imperial1952

I had a similar problem a few years back on my Lexus. It turned out to be a problem with my Brake Disc.......it had a hard piece of metal (same size as a thumbnail) in the casting (back face) which was not wearing down evenly as per the rest of disc face and as a consequence was slightly proud . The problem it gave me were similar to what you are experiencing. It might be worth you checking this out on your car........good luck.

I had a similar problem a month ago. My juddering started after about 10 minutes of motorway driving and felt like the wheels were seriously out of balance. Finally i stopped at a lay-by and STUPIDLY decided to check the heat of each disc in turn with the back of my finger. Everything checked out ok until i touched the front nearside disc where i received a second degree burn to my finger - it was F*****G Red Hot and confirmed that i had a sticking caliper which i renewed a day later. I have had no problems since. Hope this helps. PS:- Learn from my mistake and do'nt use your finger to check for heat build up in your Discs - use your spit instead! Let us know how you get on.

You'r not far off with 29 mpg - but it's actually 27.925981 mpg (28 mpg when rounded off). I worked it out as follows:- Firstly work out how many gallons there are in 35 litres by dividing 35 litres with 4.54609 (that is how many litres there are in a UK gallon) = 7.6989236 gallons. Secondly divide the miles travelled which is 215 miles by the petrol used 7.6989236 gallons = 27.925981 mpg.(28 mpg when rounded off). 28 mpg for an IS200 is excellent. On the odd occassion (light throttle and motorway driving) the best i've had out of my IS200 is 33 mpg but i get a genuine 30 mpg quite often if i keep my foot off the loud pedal. :winky:

Ha! could be... I have a strange affinity for North Wales. I was up your neck of the woods last weekend, My beloved had never visited Wales and was amazed and impressed at how widely Welsh was spoken Welsh speaking in North Wales is now on the up and up due mainly to the Welsh Language Act which was introduced in the 1980's/1990's. I was born in 1952 hence part of my Display Name, and up to the age of 12 my main spoken and written language was 90% Welsh. When i started Secondary school things changed dramatically as then my main spoken and written language was English 95% of the time (i only spoke welsh at home and in the playground and my written Welsh stopped altogether). This was a shock to my system and i suffered academically because of it for the first year or two. The Welsh Language Act changed all that as it stated that if one parent of a child was a first language Welsh Speaker and the other parent was a first language English speaker then any children the couple produced had to go through the Welsh Stream in their Primary and Secondary years with no exceptions. I have two children 30 and 25 and they were both educated through the medium of Welsh throughout their school years. The act also stated that children who had two first Language English speaking parents were allowed to attend the English stream but had to have compulsory Welsh lessons as part of their schooling. That's enough History lessons from me so here endeth the sermon. Nos da pawb (Good night everybody). PS:- I'd rather be talking about cars anyway. Whose going to start another argumentative topic like this one next; as i enjoyed and had a few laughs following the threads on this one. :winky:

No problem my pleasure. This is what an Owners Club for me is all about ie:- members sharing information and giving advice/help & correcting incorrect information (with the proviso of course that they follow any advice given at THEIR OWN RISK). Spending the £297.53 saving on the Missus or ARB's is a tough decision - rather you than me :winky:

I stand corrected LEXYNIK i've just had a look in my engine bay. You'r right, there was a thin metal gasket between the Waterpump and Block that after cleaning and de-burring i re-used following smearing with silicon type non hardening sealant. My age i'm afraid is catching up with me!

I like your outlook on life and what you say is very true what is it that you love doing ? HERE HERE a man after my own heart. Are you the long lost twin brother i never knew i had??????????????????????????? :winky:

I have recently replaced the Cambelt + Associated parts and given my Lex it's Full 60,000 mile Service . I detail below what the parts and labour costs were:- Items supplied by JAPARTS (OEM Lexus/Toyoto parts supplied) TOTAL COST OF £287.47(includes V.A.T) ie:-Tensioner + Idler + Cam belt + Waterpump + Bypass pipe + 2xseals +3 No Belts (A/C; Alt & P/S). Items supplied by OPIE OILS; TOTAL COST OF £70.60 (includes V.A.T) ie: Fully Synthetic Engine Oil 5w-30 (Motul 8100 Eco-energy) + 6 No Denso Iridium IK20 Plugs. Items supplied by LEXUS Chester; TOTAL COST OF £10.75 (includes V.A.T) ie: Oil Filter + Sump Washer. As this was the first time i had done this type of work on a Lexus it took me about 5 hrs in total at my home address (anyone with a bit of mechanical know how; a basic tool kit and a set of axle stands could quite easily carry out this work). If you are not mechanically minded you could scource the parts yourself and then get an independant garage with a good reputation to fit them for you. You then only have to pay for the 5 hours Labour costs?. Note:- 1) I did not require an Air Filter as i have a re-useable K&N one fitted and the Gearbox Oil (Redline MT-90 fully synthetic) + Diff oil (Redline 75w 90 fully synthetic) + Pollen Filter were changed on the last service in 2008. 2) You can save quite a bit of money on part costs by specifying that you require Pattern Parts and not OEM parts 3) You can also save on oil as you do not have to use Fully Synthetic oils in the Engine/Gearbox/Diff. Hope the above helps and safe motoring everybody. Hi Imperial, my 2004 200 Sport is coming up for its cambelt change & I will do the waterpump at the same time, so your post was really useful. Like you, I'm buying the parts from Japarts. I've got the cambelt , idler, tensioner & waterpump, but I can't find the "bypass pipe" and "2 x seals" (highlighted in your post above) on the Japarts website - please could you post the Japart part numbers? I can guess what the "bypass pipe" is but what are the seals for? Also, what about the gasket for the waterpump - the new one from Japart does not seem to come with a replacement gasket. Very grateful for any help you can give. I dealt with a very helpfull person called Ravi Hirani at JAPARTS and looking at my Invoice from them the part numbers and costs are as follows:- J1626870031 By Pass Pipe @ £4.51 +VAT J9030117016 2 Number Gaskets for By Pass Pipe ("O"-rings) @ £2.88 each +VAT. If JAPARTS cannot supply them (when i ordered my parts Ravi as a favour got them for me from a Lexus dealer just up the road) then buy them from your nearest Lexus dealer-simples eh. When fitting the new By Pass Pipe with fitted "O"-rings smear some rubber friendly grease (do not use a petroleum based grease as it eats/perishes all rubber items - same rule applies when using condoms you have been warned ) on the "O"-Rings and inside the holes they go into so as to ease its assembly. As regards a gasket for the Waterpump you don't need one as it's metal to metal contact. All i did was clean the face of the Waterpump and the part of the block it fits onto with a fine carborundum stone to remove any burrs etc (a fine flat file will do the job just as well) and used a thin smear of non hardening silicone type gasket sealant on both faces before bolting the Waterpump in place. Good luck with your Cambelt change. PS:- What are you going to spend the £297.53 you've saved by doing all the work yourself? :winky:

I think that the £585 inc. vat for PARTS and LABOUR quoted above by Lexynik are the costs for Cambelt change plus associated parts only (refer to my thread above for a cost comparison ie :Items supplied by JAPARTS total cost of £287.47. You are therefore paying them £297.53 (£585 - £287.47) to fit them.The 60,000 mile service costs would be extra. Note:- Local colleges run excellent Car Mechanics courses which would give you the know-how, confidence and skill to enable you to service yor own car at a fraction of the costs charged by the STEALERS. If we all did this they would then have to bring their Labour costs down from an eye popping £80/£95 per hour (their Skilled Technicians only receive a small fraction of this as wages) to a more acceptable/down to earth level. Wishing you all a Happy and Cost effective motoring experience the 585 was for waterpump and bypass hose as well Please see below a part copy of my original thread. "Items supplied by JAPARTS (OEM Lexus/Toyoto parts supplied) TOTAL COST OF £287.47(includes V.A.T)ie:-Tensioner + Idler + Cam belt + Waterpump + Bypass pipe + 2xseals +3 No Belts (A/C; Alt & P/S)". As you can see the £287.47 i quoted also includes Waterpump + By-pass pipe (or Hose whichever you prefer) therefore your still paying £297.53 Labour charges to the STEALERS. The 60,000 mile service costs (which is everything else i detailed in my original thread would be extra. Wishing you all a Happy and Cost effective motoring experience

I think that the £585 inc. vat for PARTS and LABOUR quoted above by Lexynik are the costs for Cambelt change plus associated parts only (refer to my thread above for a cost comparison ie :Items supplied by JAPARTS total cost of £287.47. You are therefore paying them £297.53 (£585 - £287.47) to fit them.The 60,000 mile service costs would be extra. Note:- Local colleges run excellent Car Mechanics courses which would give you the know-how, confidence and skill to enable you to service yor own car at a fraction of the costs charged by the STEALERS. If we all did this they would then have to bring their Labour costs down from an eye popping £80/£95 per hour (their Skilled Technicians only receive a small fraction of this as wages) to a more acceptable/down to earth level. Wishing you all a Happy and Cost effective motoring experience

I have recently replaced the Cambelt + Associated parts and given my Lex it's Full 60,000 mile Service . I detail below what the parts and labour costs were:- Items supplied by JAPARTS (OEM Lexus/Toyoto parts supplied) TOTAL COST OF £287.47(includes V.A.T) ie:-Tensioner + Idler + Cam belt + Waterpump + Bypass pipe + 2xseals +3 No Belts (A/C; Alt & P/S). Items supplied by OPIE OILS; TOTAL COST OF £70.60 (includes V.A.T) ie: Fully Synthetic Engine Oil 5w-30 (Motul 8100 Eco-energy) + 6 No Denso Iridium IK20 Plugs. Items supplied by LEXUS Chester; TOTAL COST OF £10.75 (includes V.A.T) ie: Oil Filter + Sump Washer. As this was the first time i had done this type of work on a Lexus it took me about 5 hrs in total at my home address (anyone with a bit of mechanical know how; a basic tool kit and a set of axle stands could quite easily carry out this work). If you are not mechanically minded you could scource the parts yourself and then get an independant garage with a good reputation to fit them for you. You then only have to pay for the 5 hours Labour costs?. Note:- 1) I did not require an Air Filter as i have a re-useable K&N one fitted and the Gearbox Oil (Redline MT-90 fully synthetic) + Diff oil (Redline 75w 90 fully synthetic) + Pollen Filter were changed on the last service in 2008. 2) You can save quite a bit of money on part costs by specifying that you require Pattern Parts and not OEM parts 3) You can also save on oil as you do not have to use Fully Synthetic oils in the Engine/Gearbox/Diff. Hope the above helps and safe motoring everybody.

No probs - glad to be of service. That's what an Owners Club for me is all about; ie: sharing info and helping each other out. If you require more info/details just ask :winky:

get the tensiner and belt done , dont need the idler as it is only for the freek Don't agree with you on the "DONT NEED THE IDLER AS ITS ONLY FOR THE FREEK" comment. I speak from experience as i did the Cambelt + Tensioner + Idler + Waterpump + By-pass Pipe & Seals + A/Conditioning unit Belt + Alt Belt + Power Steering Belt + 60,000 service to mine yesterday. When i removed the Idler and checked its bearing (spun it by hand and listened to the noises it made) it was obviously on the way out as it sounded rough and would not have lasted another 60,000 miles before giving up the ghost with possibly catastrophic cosequences to the engine and my Wallet If only for piece of mind and the cost of £50 it must surely be worth replacing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Following on the theme of costs etc i detail below what the part costs to me were:- Items supplied by JAPARTS (OEM Lexus/Toyoto parts supplied) TOTAL COST OF £287.47(includes V.A.T) ie:-Tensioner + Idler + Cam belt + Waterpump + Bypass pipe + 2xseals +3 No Belts (A/C; Alt & P/S). Items supplied by OPIE OILS; TOTAL COST OF £70.60 (includes V.A.T) ie: Fully Synthetic Oil 5w-30 (Motul 8100 Eco-energy) + 6 No Denso Iridium IK20 Plugs. Items supplied by LEXUS Chester; TOTAL COST OF £10.75 (includes V.A.T) ie: Oil Filter + Sump Washer. NB: I did not require an Air Filter as i have a re-useable K&N Filter one fitted and the Gearbox Oil (Redline MT-90) + Diff oil (Redline 75w 90) + Pollen Filter were changed on the last service in 2008. Hope the above helps and safe motoring everybody.

If as you say it comes from the back it could be :- 1) Out of balance rear tyres (get them checked and re-balanced). Pressurise all four tyres to 35 P.S.I. when cold and not when hot. 2) Warped/Buckled wheel (as suggested try swapping front wheels with back wheels or maybe use spare wheel ie fit on near side first and do a road test then fit on offside and carry out another road test). 3) Sticking Caliper (check this by jacking up rear end of car and spin wheels by hand-each wheel should turn freely). 4) Propshaft out of Balance/requires new bearings? (get this checked out by a Garage). Your comment "It is worse when i decelerate" to me points to Propshaft problems as above? Hope the this helps. Good luck and keep us informed of the outcomes. :winky:

Hi I have been using an ISOFIX car seat in my IS200 for my grand child since he was born (he is now 14 months old and we are on the second babyseat, a Halfords supplied DUO PLUS one) and i have the scratches and dents in my leather seat to prove it. I have tried using the supplied plastic shields/guides that hook onto the ISOFIX bars but they dent the leather even more, especially the one nearest to the centre of the seat. Can anybody recommend a solution to this problem ? I ended up barring my son from my Lex until he was heavy enough for this seat Although I still use TWO seat protectors underneath (on the rare occasion I treat him to a ride in my beloved ) Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Based on all the negative feedback, i have decided that until our Grandson is big enough to sit in the Lexus without requiring a car seat he will have to travel everywhere with us in the wifes Toyota Yaris which accomodates his car seat without the scratching and denting problems associated with the Lexus.