SteveLS400

It actually started well before the cold weather so no connection there. Anyway, Ive bit the bullet. She's booked in for a flush, a new thermostat and a correct refilling procedure on Tuesday. Next riveting installment will follow. Steve

Hi 333 EUX. It ticked all of my boxes - numbers followed by letters, not related to my name or to the car and cheap. There are quite a few more today and tomorrow. If their had been a 400 LEX or the likes, I still wouldn't go for it. There is a 400 MFX at about 16.20 today and 400 RGX tomorrow at 12.30 with reserves of £600 and £400 respectively. Steve

The data can be updated to 2006 according to the guy that was trying to sell me an S reg which may be sufficient for most journeys but the amount of work involved in fitting - even assuming the dash is compatible - leaves me wondering why? Moreover, you will have modified the car for insurance purposes. You could buy a newer car with Sat Nav as standarded. The best solution would be to buy a good quality portable. Steve

Evenin all I'm fed up of posting about temperature gauge and heater problems. Yesterday was her b'day. She had a wash, full tank of juice and a vac and cleanout. Today she's had a leathering and a full polish including tyres with the appropriate Autoglym stuff - only the best for the baby. But............. ........... she's going to have a new reg plate. :shutit: I have been trawling the cherished plates sites for a year or 2 without any joy. having had "personilsed" plates in the past and preferring something other than Steviebigboyone etc etc, I had originally settled on an Irish plate. But they are just that. The sites that sell plates want a bloody fortune for even the most simple reg. Anyway...was looking for a non-descript numbers and letters, pref in that order. Signed up for DVLA auctions, missed a few but got the baby a new badge without any association to me or LEXIS ME or the likes. Paid reserve and delighted. Will take years off of her, bless. Mr Happy

Incorrect assumption, if it was buggered then it would be 'coupled' when cold and hard to turn, if it turns freely when cold then it's working as intended. The coupling gets progressively more direct as it heats up. Thanks. I think thats what I meant to say but I'm not sure So, for the avoidance of doubt. The fact it turns freely with the engine off, suggests its ok? I think I'm going to progress matters by trying to ensure that I do not have an airlock. I didnt personally change the coolant and my man can't remember when he did, if he followed the full procedure; it was a couple of years ago. Steve

RoyT I have given the fan the once over whilst cold. It turns easily by hand. Am I right to assume that if it was buggered, it would turn when cold? Steve Ive also had chance to start her up and run her till she's (the new) warm. The fan ran at the same speed as the engine turned throughout the test; it definately didnt slow down on its own accord. Steve

RoyT I have given the fan the once over whilst cold. It turns easily by hand. Am I right to assume that if it was buggered, it would turn when cold? Steve

Hi again and ta for responding. Given the findings today as mentioned in my Heater post as well as here I do wonder. I still cant accept that they are linked because the heater issue started in 2007 and the temp gauge in 2009. However, thinking out load... The aircon was s..t in Le mans in June 2007, thus prompting me to have it sorted shortly afterwards. But I wouldnt have used the heat aspect of the system till end Sept 2007 or even later as it was then set on auto all the time and with the weather warm I probably didnt want mega heat until later on like Nov 2007. However the system did make groaning noises from earlier than that. So maybe the heater issue started AFTER the aircon refurb, I just didnt know. But..... Why did the temp gauge wait until Sept 2009 to die? And .......... Steve

Hi Royt Tell me more about the fan please. I thought it ran all the time. It certainly was when I was sqeezing hoses this afternoon. Steve

Hi I can replicate this but only notice it at night in the headlights of the car behind. Having cheched that shes not an oil burner, the conclusion is that on kickdown, there is a short period when fuel is not fully burned. So I dont believe there is anything to worry about, and following your post, have concluded that it is normal. Steve

Stardate, sorry update. We have now fitted the replacement sender unit. The connection was not the same as the original so the wiring has had to undergo a slight modification to accomodate. There is no question that the wiring is satisfactory following extensive testing. In addition, before fitting, the resistance of the replacement was tested against the original sender and found to be in the same ball park. However, normal used to be "half" way on the temp gauge. The gauge now appears to function correctly, ie gradually rising, but it now sits on "quarter". Prior to this issue, no matter what the ambient air temp, the gauge would read half within a short time of starting out. Is the new normal now a quarter? Should I just live with it? Is it connected to my other post about the heater? The gauge still shoots to the top when the wiring is shorted, but is there a resistor actually in the dash which could be accounting for the quarter reading? Any new views very much welcome.

Thanks Steve, and indeed Roy. I will check this out when I get a moment and report back. No, the outside temp has always been pretty accurate. Steve Chaps. Its the baby's 15th b'day today and to celebrate she's had a wash a full tank! Right, whilst attending to the temp gauge issue (see below and my other post), we had a look at this. At the rear of the engine we found a valve. Of the 2 pipes, the top 1 connected to this valve and it was quite warm maybe even hot although it wasn't flesh-meltingly so. The lower pipe was significantly cooler. The valve I'm referring to has a cable connection. Operating the temperature control in the car from Max Cold to Max Hot had the cable move the valve throughout the full extent of its travel (as seen by removing the cable and operating the valve from under the bonnet). The airflow into the car is via the appropriately selected direction ie screen, feet etc whether via manual selection or when on automatic climate control. The fan appears to cut in correctly as well. Does this enable a better diagnosis? To save looking at my other post on the temperature gauge, and for completion, I will explain here as there may be a link although I can't see it. The temperature gauge has always read at the "half-full" mark when fully warmed-up. It might have gone up a thou in traffic in hot weather but that was that In June last year at Le Mans 24H we needed to plug the laptop in and have a meeting. As it was stinking hot we sat in the car with the engine idleing and the aircon on. After 45 mins or so I noticed the temp gauge nudging the Hot so shut dowm and opened bonnet. At no time it lose any coolant and the temp gauge worked fine on the return to home and indeed for 3 months afterwards. Since then I have not had a reading, nil, nowt. Given that the aircon overhall ( and cooler heater) took place in July 2007 and the temp gauge packed-in in Sept 2009 I cannot see any connection but... Whilst testing the work done on the temperature gauge today, I took the car out on a couple of occaisions on a journey that would absolutely guarantee normal operating temperature even though air temp was only 4c. The gauge only read "quarter" but at least it was reading. But I noticed that the top hose - along its length - wasn't hot, rather more tepid. Whilst I cannot see any connection between the aircon overall and the temp gauge, I can see a connection between a tepid top hose and a not very hot heater. What to do about it, I don't know. Views gratefully received. Confused.

Hi Have you tried fleabay? Or Googling. Must you have a brand new one? Their must be a few breakers with accident damaged 430's. Steve

Thanks Steve, and indeed Roy. I will check this out when I get a moment and report back. No, the outside temp has always been pretty accurate. Steve

Hi Steve It sounds like the spare key is the chauffer's or valet key which is purposely designed NOT to open the boot. I cant tell what model you have whilst replying but cant you flip the boot from inside the car? If, like mine, you can, but you have pressed-in the button or locked it, the key you have wont let you unlike that remote boot release. I very much doubt that your superglueing will hold, but it might let you unlock the remote boot release. If it does, dont lock it again. I think you will have no choice but to bite the bullet and order a replacement specifically for your car; someone else's will not do the job. My daughter broke the key off in the lock of her Vauxhall Ashtray and that was a £220 bill, and yes I tried obtaining a replacement on the cheap. Even a new ignition barrel and key still required the key to be programmed which I recall accounted for £130 of the bill. Steve

Thank you for getting back to me, see my posts about temperature gauge, but before it packed in the temp was always the same when fully warmed up and, on the rare ocaissions that it has worked since, its not been a problem.

Chaps As Ive probably mentioned elsewhere, I had the aircon on my 95 MK3 completeley refurbed a year or so ago. It would not gas-up and thus required rather more than a £45 Kwik Fit. Off it went to a specialist, and as most of the kit is behind the dash, dash was out. I was and remain pleased with the job, cold is cold. However, hot aint necessarily hot. Prior to the refurb, I always had it set on 20 degrees auto, with or without aircon. Since the refurb, to get really warm it needs setting at 27 or above. It also ocaisionally makes groaning noises (mechanical not gurgling water noises). The short question is why? The longer question is what can I do to rectify it? Am I right to assume its a dash out job? If so, does anyone have a link to its removal and replacement? Incidentally, I do keep the sensor clean on the underside of the dash. Steve

Hi Presume youve tried Fleabay? Suspect you can get a whole unit for less than youve been quoted. Steve

A teddy (posh vest to you and me) would look better with a pic of the car rather than the mats IMHO. Steve

How lovely, an item of underwear with a pic of the car on it Steve

Hi Are you sure yours is a 95 MK2 as I thought the facelift to MK3 took place Oct 94 or thereabouts. The reason I say this is mine is in the a Jan 95 MK3. Anyway. The problem you have is identical the problem I had before. The following procedure cured mine after much pratting about opening and closing doors. Car unlocked. Bonnet open and spanner ready to disconnect battery earth. Turn key to Acc position and leave. Disconnect earth Turn key to on (ignition lights-on position) Reconnect earth Turn key to off Take key out. Close Door and bonnet Press button Sorted. Please let me know the outcome. Steve

Hi My Jan 1995 MK3 has 186000 miles without this problem (touch wood). My own approach would be to change the plugs for the best I could afford. Alternatively, if your car has new plugs, I would buy another (make) and try it in each cylinder. Its a faff but I have had duff plugs before and even when supplied and fitted by a main dealer (Rover 827). Steve

I love my car and can only fault it on a) I would prefer front fogs in the spoiler, rather than adjacent to the headlight. B) Whilst I enjoy wafting along on the magic carpet, there are times when I would like a firmer ride (esp. when cornering at speed). Steve

Hi. I'm all for enthenticity so when I got my baby, I had the originals, which were shocking, refurbed. Fifty quid a wheel and they still look great when washed. It also means I can truthfully answer the "any modifications" insurance question with a "no". I have seen some absolutely garish alloys on LS400's. On a slight tangent, whilst not being a BMW fan, many of the standard alloys they fit look very good. more so , IMHO, then other manufacturers.

Evenin all Having had the baby for some years (and yes I will upload a photo in due course) I naturely assumed that the LS400 came with parking sensors as standard. Mine was 1st reg 26/01/95 and did come with them. I have grown to love em, except when reversing with the trailer. The reason for the post is to ask the gathered throng if they ,too, have them. In October, I drove past a garage/workshop with an S reg for sale on the front and thought I would have a look on the way back. I took it out for a drive and on returning it, nearly reversed it through the showroom window! The car was well presented except for garish wheels and decals and was over-priced. Since then, I have looked on Fleabay, and have yet to see an offering with parking sensors. Is my baby alone? If you are going to spend £50k, why not spend another couple of quid? Interested of Lincolnshire.