James S

Hi and welcome :o) Great car too, you'll love it! Any plans for it or will you be keeping it standard?? James

Confused! Just tried to fill up coolent (got some stuff from lexus yesterday), and think something is a bit wrong. Put stuff in, and only took a little bit to fill up, but still nothing showing on that little window on back. I squidged the pipes a bit to try get out any air, and filled up a little bit more, but still no level on that window behind the radiator. Anyone any ideas???? :duh:

stevie right there. I'd rather oversteer then understeer. Sorry if this sounds completly bonkers. LOL! The guy at the tyre place can get me some continentals for about £60 a tyre fitted, So will be getting them for the front soon as I have spare cash.

I think Charlesworth motors in Glossop do the cam belt change for about £200 all using Genuine parts, about 45mins drive from you :D Wicked, thanks mate, Will give them a call when the time comes.

Just some budget ones to get it through its MOT, have not been working for last month or so. And as a result just getting some to get me through till new job starts next week and I can afford to get some decent treads. Will post the brand name up when I get back, but they are £90 for two fitted! LOL! My plan of attack is to put them on the front for now, then when got a bit of extra cash put some decent branded rubber on front, and buy cheap tyres for rear as they wear quite quick with my heavy right foot! James

Yes, that's the one. ok, so it sounds like the expansion tank is empty, as suspected. Just get some coolant from Toyota (don't use plain water ! Get the proper coolant) and top it up. It's probably fine if it's not overheating, don't panic. Just get it topped up when you can. Wicked, just off out to get some new tyres, so will call in lexus/toyota and get some coolent on route. Cheers all :D

Tapping noise comes from around the water pump area, and doesn't go up with the revs. Will try the Eneos 5w-30 oil you suggested, when I get car serviced. Only get tapping noise when car is hot, sounds sweet when it first starts up.

Do you think that this could be causing the tapping noise too??? Have just been out to car, and found a white/clear window on back of radiator. Is this what i am checking? Because i can't see a water level on it! Could my car be running without enough coolent to register and not be over heating??

If the coolent level is low, will filling it up get rid of the air-lock? Or is there a way of bleeding the system? James

I can remember reading somewhere on here about this noise my car makes when setting off sometimes. Like the noise of water running down a pipe. Sounds like it comes from right behind the dash board. Now I read that it was the coolent that needed toping up, but because it isn't effecting my cars temp at the min, I thought i'd leave it till I got it serviced. But i have had a thought while talking about the waterpump replacement in another thread. When my car's engine is hot, it makes a bit of a tapping noise. Could this be the coolent system? And air locked in system and the waterpump tapping because the lack of coolent?? If so, how do I check the coolent, and what do I use to fill it back up if it is low? Could be talking out my rear on this, but if i can sort two wierd noises with one stone would be a winner James

Thanks for all the info. Think I might as well do the water pump at same time as cam-belt. Is it worth getting an uprated kevlar timing belt off prolex? Are the pollen filters really needed? If i'm right they are for the air-con, which is proper sweet in my car at min. Been quoted £250 with standard belt, tensioner and idler by a local garage that I trust, is this a decent price? This is using blueprint parts. Cheers james

How about arbs and strut braces, would i keep the ride quality and gain on cornering abilty? How hard is it to fit ARB's??? Cheers

Is there any of those that I can't do myself? I think I might have to bite the bullet and do it myself to keep costs down. How much is a waterpump? Are there any of these parts, obviously bar the spark plugs that'd i'd be able to upgrade, and save doing at a later date, as I am considering a s/c or turbo in a year or so. Cheers

Coming up to 65k, i know i'm due a cam-belt change too. Have checked it out though, and is in good condition. Might wait and have full service done and cam-belt changed at same time.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but what advantages and dis-advantages do uprated ARB's have? Considering Sport springs and ARB's for mine as I don't want to ruin the ride comfort.

I have done about 9k since I got my car at crimbo, and due a service soon. How often do you have your 200 serviced? And at what sort of cost. Also going to put it through the MOT in the next couple of weeks. Had a small blow on the exhaust fixed, but is there anything else I should look out for?? Is it worth paying the extra and getting a service done at same time as MOT, or should I service it myself?? James

I kinda agree with you, but I haven't seen any IS's with a square one on the front, thought it might look a bit different and get a bit more of a Jap look at same time. Have since found a couple of licence plate makers online offering them. Will have to see how a jap plate messures up to a uk one, and see if i can get a plate holder. What are import rear plates like? James

I'm really glad I found this thread. I thought there was something wrong with my car! LOL Possibly my driving is to blame instead

Just a quick thought, seen some Altezza's on youtube, with the square plate on the front, they look well cool. Can you still get away with having a square number plate on the front of my car?? Realise I might get some stick for this LOL

Think you should have a look at Rota wheels, they are sweet and proper Jap look wheels. Alloys are defo a individual taste. check out http://www.potn.co.uk/ they have a good variaty. Also mate, try see the wheel you like on a car before you buy it, as in a shop and on the net they look very different. IS200's are quite angular cars with loads of tough edges, as a general rule the alloys you pic should echo that. IMO James

They didn't with mine, but then again I only paid £130 for mine. Got my old cloth one on ebay, buy that and get it re-trimmed lol

Ormi mate, just seen your profile pic, do you live on a hill or is that photo shop!?! LOL! Fitting new interior is easy as pie, get it done. Took me a couple of hours and that includes all the wiring that you would have to do! :)

Right, had a god run to work yesterday, and a few places on route, was probably driving for an hour n half. Sure as day the tapping noise was back, when I pulled up in works car park. Lifted bonnet to find out where its coming from, and it does seem to be engine block area. Now there are no other problems, car runs great, is a bit heavy on fuel, but I do have a heavy right foot. Going to check the oil today, other then that anyone got any ideas?? Think i've done about 7-8k since crimbo, am I due a sevice? James

Right, will report back on it after a run, but good to know i'm not the only one! :D

Had a quick listen, and no sign of it! Typical! Going to go to work shortly, will have a listen see if it comes back when its been running for a while. Either that or I am going mad and hearing things! LOL