My thanks to everybody here who's helped me before. Now, I'm back again. My treasured '94 LS400 has just failed it's MOT with the following faults.


Exhaust system has major leak - cm content at idle [ 7.3.2c].
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast dle [7. 3. 2b]

Also:

Rear both sides - trailing arms have excessive play in pin/bush,

Plus: one wheel bearing, one lower front suspension ball joint needed

Sounds too expensive to me. Any advice other than "push it over the nearest cliff" would be gratefully received.
Seriously, I love this car. Is there any way I can rescue it without going into bankrupcy?

If you can do your own DIY or get someone cheap to do it, then it might be easy to keep on the road.

Don't know about fixing the major leak, but sounds like your oxygen sensors have gone (probably main ones). You can get them from www.oxygensensors.com in the states cheaper than buying from here, or you could just get universal ones and splice the wires to fit accordingly. Have a look at the website.

I've already done the rear hub bush myself when I had the 400, if you go to Lexus UK, you will end up spending over 1k. There is an alternative solution for around 70-100 dollars from the US. I think the kit is called Adus. Have a search for my suspension posts to get the full info.

Wheel bearing is cheap again (under 50 quid) plus labour. However, if the hub is damaged, then that will need replacing too. No way of knowing until you pull the bearing out. Again, see my suspension post, I managed to get front lower ball joint at dirt cheap prices from a place in STates called www.olyonline.com

Good Luck matey!

By the way, given that all these things have failed the MOT, my advice would be to get rid of the car unless you are gonna do everything yourself. The costs of maintaining an old luxury car (even a LS400) are huge!

Oh how many miles has your car done, and how long are you planning to keep it for?

the exhaust has a life time guarantee from lexus as they are stainless may be good to look it to if it costs you £0

the exhaust on the IS is meant to be stainless but the cat back isnt - so it may well be a play on words , just like the anti chip paint saga!!!!

I knew that Lexus designed the exhaust to last the lifetime of the car, but I'd be very surprised if they offered a special warranty on exhaust systems outside the normal 3 year warranty given with new cars..I never heard of anything like that during 6 years of LS ownership..

Thanks for everbody's help. I'll start following all the leads you've provided. The major exhaust leak is the main problem. I had an older model checkup recently at Lexus and there does not appear to be a lifetime guarantee on exhausts. Does anybody have any idea if there is an affordable and not too difficult solution to this problem?
I would consider replacing the car for a later model LS 400. On the other hand, I'm reluctant to dump it if it's fixable - and realistically, what am I likely to get for it in its present condition?

From what I heard, it's around £1500 to get a complete new exhaust system for LS400. I don't know if it's just one particular section you need, in which case, you might have to find a specialist exhaust manufacturer who can make you one up.

In it's present condition, and given that petrol prices, I think you would be hard pressed to get more than a a grand, absolute maximum. What's the mileage mate?

Pops, depending on your love of originality and or spending money, why dont you just get the exhaust patched with a bit of judicious welding?

I got fed up with my cats blowing slightly all the time at the bottom flange and a local garage just welded them up for me for the princely sum of twenty squid.

After all, I'm not going to replace them any time soon - or even at all, so as long as a bit-o-weld sorts the problem - I have no problem!!

Pops,
If your Lambda sensors are suspect this may help.
I have just changed them on my wifes Voyager, Chrysler ones £98 each.
I bought a Lambda sensor tester £4-95 off Ebay, this confirmed one had failed.
I then bought 2 universal NTK (NGK) ones (they all measure Lambda 02 content at 1.0) off www.lambdasensor.com for £24-95 each, they come complete with shrink tubing to make the spicling of the original connections weatherproof.
Excellent service, products and prompt delivery, the site is also an excellent source for general swotting up on sensor info.
I hope this helps.
Chris Vince

£20, Dave???? - now you're talking my language - will this completely sort the problem?


Thanks to everybody else who replied, too. Personally, I'm no mechanic, in fact I have trouble opening a can much of the time. So I'm going to hand all the info you've given me over to my local garage. Don't go away though. I'll probably be back!!