pgls400

if its not the original battery, (they were good but i doubt it is now...) check to see if it has top-up caps..take these off and check the levels, they all should be a cm above the elements. If not top up to that level with 99p de-ironised water from any motorworld / land / factors, or halfords etc

3 of mine were low and i havn't had batt trouble since.

If your batt is a self maintaining one then you will have to get someone to check the voltage anyway, they can then usually tell if its the batt or alternator.

But check the water levels 1st!!!!!!!! that is normally the issue and the battery can be saved from an early death, and your wallet is saved a beating too :winky:

Cheers for that, will do.

Phil.

Hi all,

Just an update,

The symptoms are getting strange and unpredictable. I borrowed a very heavy duty charger from work, just to see of the Battery would and was taking a charge, and there can be no doubt there. After putting it on a slow charge for around 15 hours, i then put it back in the car, connected it up, and behold, the car lit up like a christmas tree. Everything was brighter than it had ever been since i got the car.

I proceeded to drive to work, i pushed my luck and had the heaters on, along with the headlights, and everything appeared OK. But just as i pulled into the garage, all the dash warning lights came on again, and everything went dim, but it didnt die on me, as it has previously. When i had finished work, i drove home, and made it about half way, and then, once again, eveything went dim. But i made it home, just.

When the warning lights first come on i had notice that this initially only happens while idling, then when i rev it, they go out and everything brightens up, so that makes me think that its not the alternator, and i have shown that the Battery is taking and capable of taking a full charge. However, reving only works for a short time, and everntually it makes no difference and all warning lights will then stay on and everything will eventually get darker and darker until it eventually dies.

I checked the alternator itself, although it wasnt much of an inspection (as it is a bit tight in there), and all connections seem fine, however i had notice that for some reason the bottom of the alternator appears to be caked in sludge, could this be that problem.

I dont want to go and replace things that dont need replacing.

Someone must have an idea? Has anyone experianced anything like this before? HELP!!!!!!

Phil.

I say,,

Monster Raving Bloody Looney all the way.

Doesnt matter whos in. We will only get taxed to the hilt, lied to until kingdom come, and insulted bayond belief.

ALL politicians, Like enviromentalist extreemists, are liars.

Put the cast of Seasame Street in number 10, theyll do a far better job.

Hope all are well.

Regards,

Phil.

if its not the original battery, (they were good but i doubt it is now...) check to see if it has top-up caps..take these off and check the levels, they all should be a cm above the elements. If not top up to that level with 99p de-ironised water from any motorworld / land / factors, or halfords etc

3 of mine were low and i havn't had batt trouble since.

If your batt is a self maintaining one then you will have to get someone to check the voltage anyway, they can then usually tell if its the batt or alternator.

But check the water levels 1st!!!!!!!! that is normally the issue and the battery can be saved from an early death, and your wallet is saved a beating too :winky:

Cheers for that, will do.

Phil.

Thanks for that mate,

Will have a good rummage around the engine bay tommorow, and post what i did and find.

Phil.

Hi all.

My apologies if this is farmiliar to things that have been covered in previous posts, but as the title suggests, weird things are happening with my car.

Just yesterday morning, upon driving to work, suddenly every warning light on the dash lit up, however all the needles on the dials dissappeared along with all the interior lights! I was now very worried.

I pulled over to observe the exterior lights (it was approx 4am, so therefor, dark), and they were on by VERY dim. Turned off the car, and then went to restart it and, you guessed it, it would not start, just the farmiliar click, click, click!!!

I then waited a few mins and tried again, and this time it started, although everything was still very dim, and all the warning lights were still on. So i managed to get it to work, and stuck a slow charger on it all day ( i am a bus driver, and so they had such stuff lying around in the garage).

Upon returning to the car in the afternoon, everything was fine. Then it did the same thing this morning, although this time as soon as all the warning appeared, i quickly turned off the stereo, demister and heated seat, and everything then returned to normal.

Is it my Battery or my alternator? If not what can it be???

Hope all are well.

Phil

Yep, i kid you not.

Nearly 400 quid for 2 keys. He even started talking about the possibility of having the central locking system replaced if the re programming was not successfull!!!

I know that the main stealers are always more expensive, but i thought that was absurd!!!!

Phil.

I take it he was a new starter at Lexus.

Changing the central looking is also a lot of bollocks. The guy was taking crap. You only have to change the rear chip in the boot.

I used Lexus in Coventry or leicester as I use both, But it was two new master keys cut with a new chip and posted for £173.04 with the Vat included. They also included coipes of how to install the new chip and get it to work with the keys which was nice of them to do.

Might give those fellas a try. They nearly scared me off of going anywhere near a main dealer altogether. I had given up on the idea of getting the factory remotes working again, and was just gonna get a third party system installed, but now it appears there is hope!.

Thanks for that mate. Will let ya know how i get on.

Yep, i kid you not.

Nearly 400 quid for 2 keys. He even started talking about the possibility of having the central locking system replaced if the re programming was not successfull!!!

I know that the main stealers are always more expensive, but i thought that was absurd!!!!

Phil.

Just a thought but,

I got three keys with my car, which i bought recently, (1993 LS400) and both the remote keys were broken, so i have been toying with the idea of either, getting a third party thatcham approved unit installed, or getting a couple of replacement keys from Lexus. I called Lexus at Sidcup, and even though the guy i spoke to sounded a little vaugue, he said something along the lines of 'if the Battery is left out of the remote unit for more than a minuite, they key would then need to be re programmed. He wasnt sure if this applied to the single button remotes, or if this only applied to the later cars, however one thing i did find out was that Lexus would quite happily charge me about 400 quid for two replcement keys!!!!!

Think ill be going to sounds alarming instead.

Phil.

This has become a regular topic on the SD1 forum I'm on aswell as of late,All I can say is that there is one guy who wouldn't fit a bulb on his car without a weeks spec checking (such is the level of detail on his 4 year rebuild) and all he will use is the bilt hamber DYNAX stuff....There has been mention of waxoil coming off very badly in recent independant tests, that said I would imagine anything would be better than nothing and regularly applying would make even the cheapest underseal reasonable.

Ah, the SD1, now THATS a car, crap around the corners, but in a straight line, boot it and SMILE!!!!! Superb.

How dows that dynax stuff fair in terms of lengevity. Yes, everyone should check their underside regularly, but in terms of underseals, obviously you are applying underseal on top of the factory applied stuff, and i have heard that by applying Waxoyl, it kind of moisturises the existing stuff, stopping it from hardening and lifting, and therefor developing moisture pockets, and then the dreaded tinworm. Is dynax good for going over the top of the existing stuff. ALso, can you use it on all sections.

Regards,

Phil.

Waxoyl is wonderful stuff but neither it or anything else should be applied on top of underseal, esp. factory fitted. Factory stuff has impact qualities; its when it fails that water ingress causes problems.

So I suppose that means removing the old stuff first!

Thats a b*****d of a job. EIther that or go for the easy option and just touch any affect or loose areas.

Regards,

Phil.

Just adding to that, i gather its ok to spray it over your suspension components. Itll make em look better and stop any corrosion.

Phil.

This has become a regular topic on the SD1 forum I'm on aswell as of late,All I can say is that there is one guy who wouldn't fit a bulb on his car without a weeks spec checking (such is the level of detail on his 4 year rebuild) and all he will use is the bilt hamber DYNAX stuff....There has been mention of waxoil coming off very badly in recent independant tests, that said I would imagine anything would be better than nothing and regularly applying would make even the cheapest underseal reasonable.

Ah, the SD1, now THATS a car, crap around the corners, but in a straight line, boot it and SMILE!!!!! Superb.

How dows that dynax stuff fair in terms of lengevity. Yes, everyone should check their underside regularly, but in terms of underseals, obviously you are applying underseal on top of the factory applied stuff, and i have heard that by applying Waxoyl, it kind of moisturises the existing stuff, stopping it from hardening and lifting, and therefor developing moisture pockets, and then the dreaded tinworm. Is dynax good for going over the top of the existing stuff. ALso, can you use it on all sections.

Regards,

Phil.

Waxoyl is wonderful stuff but neither it or anything else should be applied on top of underseal, esp. factory fitted. Factory stuff has impact qualities; its when it fails that water ingress causes problems.

So I suppose that means removing the old stuff first!

Thats a b*****d of a job. EIther that or go for the easy option and just touch any affect or loose areas.

Regards,

Phil.

This has become a regular topic on the SD1 forum I'm on aswell as of late,All I can say is that there is one guy who wouldn't fit a bulb on his car without a weeks spec checking (such is the level of detail on his 4 year rebuild) and all he will use is the bilt hamber DYNAX stuff....There has been mention of waxoil coming off very badly in recent independant tests, that said I would imagine anything would be better than nothing and regularly applying would make even the cheapest underseal reasonable.

Ah, the SD1, now THATS a car, crap around the corners, but in a straight line, boot it and SMILE!!!!! Superb.

How dows that dynax stuff fair in terms of lengevity. Yes, everyone should check their underside regularly, but in terms of underseals, obviously you are applying underseal on top of the factory applied stuff, and i have heard that by applying Waxoyl, it kind of moisturises the existing stuff, stopping it from hardening and lifting, and therefor developing moisture pockets, and then the dreaded tinworm. Is dynax good for going over the top of the existing stuff. ALso, can you use it on all sections.

Regards,

Phil.

Hi all, and thanks for the advice, although apologies if it annoyed people by not using the search feature.

So does that mean, i can go along to lexus, get 2 new master keys and those keys will give the remote opening of the boot. Kind of an upgrade over the single button (broken) remotes that i have at the moment.

Again, thanks to all for all the help and advice thus far.

Regards,

Phil.

Do you mean this one http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=66012

It's in the general club news section ...

TG

Ah! Thanks. I thought we had been censored, like Google.

Few, thats a relief, i thought the nanny state had reared its ugly head!!!

Phil.

Hi all,

Just checked out that link, looks good, and the price is good but i have noticed that on their listing they state that they are for 95 cars, and onwards. Mines a 93, will it make any difference?

Regards,

Phil.

Hi Phil

I havent but I do.

I will find the details and post tomorrow. I got mine in January from fleabay so have a look on there in the mean time.

Here you go

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/pages/strutsearch/make/lexus/range/LS400

You will obviously need to prop the bonnet. Fix the end to the bonnet 1st - its a bit fiddly - then adjust the prop until the other end lines up with the hole in the inner wing. When you've done both, remark how hard it is to shut the bonnet.

Cheers for that steve,

gonna give em a go!!

Phil.

Hallo mate,

Good idea. I fished out the broken third key i have, and althought it isnt a remote key, it did unlock the switch between the fuel flap release and the boot release, and now i can open the boot from inside the car.

My car does appear to have remote locking. There is a sensor on the right hand side of the dash and there is a switch on the left hand side, just under the steering wheel which gives me the ability to turn the remote on or off. Currently its set to off.

How easy is it to get a replacement? My car of choice before this one was always the rover 800 sterling, and if you lost or broke the remote on one of those, getting a replacement was one thing, then getting it to talk to the car was something else.

Will it be the same with my beloved lex?

Also, given that at present i am only locking the car with the key, and not the remote, does it mean that the alarm/immobiliser is not working to its full effectiveness?

Many thanks for all your advice thus far, much appreciated.

Hope all are well

Regards, Phil.

Hi again.

Glad the boot is sorted.

I'm assuming that yours is a MKII but I dont think there is much differnce in relation to the set-up, only the alarm that is fitted.

With my MKIII, the keys do not set the alarm or the immobiliser. These functions are controlled by a seperate Battery operated fob. The system was fitted in the UK, not in the factory. I cant see that Lexus would factory-fit the MKII and not the MKIII. Mine has a Scorpian T5000 system.

I know that the search facility will enable you to find out what system yours has because I have searched this topic recently. This will also cast some light on replacing your fob/s; you will not have to have new keys and the hassle you have previously had. Have a good read through and then you will know what to do and/or ask.

Incidently, I believe all the alarm units are located behind the glove box. Also incidentally my previous 3 cars were 827's the first of which was a 1990 and 10 times better than a new 800 I had in 1990.

Hallo mate.

What do you mean by 'the search facility'?

Also, i managed to grab some pics of the two remote keys i have. As i dont know much about the car yet maybe someone will be able to identify which alarm i have, and wether or not i can get replacement keys. I havent seen anything on eBay that looks like mine.

Apologies for the pics, they were taken using my phone and are crap as a result.

This one shows the remote button on the side of the key, although they both have the rubber missing.

Then the top and bottom views.

Phil.

Hallo mate,

Sounds like a prime candidate for a fluid flush and change. Clean out the filter as well, thats prob all gunged up. Havent had this prob with the lex, but have with other cars. And your right, ATF fluid kind of 'thins' with age. You can normally tell thats happening by a slight colour change in the fluid.

Regards,

Phil.

Hi all,

As the title suggests, both my struts are dead, and wont hold the bonnet up any more, and so im in need of some replacements.

Has anyone out there got a couple, or if not, anyone know where i can get a couple?

Hope all are well

Regards,

Phil.

Ok, very funny.

Thats a good one though, ill admit!

Beeps!, What beeps?

No mate, i didnt.

I said i must remind myself to read the manual, but havent actually done it yet!

Phil.

Hallo mate,

I hear ya on that one! Just got one the other day from Blueprint, and put it in this morning. It didnt look too bad, a few insects and twigs in the cavities, but nothing that wouldnt have hoovered out.

And like yours, the difference was amazing, the engine seems to have so much more energy than before. Also replaced leads and plugs, and will do the oil tommorow.

Just goes to show you what a difference something as basic as an air filter can make.

Anyone else had the same results?

Regards,

Phil.

Hallo mate,

I have always used www.buypartsby.com.

All the years i had rover 800's, they never failed to come up with the required bits i needed, and they were cheap and quick.

Regards,

Phil.

That reminds me,

I must read the bloody manual!!!!

Phil.

Just having a clean this morning, and while extracing dirt from the drivers footwell, i noticed under the dash, next to the diagnostics port, was a black knob, which seems to turn, but doesnt appear to do anything.

What is this and what does it do?

Hope all are well.

Phil.