Is200 Mid Life Detox...

denbailey101 · March 16, 2011

Hi guys,

had my lexus a few months now and I am very pleased with it. I have given it a major servicing as a bit of a mid life restoration to keep it sweet and wanted to share my experiences with you.

Please bear with me as there is a lot to type!

I purchased the car in November for £1900 with 122k miles, FSH and in very good condition. I replaced the water pump and cambelt, changed the oil (5w30 Mobil esp) and filter and replaced the OAT coolant and brake fluid. I replaced the stereo with a smart sony unit and put some air in the tyres (the 14psi wasnt doing the job :o!) noting my fronts were near the limit on the inside edge. I knew I was going abroad with work in january for a month so I would continue after my trip.

However with the cold weather in december, particulary Christmas eve we drove from Oxford to Chester and it was -15C on the temprature gauge. The steering was very sluggish, I stopped halfway at a services and checked the power steering fluid to discover it was definetly slushy! The hygroscopic oil had absorbed moisture over the 10+ years. On boxing day I drained the resevoir and pipes, replaced with new fluid and it transformed the steering feel!

Returning from chester the steering became very squeeky, and i noticed that it was pulling to one side on braking. Apart from all the usual grit and salt on the underside I soon realised my bottom ball joints were heavily worn.

The day before I went overseas, a pothole took out my N/S front wheel bearing, which some became a vicious drone within 5 miles. Luckily my local factors had one in, I have a 25ton hydraulic press at work and it was replaced within 3 hours!

I went away with work and with some extra cash in my pocket decided to finish off the job. I replaced the Gearbox and Diff oils with 75w-90 full syn oil, (the diff especially was needing it, full of muck when drained now really smooth, installed a k+n air filter, replaced the smelly cabin filter, changed to the plugs to denso iridiums (i went for the oem sk20r11's for the longer life plus got 6 for a tenner! :) much better plugs than the previous ngk's).

I found a resistor had sneaked in the the inlet air temp sensor wiring so I removed that and replaced both bottom ball joints, the drivers side ball joint could be pulled in and out of its socket!!!!

Replacing the ball joints had totally messed up the geometry, it wanted to go into the nearest hedge after every corner, I had every intention of taking it to WIM but I was sent away short notice for a week to canada. Under instructions "dont drive the lexus", on my return I got told by my wife of course "well i only drove it a bit while you were away its better for the shopping....." The 30 miles she had done had totally destroyed the front tyres to the cords!. Brilliant.

I double checked all the joints were torqued correctly and noticed a track rod boot had split since i had been away so I ordered a pair.

Pennies are tight this month as lots going on, I got hold of a good pair of part worn dunlops and this morning decided to let my local garage set the geometry as I didnt want to chance driving all the way to WIM a)its too dangerous to and B)i would have no tyres left when I arrived!

They did a good job it feels much better and smoother now. If these part worns wear on the inside edges again, I will definetly go and see tony at WIM.

Checked the fluids too after 4000 miles, not a drop used. The oil is still that clean I could pour it back in the bottle!

As with all things in life, things are sent to test us.

I took my now driving straight lexus 10 miles into town through B and fast A roads. Pleasure to drive again.

On the return journey- where the hell has this brake shudder and noise come from? At low speeds it sounded like the pads with clipping the front o/s disc. On stopping banging noises.

I quickly jacked it up, and found it was the caliper slide pins. A thorough copper greasing and a 20 mile test circuit later no shudder and no brake clicking or banging. Its pure coincedence it showed itself this morning, nothing to do with the geometry place I have just been. Just the Lexus keeping me on my toes!

Does anyone have any slide pins for sale or know where I can get some from?

A massive thankyou to everyone who has ever posted on this forum. A huge knowledge database and an essential tool in getting my car feeling good as new and ready for the years to come. Now im off for a drive!...