beavisrules

also on the list to check is the fan(s) come on when hot.

the throttle body butterfly sticking is a well know issue with the LS , a good clean every 100,000 miles is all they need.

crap seems to accumelate around and behind the butterfly making it stick.

a good clean and lube before spending money on it.

throttle position sensors do fail :( .

Also the idle/cruise control if sticking can make similar errors (the ecu misintupreting the problem) , but best leave that idea for last as you don't want that.

The roads are so bad here I dont think I'd notice quickly if a wheel fell off.

I vote for wobbly roads near your house :)

I miss my alfa 33 P4 , and would swam my LS for a decent (aka not rusty) one in a flash.

I would miss the LS , get lots of bad backs , but still be grinning like a fool.

infact I'll go on to say the LS400 brakes are the easiest pads & disk change you could hope for.

Taking the wheel off is more than 1/2 the job.

and maybe if the disk screw is rusty it may suck , but in my experiance the LS stuff doesn't rust and seems to always undo.

1 bolt/nut on caliper it swings away. leaving enough room to remove disk.

yes , the mk1&2 came with 15" wheels , pretty sure you dont want those on your mk4 (also they were ugly)

In theory the hub bolts are held in by the wheel nuts , so should just hit out.

more likely the dust shield, caliper and everything will get in the way and need the disk off to spray wd40 on it etc.

burns could be , high voltage arcing across broken tracks or to nearby tracks , high current due to failed component (coils or capacitors goning short).

I think a combination of both most likely , but nothing to loose by patching the wires and gamble.

It'll be easier to just get a replacement then start doing component diagnostics.

I'd test it out of vehical if possible and watch it carefuly!

the clear indicators and debadging are pretty sensible and look good.

The LED lights cost an absolute fortune and not sure it is good € spent.

The LS400 DHP 17" and the LS430 wheels are a good upgrade from the standard

If you are lucky and find OZ opera in the correct configuration they look awesome on an LS.

If its just not having time to get yours refurbed , what about the eBay guys who send you the refurbished wheels first and pay for the return postage of your old ones?

I thought the mk3 (95-97) and mk4 (98-00) had same tire sizes?

checked in my hand book for mk4 - 225/60 R16 (97W or better)

I was fairly sure my mk3 ran on 225/60/16's too - remeber buying a new set of the japanese D8Z's for it.

but that was ages ago now so cant be sure.

Looks like they have some nice kit at that place.

I would be grateful if you could tell us who , in the hope maybe a local franchise exists?.

all places ive visited near me at best have the hang on wheel type laser aligners that i dont rate myself.

In case there is anyone not understanding about these lights the problem is not about how bright they are.

HiD bulbs are longer , sometimes more than an inch longer and therefore do not create the correct pattern in the headlamp unit.

any filimant bulb of a similar physical size , even if it was a million watts would be OK as the light pattern will be in the right place , ie on the road.

I thought the GS300 and LS400 had almost the same offset?. (in the 35 to 45 mm range)

I suspect it might be down to wheels design rather than its offset that makes the calipers contact.

xeon lights will be fine if pre-aligned

I am fairly sure HID needs to have a few things , namely a cleaning mechanism and level/height adjusting system.

but i wouldnt worry , cant see any garage bothering you about it.

I know it was a long time ago , back in 2004 for me to drive someone elses 4.0 jeep for a year i paid $120! in Florida

also to ride a motorbike , no insurance even needed! (and any bike on a car licence).

good chance it has changed but still.

the wheels would put me off also.

they may look nice , but ride would be compromised and when tyre buying time comes it'll be a killer.

being the mk4 , you will also want to check the headlight level sensors front & rear (they rust and fall apart).

at higher milages it is more important to check the gearbox fluid is healthy , should be bright pink.

with the big wheels the suspension will have been working harder , so a good look at the springs/shocks/joints and rubbers will be time well spent.

also make sure the idle is within spec as can be a pita to sort , approx 750rpm when hot and 1500 when cold , in neutral

their dates don't match for sure.

L reg 1 August 1993 – 31 July 1994

M reg 1 August 1994 – 31 July 1995

Just tried my OBD readers on my LS400.

I have some made in china types that work with op-com and vag-com programs and generally on or t'other work on most cars.

neither seem to communicate , the vag-com having generic obd ability scans with a "non obd i/ii compliant vehicle"

might buy on of the elm based readers to try , whole host of other programs to use with them.

I guess at dirty throttle body - as above , making sure the air bypass holes are also free of gunk as that can greatly affect the ide running.

they are easily missed in a quick clean , there is one tiny one (about 1/4 mm) on the no accesible side of the butterfly and a row of larger (about 1mm) ones going to a cutout and small plate on the top of the throttle body that may well be full of gunk also.

cold idle on the mk4 is (should be!!) pretty high at about 1500 RPM.

The mk3 controls will fit , and sort of work , but not actually control anything (although appear to function).

The route I had to take in the same circumstance was to import from America the non sat nav from a mk4.

only drawback is the LCD and controls are back to front (Left hand drive remeber!), but if you know what the buttons and display do normally it makes no difference.

There is non sat nav right hand drive mk4 out there , whether it is Europe or Japanese spec they are very rare.

is the timing belt tension ok?. I'd have thought if the pump was seized it would make smoke (or a lot of noise at least) as the belt ran over it?.

too loose and maybe slipping over it.

might you not just try without a thermostat?

would be a lot easier to diagnose without a thermostat too as no water round the pump area (when it gets hot) would indicade a gasket/barrel/cylinder leakage.

mk2 is definitely not OBD2. and will need a proprietary reader/adaptor.

I think the following link *should* apply to you.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/intro/codereading.html

The dash light will go off by itself when the problem is fixed.

stalling LS have commonly been dirty throttle body.

could also be sensor/electrical, o2 sensor/temp sensor/coils/leads etc.

pretty sure the mk3 & mk4 are obd2 and so normal cheap fleabay obd2 lead & software should work (have a feeling you need one that can read CAN bus).

the error codes should give you a hint of the problem.

If its the Cheltenham dealers you are at still.

The A40 to Gloucester (70mph dual carriageway) might be a better route than the M5 with all its roadworks.

Also it has some of that terrible rough surface designed to make more noise :)

When leaving lexus Cheltenham directly opposite is a small council estate , about 100 yards long with a load of big speedbumps.

Also the town center ringroad - the main reason I have my LS400 - the potholes are the smooth bits ~_~.