah, pretty much the same. I need a new fuel tank as well, and a heater core replace, not to mention other maintenance that I am trying to tackle. Yes, all the add-ons I had planned will have to wait until I get the truck properly sorted. Best of luck!

I see you're in NY. If you're local I'm happy to help. I'm in central NJ.

 

[Bisho]

Time for an update.
287k - New Falken Wildpeaks (had 65k on the first set)
289k - new rear liftgate struts
291k - R&R 2 coil packs (Denso)
294k - R&R outside window moldings
296k - R&R front window channels, rear lower control arms (Mevotech)
301k - Install ValleyTech rear bumper, install OME 2865 rear springs, R&R all rubber brake hoses (Toyota), R&R left rear axle seal and oring, R&R parking brake shoes, R&R interior blower fan (Denso)
304k - R&R rear upper control arms (Mevotech), R&R right cv axle inner boot
306k - R&R battery (O’Reilly)
307k - Install Ironman Torsion bar reinforcements, R&R spark plugs (NKG), R&R #2 coil pack
310k - repack wheel bearings
313k - Install Trail Tailor Diff Drop kit, R&R front diff front bushing (Toyota), R&R left outer tie rod (555), R&R rear brake pads (O’Reilly ceramic)