Lpg Serviced Today By Profess Down In Lovely Wales

[mikesands]

Strangely Bluesman, I still love my Lexus LS430 and am planning to turn it into a tow car for the next 2 or 3 years to tow a big caravan. I say strange because my car must be a Friday car (and must have had its LPG conversion done on a Friday evening). I am resigned to getting 21mpg on gas on a run whereas I got nearly 30mpg on petrol. And despite the fitter and the manufacturer spending many hours trying to make the engine warning light go off, they can't - it's saying the o2 sensor is wrong, but it sails through any emissions tests. (However, I don't have any rough running problems on gas so at least that's some comfort)

This past couple of weeks I have spent £750 on the stupid ride height sensor problems - I can't believe Lexus can design something so bad and then charge £300+ for each poxy sensor when they go wrong. By the way I have obtained my latest 'faulty' one because it may be OK as the bracket attaching it to the lower suspension arm has snapped (again). So my question is - if I get this cleaned up and carry it as a spare, is it a simple job for any auto engineer anywhere to fit this, or does everything have to be somehow electronically reset to level the suspension?

Thanks

Mike

[jpjsavage]

I was interested in your comments re the ride height sensor and did a bit of research. This seemed like an ingenious home made solution: http://evansweb.info/2009/11/23/ls400-ride-height-sensor-repair but I guess he sacrificed the automatic headlight alignment in the process?

[Bluesman]

Strangely Bluesman, I still love my Lexus LS430 and am planning to turn it into a tow car for the next 2 or 3 years to tow a big caravan. I say strange because my car must be a Friday car (and must have had its LPG conversion done on a Friday evening). I am resigned to getting 21mpg on gas on a run whereas I got nearly 30mpg on petrol. And despite the fitter and the manufacturer spending many hours trying to make the engine warning light go off, they can't - it's saying the o2 sensor is wrong, but it sails through any emissions tests. (However, I don't have any rough running problems on gas so at least that's some comfort)

This past couple of weeks I have spent £750 on the stupid ride height sensor problems - I can't believe Lexus can design something so bad and then charge £300+ for each poxy sensor when they go wrong. By the way I have obtained my latest 'faulty' one because it may be OK as the bracket attaching it to the lower suspension arm has snapped (again). So my question is - if I get this cleaned up and carry it as a spare, is it a simple job for any auto engineer anywhere to fit this, or does everything have to be somehow electronically reset to level the suspension?

Thanks

Mike

Sorry to hear you are still having problems. You will find that if you cant get that engine management light to go off it will fail the MOT. All engine management lights must shine and then go off in the normal manner for it to pass so even trying bypass that light wont work as it wont have lite in the first place. Sorry to add yet another problem to your ever increasing pile of issues. Mike

[cruisermark]

I was interested in your comments re the ride height sensor and did a bit of research. This seemed like an ingenious home made solution: http://evansweb.info...t-sensor-repair but I guess he sacrificed the automatic headlight alignment in the process?

just for reference:

We are talking 2 different cars and 2 different problems here:

On the mark 4 (evans web write up) the height sensor bracket seizes and breaks causing the headlamp levelling malfunction. This problem can be relatively cheap to fix as outlined on evans web - this problem is mainly on the Mark 4 - Problem can be prevented by check the sensor bracket on a regualr basis and lubrictaing so the the system does not seize

The LS430 ride height sensor is totally different problem - in the scenario the sensors fail due to water ingress therfore the adjustable suspension does not work. The is the problem mikesands has just described and obviously can be an expensive fix and this problem is mainly on the LS430s - possibly more on the older ones

HTH

[jpjsavage]

Thanks for clarifying that. Glad I have the LS400!

[mikesands]

Strangely Bluesman, I still love my Lexus LS430 and am planning to turn it into a tow car for the next 2 or 3 years to tow a big caravan. I say strange because my car must be a Friday car (and must have had its LPG conversion done on a Friday evening). I am resigned to getting 21mpg on gas on a run whereas I got nearly 30mpg on petrol. And despite the fitter and the manufacturer spending many hours trying to make the engine warning light go off, they can't - it's saying the o2 sensor is wrong, but it sails through any emissions tests. (However, I don't have any rough running problems on gas so at least that's some comfort)

This past couple of weeks I have spent £750 on the stupid ride height sensor problems - I can't believe Lexus can design something so bad and then charge £300+ for each poxy sensor when they go wrong. By the way I have obtained my latest 'faulty' one because it may be OK as the bracket attaching it to the lower suspension arm has snapped (again). So my question is - if I get this cleaned up and carry it as a spare, is it a simple job for any auto engineer anywhere to fit this, or does everything have to be somehow electronically reset to level the suspension?

Thanks

Mike

Sorry to hear you are still having problems. You will find that if you cant get that engine management light to go off it will fail the MOT. All engine management lights must shine and then go off in the normal manner for it to pass so even trying bypass that light wont work as it wont have lite in the first place. Sorry to add yet another problem to your ever increasing pile of issues. Mike

Must have a friendly MOT man then as it's passed twice with the light on.

Mike

[brendangeorge]

Strangely Bluesman, I still love my Lexus LS430 and am planning to turn it into a tow car for the next 2 or 3 years to tow a big caravan. I say strange because my car must be a Friday car (and must have had its LPG conversion done on a Friday evening). I am resigned to getting 21mpg on gas on a run whereas I got nearly 30mpg on petrol. And despite the fitter and the manufacturer spending many hours trying to make the engine warning light go off, they can't - it's saying the o2 sensor is wrong, but it sails through any emissions tests. (However, I don't have any rough running problems on gas so at least that's some comfort)

This past couple of weeks I have spent £750 on the stupid ride height sensor problems - I can't believe Lexus can design something so bad and then charge £300+ for each poxy sensor when they go wrong. By the way I have obtained my latest 'faulty' one because it may be OK as the bracket attaching it to the lower suspension arm has snapped (again). So my question is - if I get this cleaned up and carry it as a spare, is it a simple job for any auto engineer anywhere to fit this, or does everything have to be somehow electronically reset to level the suspension?

Thanks

Mike

Sorry to hear you are still having problems. You will find that if you cant get that engine management light to go off it will fail the MOT. All engine management lights must shine and then go off in the normal manner for it to pass so even trying bypass that light wont work as it wont have lite in the first place. Sorry to add yet another problem to your ever increasing pile of issues. Mike

Must have a friendly MOT man then as it's passed twice with the light on.

Mike

I have done 70K+ miles on LPG in my 430 and have had Lamda sensors fail - light on - replace sensor - light off. I recentlty replaced a sensor and the light came back on after 10 days - a reset then turns the light off but ten days later back on. A Battery change reset the light but yes 10 days later back on. I am going to sort it out his week because MoT is in a couple of months - I will let you know what I find out Mike.

I think is reports bank 2 cat low efficiency but I need to check - mine passes all the emission tests as well.

Bren

[Bluesman]

Strangely Bluesman, I still love my Lexus LS430 and am planning to turn it into a tow car for the next 2 or 3 years to tow a big caravan. I say strange because my car must be a Friday car (and must have had its LPG conversion done on a Friday evening). I am resigned to getting 21mpg on gas on a run whereas I got nearly 30mpg on petrol. And despite the fitter and the manufacturer spending many hours trying to make the engine warning light go off, they can't - it's saying the o2 sensor is wrong, but it sails through any emissions tests. (However, I don't have any rough running problems on gas so at least that's some comfort)

This past couple of weeks I have spent £750 on the stupid ride height sensor problems - I can't believe Lexus can design something so bad and then charge £300+ for each poxy sensor when they go wrong. By the way I have obtained my latest 'faulty' one because it may be OK as the bracket attaching it to the lower suspension arm has snapped (again). So my question is - if I get this cleaned up and carry it as a spare, is it a simple job for any auto engineer anywhere to fit this, or does everything have to be somehow electronically reset to level the suspension?

Thanks

Mike

Sorry to hear you are still having problems. You will find that if you cant get that engine management light to go off it will fail the MOT. All engine management lights must shine and then go off in the normal manner for it to pass so even trying bypass that light wont work as it wont have lite in the first place. Sorry to add yet another problem to your ever increasing pile of issues. Mike

Must have a friendly MOT man then as it's passed twice with the light on.

Mike

Apparently only came in during August this year. Mike

[mikesands]

MOT was done on Oct 10th .... maybe the guy hasn't heard yet

Mike

[Bluesman]

MOT was done on Oct 10th .... maybe the guy hasn't heard yet

Mike

You could be right. Mike

[Lexmanic]

That's good service Mike, I wish I had been able to use them instead of being forced by my local council to use one from uklpg website.

My install has not been a good experience back and forth trying to stop the smell of gas and to get it to actually run right ( runs perfectly on petrol )

If any anyone knows of a good installer nearish to Warrington that's honest please feel free to let me know.

I'm wondering what I can do about all the money I have paid if I have to pay someone else to fix it!!

Why is your council insisting you use uklpg? Its just a site set up by a couple of insurers & who charge a fee of about £800 for the fitters to join. Although it claims to be It holds no special signifigance in the use or fitting of LPG, its just a private club.

If I were you I'd tell them to GGS & insist you use the most cost effective fitter who may or may not be a member

[abs66]

Damn fine question for all the reasons you give. However as the council are the ones who can deny me a badge they have to be obeyed. Trust me, this issue along with many others are pretty much what we have to grin and bear through gritted teeth!

To put it bluntly, they have us by the short and curlies and they know it.........

Don't get me started..... Ooppps too late.

[mikesands]

Hey Mike - the AA seem to be saying that the engine warning light is not included in the list

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/mot-changes-2012.html

Mike

[Bluesman]

Damn fine question for all the reasons you give. However as the council are the ones who can deny me a badge they have to be obeyed. Trust me, this issue along with many others are pretty much what we have to grin and bear through gritted teeth!

To put it bluntly, they have us by the short and curlies and they know it.........

Don't get me started..... Ooppps too late.

Surely if you go to your council armed with paperwork that shows

that UKLPG are not what they try and purport to be they have to listen to you.

Get all your Taxi friends together and make a representation to the council especially with the problems you have suffered since having your LPG installation done with them.

Of course the answer could be that someone is getting a kick back from them in the council.

There is such a thing in this country called Restrictive Trade Practices which covers things like this.

Mike