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MärkJ

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Everything posted by MärkJ

  1. The cheapest option would be to get a set of locking wheel nuts off eBay. You can quite easily get the old nuts off by hammering a socket over them and removing them with the wrench.
  2. I've never run mine completely dry but from my calculations there is about 10 litres left once the little light comes on. With my fuel averages I calculated that to be about 50 miles. I've never pushed it that far, though.
  3. I have noticed something similar before although I only put a tenner in mine and it didn't register. It seems that you need to put a fair bit in before the gauge registers that fuel has actually gone in. I know £25 doesn't get you much gas these days but it should have been enough to register something.
  4. It does feel heavier at slow speeds but then it was always heavier at slow speeds anyway (just not that heavy). No knocks that I've heard but I'll have a look at the shocks anyway. After using for about a week it seems to have times when it feels heavier than others. It might start off stiff, then get lighter for a short while (although not as light as normal) and then go back to heavy again. Thanks for the suggestions, though. I'll get them checked out. :)
  5. Hi guys, Yesterday my IS200 developed a stiff steering feel. Basically, I went out in the car and all was fine. I parked up for about 5 minutes and when I set off again I noticed that the steering felt quite stiff compared to usual. It seemed to develop all of a sudden. It seems to handle okay on corners but the steering doesn't seem to want to centre like it usually does. Usually it will do without any problems but it seems almost as though something is resisting it and needs a bit of persuasion. The only way I can describe it is it feels a bit like driving on under inflated front tyres. The first thing I did was check all of the tyre pressures but they were all fine (even the rears) at a nice 35psi each. I then thought maybe a sticking brake so I jacked up each front wheel but both were spinning freely with no rubbing or bearing rumble. Rocked the wheels up/down and side to side but no loose play that I could feel. Checked the power steering fluid and there's plenty in there. Also checked the power steering pulley belt and no problems there that I could see. The pump is operating (at least to a certain extent) as it's definitely not as stiff as when the engine isn't running and I can hear the release valve thingy working when the wheels are at full lock. Engine revs pick up fine from idle when turning the wheels with the car stationary. Fluid bubbles a bit with the cap off the reservoir when operating the steering. I sprayed the steering column UJ with a lot of WD40 in case that was seized but hasn't made a difference. Anybody have any other ideas, please? :( Is it likely that the pump is on it's way out or have I overlooked something really obvious? Thanks in advance!
  6. I can't say for the IS300 as it's been ages since I drove one. My IS200 isn't mindblowing in a straight line but it more than makes up for that by being able to keep the power on in the corners without any drama whatsoever. Okay, so I have uprated suspension on mine but it was still very good before the upgrade.
  7. Basically don't drive like Larry Leadfoot. Revving the engine into the higher RPM range to accelerate as quickly as possible is going to do damage to your wallet. Accelerate smoothly and change to the next available gear as early as you can get away with (without making the engine lug). I try and change before 3000. Make sure you're tyres are fully inflated. 35psi seems to be what most people recommend. Don't use the air conditioning unless absolutely necessary and keep with windows up if you can. This eliminates drag. Don't carry unnecessary loads in the car. Empty the boot of stuff if you don't think you're gonna need it. Above all, plan your journey if you can. Knowing what roads are going to be clear will be a great help as stop/start driving isn't good for fuel economy and keep a reasonable distance from the car in front so you can minimise the use of the brakes. Braking is essentially a big waste of fuel. Okay so the pointers above are going to the extreme but if you only follow some of them the little differences will add up.
  8. Yeah I'm not sure exactly where as I don't have the sat nav in mine. Someone on here will know but I'm guessing under the carpet. Maybe under the spare wheel.
  9. Nope, never been a scrubber myself. Guess it comes from the fact that my first cars never had power steering so I just got used to not doing it.
  10. The disc needs to be put in the satnav unit. It's located in the boot.
  11. When my wheel nut key snapped on me last year I ended up just smashing an old socket over the nuts with a hammer. That got the buggers off. I bought replacement locking nuts off eBay. Fortunately these ones are more like proper nuts rather than being those stupid round ones with the flimsy pins in.
  12. No you don't connect anything to the amplifier directly. 1. Locate the amplifier which is located behind the glove compartment. Just take the compartment out and you should be able to see the amp bolted to the left hand side. 2. Feel around the back of the amp and you should feel two connectors plugged into it. You can unplug both of them but you really only need the larger of the two. This connector is what all of the speakers are wired to. 3. Plug your bypass harness into this large connector (not into the amp itself). 4. Route the bypass harness behind the glove compartment to where the new head unit will sit. 5. Plug the bypass harness into the ISO lead that came with the aftermarket head unit. 6. Plug the other end of the ISO lead into the head unit.
  13. The one in your link was the one I bought at first for my '99 IS200 and it wasn't the right one. This is the one I had to get in the end so will probably be the same for yours... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-200-Series-Amp-Bypass-ISO-Lead-/200640355930?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Terminals_Cabling_ET&hash=item2eb718de5a
  14. 2.3psi? That tyre must be as flat as a witches tit! ;) 35psi all round is what I put in mine.
  15. Might as well replace the cam belt as well while you've got it apart.
  16. If you did disconnect the warning lights it would fail the MOT anyway. The tester will check that they illuminate during the self check just before he starts the engine.
  17. ...as I said for getting the HU working, just have a look at the bypass cable. I'm pretty sure it was something silly like the power lead being in the wrong pin hole or the permanent +12v was swapped with the ACC +12v or something silly. I think it was the ISO lead that came with the HU that I doctored to get it to match up as the pins can be quite easily slid out of the plug and rearranged. Just remember to do the relay mod to the parking brake remote wire before you put the dashboard back together. :winky:
  18. I don't have the sat nav in mine but as Ormi said you can get another lead that allows it to work. Here's a link to a post from someone that claims they can get it working... http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=74064&st=0&p=761647&hl=+sat%20+nav%20+aftermarket&fromsearch=1entry761647
  19. Do you mean the Pioneer AVH-3300BT? I have this head unit and seem to recall I had to doctor the lead to make it work. It was a while ago but I think the power wires on the bypass lead are the wrong way round and need to be swapped. I spotted the problem before I even installed the HU so mine worked first shot.
  20. I guess the first thing to check is that the switch is actually working. Unplug it and stick a continuity meter on it while switching it on and off. If that's working then connect it back up and gradually work your way towards wherever the wires go checking at each point.
  21. For a £1 battery it's worth changing it anyway just to rule it out.
  22. If the supercharger has been fitted correctly in the first place then it should pass the MOT without any bother. BTW, the MOT is required every year not every two.
  23. It's also worth mentioning that straight 6 engines are much smoother running. If you wanna get nerdy about it it's all to do with perfect primary/secondary balance and the overlapping power strokes. :winky:
  24. If it does anything at all it will be a fluke. Basically Err3 signifies that the changer mechanism has become jammed. The problem is that even if you successfully manage to take it apart and unjam it, it will still sit there flashing Err3 because the detected error has been stored in the EEPROM on the mainboard. Essentially the only way to cure it is know exactly how and where the error is stored and replace whatever chip with a known working one or have the ability to reflash the existing one. It's just unfeasible. I had my one apart when it finally Err3d after 12 years and despite going through every part of the mechanism setting it right it would still keep flashing Err3. It even does this if you completely disconnect the changer sensors and drive motors so the error must be stored on the board somewhere. Even with my electronics experience I couldn't be bothered with the hassle so just went aftermarket.
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