Last year, I replaced the rusted/dripping P/S return line on my wifes '01 Lexus RX-300. Actually, I made the replacement part by buying a foot long piece of steel GM fuel line(already pkgd) as it had the correct tip & O-ring that goes into the steering rack. Along with 5ft of rubber tranny hose for the rest of the assembly and some clamps. Total cost about $40 bucks and it will never rust again.
This past week(July 4th week) I removed the High Pressure P/S line as it didn't look any better for rust as where it's placed in the rack, it get all of the road/salt splash in the driver side wheel well.
Man, what a job! I never want to do this again on any car. I removed everything that I could without breaking anything in order to remove this line which ran from the passenger side to the driver side is an "up/down, over one way to another, bends around" and all for no reason that I can imagine with the exception of, it's easy to assemble at the factory.
Total time was 15 hours.
7 hours to remove one day. 7/7/11
The next morning 7/8/11, I drove over to a radiator shop in the city and they replaced only the bad/rusted steel tubing and high pressure hose with a beautiful new crimp. The way it's supposed to be made! The rest of the tubing was beautiful as it's place away from any moisture/salt. Total cost was $85 bucks. They had it by 3:00 pm. I waited till the next day to reinstall.
In the mean time(while waiting for my parts to be made), I removed the whole air box and anything that was in the way so I could inspected the Throttle Body's and IAC Valve and both looked perfect. Along with the tranny speed sensor(just below the 02 sensor) and anything else that I have always wanted to pull apart and inspect.
7/9/11 I installed the P/S hose and it took me another 5 hours to reinstall. Trying to manuver/twist and turn the tubing in order to fit it in the tight spaces and get everyting lined up. Now, keep in mind that I'm working alone so, I have to climb under the car and back out over to the driver side wheel well. And keep doing this until everything is perfect. Done for the day.
The last day, 7/10/11, I buttoned up every thing and checked for leaks. I reinstalled the air box and anything else that I had removed to make this job a bit easier. Drove the car and came back to see if there were any leaks and top off the fluid resivior.
"Every bone/muscle in my body hurts".
I understand why the dealer wants $1600 dollars...Of course, the tech's that would have done the job would probably have removed the suspension/steering rack and who know what else, which would have cost me extra money for an allignment. I didn't want to remove all of that stuff cause it would have taken be two weeks to do a simple job.
I'll always do my own work as I have been doing for 40+ yrs but, the MFG's aren't making things any easier to work on and I can understand why the dealers/shops are getting this HUGE money to perform what used to be some of the simplest tasks. I have never had the luxury of a LIFT so, I have to do everything on the ground. I have paid in the past for jobs that I could have done myself but, I won't work in 6" of snow/freezing cold. I have my limits.
Although the job was still good theropy for me, it was also frustrating at times.
My wife love this car and doesn't really like anything new that we look at. Every other SUV, Lexus or otherwise, she can't see out of as the glass in shorter and piller thicker and head rests are in the way(all in the name of crash protection). I must say that the view out of the RX-300 is great! The car is rust free, floor boards/rockers underneath and body panels. Other lines such as brake lines and anything else I can see are all perfect but, I'd make them anyway myself. She love driving this car so, we're keeping it! Even if the tranny goes, "Kapoot", she wants another tranny even though it may cost $4000 grand. She doesn't car!
I don't know how long we'll keep this car but for now, my wife isn't interested in anything new. I think she would cry if anything happened to her baby. It still rides well and pretty quiet but, not as well nor as quiet as our friends new '11 Chevy Equinox. Well, it's 10 years old!
This past week(July 4th week) I removed the High Pressure P/S line as it didn't look any better for rust as where it's placed in the rack, it get all of the road/salt splash in the driver side wheel well.
Man, what a job! I never want to do this again on any car. I removed everything that I could without breaking anything in order to remove this line which ran from the passenger side to the driver side is an "up/down, over one way to another, bends around" and all for no reason that I can imagine with the exception of, it's easy to assemble at the factory.
Total time was 15 hours.
7 hours to remove one day. 7/7/11
The next morning 7/8/11, I drove over to a radiator shop in the city and they replaced only the bad/rusted steel tubing and high pressure hose with a beautiful new crimp. The way it's supposed to be made! The rest of the tubing was beautiful as it's place away from any moisture/salt. Total cost was $85 bucks. They had it by 3:00 pm. I waited till the next day to reinstall.
In the mean time(while waiting for my parts to be made), I removed the whole air box and anything that was in the way so I could inspected the Throttle Body's and IAC Valve and both looked perfect. Along with the tranny speed sensor(just below the 02 sensor) and anything else that I have always wanted to pull apart and inspect.
7/9/11 I installed the P/S hose and it took me another 5 hours to reinstall. Trying to manuver/twist and turn the tubing in order to fit it in the tight spaces and get everyting lined up. Now, keep in mind that I'm working alone so, I have to climb under the car and back out over to the driver side wheel well. And keep doing this until everything is perfect. Done for the day.
The last day, 7/10/11, I buttoned up every thing and checked for leaks. I reinstalled the air box and anything else that I had removed to make this job a bit easier. Drove the car and came back to see if there were any leaks and top off the fluid resivior.
"Every bone/muscle in my body hurts".
I understand why the dealer wants $1600 dollars...Of course, the tech's that would have done the job would probably have removed the suspension/steering rack and who know what else, which would have cost me extra money for an allignment. I didn't want to remove all of that stuff cause it would have taken be two weeks to do a simple job.
I'll always do my own work as I have been doing for 40+ yrs but, the MFG's aren't making things any easier to work on and I can understand why the dealers/shops are getting this HUGE money to perform what used to be some of the simplest tasks. I have never had the luxury of a LIFT so, I have to do everything on the ground. I have paid in the past for jobs that I could have done myself but, I won't work in 6" of snow/freezing cold. I have my limits.
Although the job was still good theropy for me, it was also frustrating at times.
My wife love this car and doesn't really like anything new that we look at. Every other SUV, Lexus or otherwise, she can't see out of as the glass in shorter and piller thicker and head rests are in the way(all in the name of crash protection). I must say that the view out of the RX-300 is great! The car is rust free, floor boards/rockers underneath and body panels. Other lines such as brake lines and anything else I can see are all perfect but, I'd make them anyway myself. She love driving this car so, we're keeping it! Even if the tranny goes, "Kapoot", she wants another tranny even though it may cost $4000 grand. She doesn't car!
I don't know how long we'll keep this car but for now, my wife isn't interested in anything new. I think she would cry if anything happened to her baby. It still rides well and pretty quiet but, not as well nor as quiet as our friends new '11 Chevy Equinox. Well, it's 10 years old!
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