Ishikawa's '02 Lexus GS 300 (RIP soon)

[Aki Ko]

You can check the struts my pushing the car down with your hands kinda rough. If it bounces and feels springy then its time for struts. If not, then you're fine.

I had a cousin do that months back and it didn't bounce or feel springy. The problem is that when I go over anything but absolutely smooth roads (a rarity in this state), I can hear the front suspension from the interior even with the windows closed and radio on. Even more so clearly with the windows down. I'm suspecting it's the bushings knowing that they are close to going in the 150K range... or it could be something from the aftermath of it being in a accident in New Jersey. I dunno, but I'll find out eventually.

 

[Katiegan]

I had a cousin do that months back and it didn't bounce or feel springy. The problem is that when I go over anything but absolutely smooth roads (a rarity in this state), I can hear the front suspension from the interior even with the windows closed and radio on. Even more so clearly with the windows down. I'm suspecting it's the bushings knowing that they are close to going in the 150K range... or it could be something from the aftermath of it being in a accident in New Jersey. I dunno, but I'll find out eventually.

What kind of noises are you hearing?

 

[Aki Ko]

What kind of noises are you hearing?

I'll have to take a video of it one day.

 

[Aki Ko]

Frigasack.

I uploaded the video, but YouTube decided to change it to vertical view. Sorry for torturing your head.
But anyways, here's a small drive-by video what I'm talking about.


Listen at 3:40 especially for a clear sound of it.

*Hold up. I changed the orientation so it should be horizontal in a few minutes.

 

[Slash]

Sounds like you got some worn out bushings to me.

 

[Katiegan]

Hm, could be a few things. Seems like a knocking over bumps so it could be a ball joint, drop link, or weak shocks. If you said you've already tested it for shocks then it's probably a ball joint or drop link.

Sounds like you got some worn out bushings to me.

Could be this too, but usually worn bushings cause noise under braking too, or the car feeling a little floaty at the front. Does the steering feel floaty and/or does the car pull to one side a little, @Aki Ishikawa?

Also, what's happening at 4:33? Is that the steering making that noise or did you lose traction?

 

[Slash]

Ball joints will click and make that noise more so when cornering. It only seems to being doing it over bumps. The say bar bushings on my moms Focus are bad and acts the exact same way.

 

[Aki Ko]

Sounds like you got some worn out bushings to me.

I figured that much.

Hm, could be a few things. Seems like a knocking over bumps so it could be a ball joint, drop link, or weak shocks. If you said you've already tested it for shocks then it's probably a ball joint or drop link.



Could be this too, but usually worn bushings cause noise under braking too, or the car feeling a little floaty at the front. Does the steering feel floaty and/or does the car pull to one side a little, @Aki Ishikawa?

Also, what's happening at 4:33? Is that the steering making that noise or did you lose traction?

The steering is fine. It doesn't feel floaty at all. It's just the suspension making the sound.

At 4:33, it was the traction control going off. Thanks muddy incline.

 

[Katiegan]

I figured that much.

The steering is fine. It doesn't feel floaty at all. It's just the suspension making the sound.

At 4:33, it was the traction control going off. Thanks muddy incline.

Ah, right. Well, if the steering is fine, it could be a ball joint, drop link, something like that. I wouldn't rule out the bushings, however. Better to get it checked somewhere.

 

[Slash]

Bushing are far more likely to go out than a balljoint or a drag link. Not saying it couldn't but they do wear out faster.

 

[Aki Ko]

Bushing are far more likely to go out than a balljoint or a drag link. Not saying it couldn't but they do wear out faster.

It's been a common issue for GSs. I remember reading that some go out at 155k miles and it's approaching that range. Thing is that it's been doing that since I got the car at 144k miles.

 

[Slash]

It's been a common issue for GSs. I remember reading that some go out at 155k miles and it's approaching that range. Thing is that it's been doing that since I got the car at 144k miles.

I would bet money they are gone. Crawl under there and see if you can find any that are worn out

 

[Doog]

Also, what's happening at 4:33? Is that the steering making that noise or did you lose traction?

He had a sudden epiphany and realized his new passion for drifting. 👍

 

[Aki Ko]

He had a sudden epiphany and realized his new passion for drifting. 👍

Gotta go sideways. Should've gotten the V8.

 

[Slash]

Gotta go sideways. Should've gotten the V8.

The answer is always V8.

 

[Aki Ko]

The answer is always V8.

There wasn't any available though

;-;

 

[Aki Ko]

The Lexus is in the shop...

and with a whole heap of problems.

Throttle rods, bushings, oil leaking, timing belt, etc. This is going to get very expensive very fast, but it's longing for a service for months.

 

[Aphelion]

Damn. Hope it doesn't get too expensive for you mate!

 

[Aki Ko]

Nearly two months later, I forgot to do an update on the page itself.

The Lexus is in the shop...

and with a whole heap of problems.

Throttle rods, bushings, oil leaking, timing belt, etc. This is going to get very expensive very fast, but it's longing for a service for months.

Alright, so my car went into the shop and it stayed there for about three weeks because the mechanic broke a sensor on my car. (If it wasn't for that, I would've had the car back about a week earlier than what I anticipated.)

As you can see above, it cost just about $1,500 to get it out. The lower control arm still needs to be replaced, but not as badly as the upper control arm. If I kept driving it before I took it to the shop, the front left tyre would have snapped off and I would've been without a car for a while.

Ever since it left the shop, the tyres themselves needs to be replaced and an alignment. The bushings can also use a replacement. But since my luck of finding work hasn't been so well for me and my family hasn't been quite so stable for the past two months, I had to drive it as is. As I mentioned, the tyres needs an alignment and the lower control arm; the steering wheel has a different degree of angle than before in order to keep it straight. Also, if I dare to go above 70 MPH (which is interstate speed limit and the highway traffic generally cruise that fast anyways), there is a noticeable shake to the front of the car. It's especially felt coming from the front left side. Hell, it's detectable at 55-70 MPH anyways.

But other than that, it's been good to me like always. I've been trying to avoid using the A/C because: 1) It chews up fuel like hell and I don't care what most people say. A/C uses up fuel. and 2) I'm avoiding the wear and tear from using it often; however, in 85-100 degree Fahrenheit heat and 40-70% humidity, I caved in a few times.

It's not a huge update because nothing really got done, but it's something.

 

[Doog]

2) I'm avoiding the wear and tear from using it often; however, in 85-100 degree Fahrenheit heat and 40-70% humidity, I caved in a few times.

It makes sense to think that not using the system would be good for it, but it can actually be harmful to not use the a/c on a regular basis. Sometimes people who've gone a long time without using the a/c have turned it on to find that it no longer blows cold.

 

[Capt Air]

It makes sense to think that not using the system would be good for it, but it can actually be harmful to not use the a/c on a regular basis. Sometimes people who've gone a long time without using the a/c have turned it on to find that it no longer blows cold.

A prime example is my dad is working on a 1998 GS300 with 45,000 miles at his work because the A/C isn't working properly. The rest of the car sure is wonderful though.

 

[Aki Ko]

A prime example is my dad is working on a 1998 GS300 with 45,000 miles at his work because the A/C isn't working properly. The rest of the car sure is wonderful though.

I'm just now seeing this and

how the hell did your father keep that car at 45k miles at this point?

 

[Capt Air]

I'm just now seeing this and

how the hell did your father keep that car at 45k miles at this point?

Its not his car just one at his work, he said an old lady that was well into her seventy's came in so it must have been the "To church and on the way back grocery store car". The leather seats still had the plush bounce back when you sat in down, even for the driver.

 

[Aki Ko]

Its not his car just one at his work, he said an old lady that was well into her seventy's came in so it must have been the "To church and on the way back grocery store car". The leather seats still had the plush bounce back when you sat in down, even for the driver.

Old ladies know how to keep a car mint.