jemram

Hi guys,

I need to get a good working power steering pump for my 1992 series 1 LS400 urgently. I'm going to need a new one to get the car through the MOT, which runs out on Friday I'm not worried if it's got the usual leak, but it must work as my pump is worn and the PAS does not work at a warm idle of 650rpm.

I'm in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, but prepared to travel to collect one.

Please help me!

209 bhp and 200 ft lbs.

I take it that's 209bhp at the wheels?

jemram, let us know how you get on, what state this little filter was in and any problems getting the job done, thanks.

Well I removed the soloniod today. The strainer was quite gunked up with black crap, but not totally covered. I removed the strainer from the soloniod gave it a very good clean with carb cleaner. I then refitted and flushed the PAS fluid folowing THIS guide. All went back together fine.

BUT my PAS is just as heavy at idle as before, so I guess I need a new PAS pump

Hi,

Don't recognise the part but it looks like it has 2 brake pipes going to it? there is a tutorial on this link and although not specifically for the LS it may give you a clue as to where to look.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/steering/pspumprebuild.html

Thats the pump though, not the solonoid on the rack.

Arrr! I realised that after posting sorry,

This link may help

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...c=12024&hl=

Fantastic, thank you very much :)

Hi,

Don't recognise the part but it looks like it has 2 brake pipes going to it? there is a tutorial on this link and although not specifically for the LS it may give you a clue as to where to look.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/steering/pspumprebuild.html

Thats the pump though, not the solonoid on the rack.

Is this the infamous PAS soloniod? If so how do you remove it to get at the strainer?

I think that looks really nice ... how much more shiny (and clean) do you want it to be? :)

Yeah thats a good point! I think in a way I was expecting too much. All my previous cars have been darker colours so it really shows when it's been polished. Stupidly I expected more from the silver paint. There is some orange peal etc which I will correct in time though.

Is this the infamous PAS soloniod? If so how do you remove it to get at the screen?

Well I got round to having a look at this fan today. There is a connector in front of the radiator right in the middle of the rad. The wires coming out of the top half of this connector split into two runs and one runs up to part of the wiring loom under the slam panel and the other runs across and disappears under the offside headlight.

The bottom half of the connector splits with one half of the wires goes to the fan itself and the other half go to a block roughly 90x15x15mm which sits on the vertical brace that sits in front of the radiator. This block is held about 15mm away from the rad. I've guessing it's some form of thermocouple, but whether it's the cause of the problem I have no idea.

Great Job,

Go over it again with Megs Gold top coat it'll make really shine then :)

Yeah I've been talking to a mate who runs a car detailing company. He has recommended a machine polish or failing that using 'Auto Glym Super Resin Polish' as it contains a filler which will fill the swirls rather than polish them out. And then an synthetic wax rather than carnuba wax as it's a silver car.

I also need to sort out the Mazda badges on the wheels

:o For a 16 year old car that is really impressive. You done a good job there mate.

It still amazes me how it drives for a 16 year old car too!

Wow, your standards must be high mate cos that looks impressive! :D

I still ain't got the hang of using that clay bar thing.

Doesn't seem to do owt to mine when i use it.

I didn't find the claybar took much of mine. The paint must have been pretty clean to start with.

Well I set about going over my car today with a Meguiars claybar, then Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish and then Meguiars Deep Crystal Carnauba Wax (the same stuff I did my AW11 last year and that came out great!).

While it's definitely got a better shine than before and I'm sure water will just bead off it's not as shiny as I hoped it would be. Maybe it's because it's a silver car, but the reflections are not sharp, almost blured. Maybe it's got fine orange peal? While there are a couple of places that have got orange peal (it's had some paint in the past) the whole car has 'blury' reflections. You cant see it in the pictures, but I think it's going to need a machine polish:(

102 octane! Cripes!

I doubt you would notice any difference. Higher octane does not mean a bigger bang.

I'm going to guess I'm a baby at 29

i sorry to say that you are not the youngest as i am 23 and was 22 when i got it but i am sure that there could be someone younger then me

You're making me feel old!

Just out of interest really. I'm going to guess I'm a baby at 29!

diagnostics are great engine warning light is a dead give away which indicates a malfunction

http://www.bba-reman.com/catalogue/Index.aspx?category=579

No warning light. I suspect it's a temp sender in the rad that triggers the electric fan to come on that is faulty.

disconnect the aircon fan ( do you know how the viscous fan works? ) its relevant to this problem because the AC cuts in when it fails

Yes it will cut in when the engine gets too hot due to the viscous fan not working, but as I've said the electric fan runs all the time no matter what temp the engine is, and the viscous fan is working perfectly.

I suspect there is a temp sender unit on the rad which triggers the electric fan to run if the engine gets too hot. I suspect the temp sender on mine is stuck on so to speak, making the fan run all the time.

its aircon related so unplug it but keep an eye on your temp gauge because it could be the viscous fan isn't working

The Viscous fan is working fine. And as I've said the electric fan runs even when the engine is stone cold.

is this a single electric fan on the front of the radiator ( not the viscose fan behind the radiator ) which is on all the time? it could be the viscous fan isn't working and the aircon fan is on to make up for its loss to prevent the engine from over heating, just a thought

Yes it's the single electric fan on the offside of the radiator. It runs from stone cold. It even starts running before I start the engine in the morning when I turn the ignition on. The cooling system seems fine, other than this fan running all the time.

turn the aircon off because that's the only electric fan in there the cooling fan is viscose so constantly on

I've tried that, but it still runs of the aircon is turned off.

The electric cooling fan on the front of the radiator of my 1991 LS400 is running all the time, even when the engine is started from stone cold. I expect it's a sender in the radiator thats stuck on.

Any ideas?

Another vote for F1's. I've got F1's on my LS400 and they allow it to do things a car of that size really shouldn't be able to do!

If cost is not important then I would say either Mobil1 0W-40 fully synthetic or Castrol 0W-40 RS fully synthetic.

You can also read an earlier discussion here with my little ramble:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...showtopic=37834

You can buy Mobil1 0W-40 much cheaper than the shops at Costco if you are a member. I always buy 4 litres for £23.44 in VAT which isnt too bad.

Thanks. It's more the viscosity I'm concerned about as I know that all the top brands of fully synths are just about the same. I work for Castrol so I have a natural bias towards using Castrol. But if another brand is considered better in the LS then thats what I'll go for.

Anyone?