Mk I Gs300 Sport - A Few Little Niggles

[mantior]

Hey folks

I've had my 96 300 Sport for a couple of months now and I'm pretty happy with it (considering I paid absolute scrap money for it)

The story so far:

Bought with only half and exhaust system (other half consequently dropped off whilst driving my parents to the airport (slightly embarrassing) but I had the whole system custom made to look and sound factory spec (£350 was a bit better than the lexus price!) This now knocks a little on the belly of the boot but I'll tweek that when I get the weather.

The main problems I'm struggling with now are:

1) Only half the speedo panel backlight works - luckily it's the speedo side that does work. So I rooted about on here and found out that the bulbs are odd 14v jobs - SO I ordered a full set of backlight bulbs from Lexus, whipped the instrument cluster out and replaced all the bulbs, and I am pleased to say that this - made no difference whatsoever. On closer inspection 2 of the tracks on the circuit board-flexy type thing have completely burnt out (probably becuase a previous owner unknowingly fitted incorrect 12v bulbs?

Anyway I went on the hunt for instrument clusters around all the scrappy websites - they can get me one but can't guarantee it works fully or in some cases can't tell me what mileage its reading. Wouldn't mind if I could just pop round there to take a look but I'm stuck on this here rock in the irish sea and there ain't no GS300's breakin over here.

2) Front Driver's side main speaker does not and never has worked. This is really annoying, but I guess this could just be a trapped cable?

Curiously I've heard that the optional in car telephone which my car has would cut out that speaker or something along those lines? Not so sure where to start looking at that one. Also I'd love to get the in car phone working for pure comedy value as all my mates think it's absolute pure comedy having a phone in your car with a big curly cord on it! Sadly I thing the main phone bit is missing.

I was also struggling to get them blasted lower track control arm bushes as no-one seems to want to send them outside of the US, but I've bitten the bullet and ordered new arms from Lexus - the only saving grace is that at least I get full trade discount at my local Lexus garage.

Apologies for the rant but I've been storing this up!

Can anyone give me any advice on the dash lights and the speaker oddity problems?

Cheers

Mantior

[TigerFish]

This link might help with tracking down the telephony parts locations. clicky. I believe the telephony stuff switched the telephone to the drivers door when a call was made/received, but not definate on that one.

As far as the speedo goes, never taken my dash apart so no idea how easy it would be to swap over the circuit boards and keep the rest.

[mantior]

This link might help with tracking down the telephony parts locations. clicky. I believe the telephony stuff switched the telephone to the drivers door when a call was made/received, but not definate on that one.

As far as the speedo goes, never taken my dash apart so no idea how easy it would be to swap over the circuit boards and keep the rest.

Cheers ears!

It's no big deal swapping the circuit board over - It's just that I can't tell when I'm buying a speedo off a scrappy over your way there whether the circuit board hasn't already burnt out! Would also help if some of the people that work at these scrapyard "call centres" had either a) an IQ above 48, and B) grasp of the english language! ***** I got frustrated with them!

Any of you guys happen to know of a good cluster going anywhere?

Cheers

mantior

[rtjc83]

What about guys breaking them on eBay? some of the cars might still be complete enough to check the clocks before you buy. I would imagine a dealer/breakers yard breaking one could check for you? Worth a shot :winky:

[NigenDeb]

What about guys breaking them on eBay? some of the cars might still be complete enough to check the clocks before you buy. I would imagine a dealer/breakers yard breaking one could check for you? Worth a shot :winky:

Don't you know anyone who's handy with a soldering iron? Just bridge the breaks in the tracks with a couple of strands out of some ordinary car loom thickness type of cable!

If you were any where near Hull, I would do it for you

Just a thought

Nige

[mantior]

Don't you know anyone who's handy with a soldering iron? Just bridge the breaks in the tracks with a couple of strands out of some ordinary car loom thickness type of cable!

If you were any where near Hull, I would do it for you

Just a thought

Nige

Great minds think alike! That's exactly what my first thought was, but the entire track has burnt away and left nothing (not even plastic backing) behind to solder to!

Have tried all the scrappies I've ever dealt with over there and none of them can guarantee me that the clocks are 100% working. No-one on here breaking a GS?

Stuff it, I'm going out to the drive to rip the dash out and see what I can make. Will let you know how I get on

Cheers

Mantior

[TigerFish]

Good luck. I don't think this is a common fault so I think the chances of getting a duff dash (for the part you want) is fairly unlikely, although if you can fix it for next to nothing yourself, then everyones a winner.

[NigenDeb]

Don't you know anyone who's handy with a soldering iron? Just bridge the breaks in the tracks with a couple of strands out of some ordinary car loom thickness type of cable!

If you were any where near Hull, I would do it for you

Just a thought

Nige

Great minds think alike! That's exactly what my first thought was, but the entire track has burnt away and left nothing (not even plastic backing) behind to solder to!

Have tried all the scrappies I've ever dealt with over there and none of them can guarantee me that the clocks are 100% working. No-one on here breaking a GS?

Stuff it, I'm going out to the drive to rip the dash out and see what I can make. Will let you know how I get on

Cheers

Mantior

Hi,

If the tracks are burnt THAT badly, I would proceed with caution, it would seem to me that there is a bigger problem than just overrated bulbs, surely the track would just rupture at the weakest point, only if there was a big current surge (lots of amps) would the track be 'blasted' away?

Many years ago before I knew better I had a different make of car (a ford) and it was common for the tracks to break on the flexible PCB behind the dash, so I have experience in repairing these things

Good Luck

Nige

[mantior]

[

Hi,

If the tracks are burnt THAT badly, I would proceed with caution, it would seem to me that there is a bigger problem than just overrated bulbs, surely the track would just rupture at the weakest point, only if there was a big current surge (lots of amps) would the track be 'blasted' away?

Many years ago before I knew better I had a different make of car (a ford) and it was common for the tracks to break on the flexible PCB behind the dash, so I have experience in repairing these things

Good Luck

Nige

Fixed! The tracks were badly burnt but not non-existent, just not attached (only 2 of them). Smply ran a wire to each of the affected bulb contacts, put it back together and it worked! Didn't expect it as I'm not confdent about my soldering skills, but it seems to have done the trick! Cheers for all your help folks

Mantior

[TigerFish]

Hi,

If the tracks are burnt THAT badly, I would proceed with caution, it would seem to me that there is a bigger problem than just overrated bulbs, surely the track would just rupture at the weakest point, only if there was a big current surge (lots of amps) would the track be 'blasted' away?

Many years ago before I knew better I had a different make of car (a ford) and it was common for the tracks to break on the flexible PCB behind the dash, so I have experience in repairing these things

Good Luck

Nige

Fixed! The tracks were badly burnt but not non-existent, just not attached (only 2 of them). Smply ran a wire to each of the affected bulb contacts, put it back together and it worked! Didn't expect it as I'm not confdent about my soldering skills, but it seems to have done the trick! Cheers for all your help folks

Mantior

Well done mate

[NigenDeb]

Hi,

If the tracks are burnt THAT badly, I would proceed with caution, it would seem to me that there is a bigger problem than just overrated bulbs, surely the track would just rupture at the weakest point, only if there was a big current surge (lots of amps) would the track be 'blasted' away?

Many years ago before I knew better I had a different make of car (a ford) and it was common for the tracks to break on the flexible PCB behind the dash, so I have experience in repairing these things

Good Luck

Nige

Fixed! The tracks were badly burnt but not non-existent, just not attached (only 2 of them). Smply ran a wire to each of the affected bulb contacts, put it back together and it worked! Didn't expect it as I'm not confdent about my soldering skills, but it seems to have done the trick! Cheers for all your help folks

Mantior

Well done mate

Nice one, hope I helped you in some way