Tinonline

You had a later LS?

on standard wheels with well serviced suspension, quality tyres, they handle and stick very well.

sure the steering feedback is not exactly sports car but…it’s forgivable.

I’ve a rust area that’s been there since I’ve had the car for 10 years…yes that long…that hasn’t grown at all. Must have been a Wednesday car…

that’s silly money…how about trying you’re own fix, giving you more time to shop around…there is a recession on and car prices are collapsing (readjusting) so prices will come down.

I get my batteries from Lexus dealer or Lexus Parts Direct. They last well over 5 years without trickle charging and put up with my flattening them from time to time working on the car or when leaving an internal light on…I don’t use the car much.🤪

1 hour ago, J Henderson said:

What did I do to my Lexus today?

Dusted off the bootlid and retrieved the nicely-chilled beers that were inside.

Started my 400 and went shopping…bit clunky downshift around 2nd but took a while to warm up…front suspension a bit clunky too…need to spend some love over the Christmas hols if it’s not too cold. 😁

1 hour ago, shanra said:

Passed the MOT today with 0% Carbon monoxide on Natural and Fast idle. Probably helped by Wynns catalytic and lambda cleaner and some of their emissions cleaner also on 3/4 of a tank of Esso Power. I shall still get exhaust welding done as any leaks aren't good!

I know it’s crazy but clearing out the system really works. Until the last few years I’ve never had to do this but older vehicles have to be on top service. 
 

I believe my Lexus is on point but I don’t take any chances now. I’m not convinced by the MOT equipment or their ensuring the vehicle is up to full operating temp.

I reckon a good clean out and decent fuel will sort things out for a good term. 
 

Time your oil and filter changes close to the MOT, add cat cleaner and ensure you have a good run.  Yup no exhaust leaks. I’ve gone through a few tests with a number of minor blows but depends where they are…

If you don’t have O2 codes and emissions warning codes your motor should not fail. But it doesn’t work like that does it…
 

As Malc notes, Rockauto are ok. I’ve had good parts and prices from Ayamara…luckily no cancellations.

I had x2 lower ball joints from Rock Auto at $40 each plus tax, delivery extra.

They we’re Beck & Arnley might have been on offer and would be daily driver quality+ so not cheapest on offer.

They’re 4 years old, have done 19,000 miles. Light surface rust sorted by qrust and paint a few months ago either rest of the underside. All good and just through the MOT.

I’ve had issues like this in UK and Spain with a few vehicles.

Do use a Cat cleaner on 1/4 tank of fuel and get the engine hot. Use premium fuel. You can use oil anti emissions additive in an oil change. 
Get a high quality plug in check on diagnostics…something is not right…

I got underneath and brushed on Kurust with a 1.5 inch brush. Delighted with results I let it cure for a day before spraying over with a hammerite type spray. 

Kurust coverage is excellent.

Worked a treat. 

On the bearing front 300quid if fitted is a slice of money but it’ll be fit and forget.

I’ve an SKF on one corner. Cost me £100, I bought the bearing for 50 quid, took the down link and hub in my backpack to an Indy who charged me 50 quid to swop it out.

I’m boycotting SKF as they’ve moved their UK production to Poland, shutting the UK factory.

Oh on my LS400 the windows are completely automatic.

Saturday am I rolled up to check tyre pressures to find the driver’s window completely down. 

A few days later my wife noticed passenger window slightly down. Now I can’t discount the passenger window down to wife fiddling…

Retracted all of them then re-shut. I’m not repairing anything so it’s going to have to fix itself. 🙄

19 hours ago, Malc1 said:

Michael so sorry to hear of this 

All my years here I’ve never known the need arise for a replacement Ls400 radiator …… could it be refurbished maybe ? 

Best wishes 

Malc

Agree…worth looking at a refurb. They come back good as new. Used to be a local guy where I am was my go to. He’d remove and replace with a good turnaround time.

Used a few times including heater rad core.

Way hey…my LS400 got its MOT!

Lost my previous advisories on rear tyres and rust on chassis as I’ve attended to both 

but have a new advisory for slight wear on front drop links. I’ve had the parts for a while but copped out when trying to shift a nut…wasn’t in the mood but I’m up for it now having taken the front suspension apart to replace a wheel bearing. 😁

5 hours ago, Malc1 said:

water water everywhere ...  it finds every nook and cranny for sure when these storms rage .....  not just a car ..........  hopefully as the drenching effect vanishes and the wind and the sun help dry it all out, your car electrics will behave as they should

Malc

Worth checking all window seals, windscreen, moon roof - there aren’t any normal weak areas from leaks apart from the boot seal Is there Malc?

5 hours ago, steve2006 said:

LPD have the front pads but not listing rears.

I’ve noticed parts not available anymore…hope Lexus sell off their rights to willing players interested in keeping the models alive.

surely brake parts are freely available? Some good OEM prices in the UK. My phase. 2 400 was fully braked up with OEM total less than £400 parts. 

Part 2

LS400 annual oil change.

started early this morning thank goodness because it ain’t half hot now.

Took my time and managed to only deposit a few drops of oil in the process. Usually the oil looks dirty as I pour it into the old containers but Fuchs has held up well with Blueprint filter.

This year it’s Fuchs oil again but with a Lexus filter. As I was under the car, having got some Kurust and paint left over…had a go at the front to reduce any surface rust and clean up.

I also cleaned up the bottom area of the steering rack drivers’ side where an advisory pointed to a leak or oil deposit. Just needed wiping down. But I’ve never had to top up and it’s oil crud and nothing fresh that I could detect.

All done now.

The swingometer continues to shift as parts distributors change their market position.

Eurocarparts, a good go to is now far too expensive and has dropped numerous options for the Lexus.

I’ve returned to Opie for oils and had Fuchs last year and have done same for this years’ service. 

Lexus could clean up globally parts sales by positioning above replacement and charge a premium but not at the current pricing structures. Prices are a rip-off.
 

On 9/1/2023 at 11:30 AM, Tinonline said:

Yes if it’s as good as claimed. There’s not much in terms of required coverage as the car is very clean underneath…and Kurust spreads very well…so for a few quid job done. 

I’ve finished the job…applied paint.

I had another look at Lanogard and see that it has to be applied annually. So I’m happy with my choice. Kurust is very good and a good brush into and onto areas difficult to brush that do have heavy rust scale works very well. The suspension bars have the most rust with everything else in good shape.

16 hours ago, DJT said:

Would lanoguard be better for chassis. Just remove loose rust and spray on. Has very good reviews. 

Yes if it’s as good as claimed. There’s not much in terms of required coverage as the car is very clean underneath…and Kurust spreads very well…so for a few quid job done. 

MOT comes up next month for my year 2000 LS400.

one of the advisories was for surface rust around rear chassis mountings. The tester recommended an application of something like Kurust and that would suffice.

A rear chassis bar crosses just behind the diff so that’s where I placed the jack and a 2ton axle stand. I’ve managed to mislay my wire brush drill attachments so hand held wire brush in hand…

I have to report that the underside is very clean with surface rust in places and more on the rear suspension components than anywhere. So I feel the advisory was over reported and did not warrant it. The Mounting bolts and area were in fine condition…not worthy of a wire brush.

Anyway, I applied the Kurust to the subframe and various joins and hangers that I could reach. Also did the same to the rear springs that had a few blemish areas.

That is more than required and will do the job. However, I’ve some hammerite type paint spray I’ll apply next session.

That Y pipe…you can buy at a balanced price (not stupid but it’ll cost you) from a few suppliers. I ended up with a fabricated section all fitted for less than 300 quid.

Agree with posts, check the part numbers…can yours be saved by the way?

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

 ............. for decades now I've been under the impression it was  6.9 seconds  ?

Well done whatever

Malc

Later ones are in the low ‘6’ 😁🫣

I don’t use the new fuel…there’s no need…

Not driving much at the moment and from memory, the Battery can take this.

But, mes amis, went to turn it over and not a flicker.

Removed the Battery in quick order - it’s less than a year old Lexus one…charged it up over night.

I recall my wife saying maybe it was an internal light but I’d not taken any weight to this. 
On reconnecting I sat in the drivers seat…oh the rear off side cabin lights wouldn’t go off…what? Shut the drivers door again and restarted…same. 

Went around to the offending side and pressed the internal light button…started over again. All good.

Under cross examination in the living room I found the last person to drive the car was my wife…ah Hastings…the reference to the internal light. Now the confession…wife is looking after/nanny to a neighbours little girl who fiddles with every switch and button….

Therefore that little thing in all innocence, pressed the internal light button and that flattened the Battery.

The driver’s responsibility mes amis, was to check the vehicle on lock down. Like the Conservative party…procedures were not followed.

Right…

Well the market like all energy, is an oligopoly…limited to nil competition, fixed pricing and UAE for petrol: is fixing the market.

They’re all in it together.

where I am it’s around 1.40 per litre.

Vote with your feet/tyres. Even if you pay more…if you’re doing few miles it won’t make any discernible difference.

45 minutes ago, Razor61 said:

The immobiliser chip ‘project’ continues…….
Yesterday I removed the immo chip from the spare ECU, stuck it in the EEPROM programmer and successfully read the ‘key’ data and saved the ‘dump’ file (which is basically all the data in a file format as a backup and can be edited)
Today I edited the dump file mentioned above to remove all the ‘key’ data and left the ‘dealer codes’ or something similar.
Saved the dump file with an appropriate name and then wrote or programmed the new data to the immo EEPROM. Disconnected everything, reconnected everything and then read the data from the chip to make sure it had actually worked. All good and chuffed that an old dog can learn new tricks😀
The ‘new’ plan, now I have a reset immo chip, is to solder it back on the spare ECU, put a new cap where I’d just remove a cap and left it, stick the spare ECU in the car and see if the ECU is in ‘key’ programming mode as it should be. If it is I’ll programme in 2 of my existing keys, 1 master and one valet, and another I bought off eBay as a master that hasn’t been programmed at all and see if the car will start and run. If that’s successful I’ll leave the spare ECU in the car and send the original to Bill to rebuild it. Once I have the rebuilt ECU back I’ll fit it, the spare ECU I will then put up for sale with a master key, the one from eBay mentioned above, so no need to remove the immo chip and reprogram………simples😀
But of course all that may change again.

OK you are a genius and consummate problem solver…doesn’t give up…take my hat off to you…👍👏👏👏