So i recently picked up an 00 lexus ES300 for well under challenge money. I was told it had a rod knock. Got the car back to shop/warehouse. Car won't idle. I have to hold down the accelerator to keep the idle over 1k otherwise she dies. I swapped in new plugs because the old ones were completely trashed. When I had the car running with my foot, it was blowing water from the tailpipe. After I shut it down, it continued to billow steam for 15 minutes or so.
The throttle body and IAC have been cleaned with carb cleaner.
I do not hear a rod knock when I manually hold the idle.
There was a CEL for Random misfire, and misfire on cyls 2-6. I cleared that code.
When I try to use my snapon scanner to manipulate the idle, it does nothing.
this ES300 has the avalon/sienna motor setup (VVTi) not the camry.
vacuum leak? You said IAC is clean, which wouldve been my next guess. Is the MAF clean? Does that engine even run off MAF?
hmmm... Let me check the MAF real quick. Vac leak I only doubt because it had the issue before I changed the plugs, and runs better now that I changed them.
Often a rod knock will only be heard once the engine has warmed up, and the oil is no longer cool. Ask me how I know...
Blowing steam? Head gasket?
MAF sensor is buried in plastic:( Vac leaks I found none.
triumph5 wrote:
Often a rod knock will only be heard once the engine has warmed up, and the oil is no longer cool. Ask me how I know...
because you weren't running 15w40? 
Check to make sure that the coolant/air hoses haven't been switched by the throttle body. The fact that it's blowing water out the tailpipe tells me that this might be beyond a head gasket. I bet if you took the intake manifold off, water would drop out.
Sucking coolant through the throttle body.
In reply to internetautomart:
Because I bought the triumph without letting it get fully hot. .(The red mist of buying had overtaken me, and it was so inexpensive) On the drive home, I heard the knock..
With what I drained out of the crankcase, I know the PO didn't adhear to the 15w-40 requirement. SOOO, you know British!!
Also, on a Toyota Corolla I had, the small end of a rod had turned and I could only hear the knock over a narrow rpm range. It was odd, but it was there.
Order those head gaskets now. You'll need them. Might as well order a top-end gasket kit instead.
update:
checked the oil for shiggles and gits. Added a couple quarts and now it idles on its own. it is running like crap though. seems like all 3 front cylinders (2,4,6) are not working 
update: voltage checked, apparently alty is bad
bad alternator = halving your operational capability? Something is fishy in Sweden. Do those run on an ignition controller or a cam/distributor dealy-o? My guess is somewhere theres some ignition tomfoolery about 'neath the bonnet. My 90 Cavalier began running on 2 cylinders when one of the 2 control modules took a dirt nap. Not too hard to fix, but required my arm to twist in ways God never intended to get to it.
I'd like to see the results of a compression check.
Coolant OK? Not funky?
Check harness connectors for corrosion! Water makes me think in that direction.
Along those lines, pull your injectors and make sure they spray. They may not be getting signal and I'm not sure if a malfunctioning injector would give the ECU any feedback.
I am currently changing the Oil control valve bank 2 for the VVT. These are located at the back of each head. Replaced bank 1 in april. Check the filters to make sure they are not clogged. Scott
@pumpkin - Low voltage makes highly computerized cars do wierd things. Just sent the alt out to be tested off the car. I have a replacement ready to go on assuming that the old tests bad.
The car has COP with each coil its own module built in.
I like to tackle obvious issues first then go on to the notso obvious ones if they are still there.
@lordturbonia- Haven't ran one yet, nor have I pressure tested the coolant system. Coolant looked good and pink to me under the cap. though what came out of the IAC I thought was green 
.
@spitsix- which filters are you referring to?
link
the valave is described here
the filters are below them
just drove from Jax Fl to Hiltonhead SC with no random misfire codes
ran a compression test on cyl 2,4,6 today.
2- 210psi
4- 0psi
6- 210psi
Looks like we will be doing some exploratory surgery.
since the VVT-i controls the valve somehow, is it possible that the system is holding a valve open on cyl 4?
worst case scenario we swap in a motor and sell it for a less substantial profit, but still a nice one though :D
