Titch LS

Matthew, falling mpg figures can be a sign of a failing Coolant Temperature Sensor. The result is that the ECU thinks the engine is permanently cold and so runs permanently rich, hence, the poor fuel consumption. Not expensive and an easy fix. Either that, or your right foot is MUCH heavier than Messi's! To me, 30mpg is hard enough let alone 40.

In the words of John McEnroe "You cannot be serious!!"

Scudney, do you actually think that Wilko make their own oil? lol.

Jeremy, I totally agree with your comments regarding Japex. I've used them several times and they are outstanding. They are only a small outfit but are very knowledgeable, very friendly, very thorough, (everything's explained and old parts returned), and they don't rip you off. Best garage I've ever used. I would recommend them to anyone with a Japanese car.

Sounds like the fluid is low and/or dirty and old.

An older LS can still draw admirers. When I turned up at work the first time in my mk4, it caused some nice reactions and comments from everyone. One lady insisted on sitting in the car to have closer look at a Lexus. She loved it.

I've read one or two posts on here recently stating that certain parts were no longer available for older LS models. I hope this worrying trend doesn't continue to the point where more and more of our cars are having to be scrapped as a result of parts becoming ever rarer to find. Bottom line is, I suppose, supply and demand. It looks like it is becoming uneconomic for Toyota/Lexus to cater to us dwindling band of enthusiasts. I don't think that Mercedes has been this short sighted with their older models, but I may well be wrong. We just have to become a bit more resourceful I suppose.

Andy, sounds to me like it could be connected to a worn brake master cylinder. You can test for this by blocking(clamping) the brake lines to all four wheels (a bit difficult I know), so that they are isolated from the master cylinder and ABS module. After clamping, try the footbrake pedal again and see if it is still unusually soft with long travel.. If it is becomes harder with less travel than before, the fault is with one of the wheels. If still softter than normal the fault is with the master cylinder or ABS module, or, air in the upper part of the system. Just hope and pray that it's not your ABS module that's at fault as they are horrendously expensive. If it's the master cylinder, the new seals are not that expensive to replace. Hope this helps.

Yep, there is no filter as such, just a strainer which filters out any foreign bodies. LLoyd, more imprtantly,sounds like the gearbox needs fresh ATF (don't use Dextron) use only Toyota type IV or exact equivalent such as Mobil 3309 from ebay. By the way, only 2 litres comes out at a time so you'll need to do a few changes to feel/hear any results.

Lewis, I can only agree with you about the mk4 LS 400 being the best car ever. I bought my mk.4 just over 3 years ago and I've never regretted it. I enjoy driving it more than any other car i've ever been in and that includes Mercs and a Porche. As to a cambelt change, it should be every 62,000 miles and most definitely after 10 years motoring. Enjoy.

Pete, the mk4 doesn't have plug leads. It's coil on plug system. (Save yourself a few pennies).

If I recall correctly from a few years back, Arnott UCA's were said to give problems in that the steel tapered section below the thread was the wrong shape and therefore they were a poor fit as the 'shoulder' was too narrow compared to OEM spec. I also remember people saying that they avoided using them as they didn't last too long either. They might have upped their game by now though.

Brendan, thanks---that clears a few things up for me.

I've not experienced any problems at all with paint peeling off my colour-coded plastic LPG filler cap. It was painted 3 years ago to match the dark blue paintwork and looks in the same new condition today as the day the car was converted. Don't know what paint was used but I'm very happy with it. True, my LPG installer was a bit of a perfectionist, which in my book can only be viewed as a good thing.

Brendon, interested to know how the bulbs remain secure if the bulb holder won't clip in place? Are they just jammed in place? I'm asking because I'm thinking of replacing my reversing lights with brighter L.E.D.'s myself sometime. Once in, do they make much difference?

There is no recommended service interval. Having said that, it is prudent to replace the ATF periodically. When you do drain the fluid though, only 2 litres will come out. What I do is replace those 2 litres at regular service intervals, say, every 20k or so. This has kept my gearbox as smooth as butter and the fluid also stays a nice red colour. Incidentally, there are alternative ATF brands now available which have the exact same spec as Toyota T-IV. These are Comma ASW(3309) and Mobil 3309. Both are reasonably priced products available either from ebay or your local parts shop.

Graham, --Ha Ha, OTT or what? I'd still like a bit more wood though, just like the 430.

I think you'll find that only U.S LS400's are OBD2 compatible even though the port is fitted to European and Asian marketed cars. A hand held scanner won't work.

Sorry, but I'm of the "it's looks fab in all wood" opinion, I'm afraid. To me the 400 could have done with more wood right from the off. The cabin is a bit plasticky compared to the 430. The 430's cabin is how the 400 cabin should have looked like in the first place. Gorgeous.

Looks a good'un. Low miles, new MOT and good history. Long way to go though if you're not from the southwest. I suppose it depends how much you're hunting after a good mk4. If you have the time you could make a nice trip of it.

That is shabby service. It's like it's come back 'repaired' from some back street garage. Hope they can fix it to the standard we all expect from a Lexus dealership, otherwise, I can see you sneaking out for another much needed cigarette!

Doesn't fill me with confidence when it comes to trading up to an LS 460/600 in years to come. I'll keep my 400 going for as long as possible I think. Heated seats still working after 15 years. Apart from wear and tear, very little has gone wrong in that time.

Once they do (finally) fix it, make sure they've thoroughly tested it for much longer than 5 minutes and that the repair is free of charge.

Nice rare big Jap motor. Very LS400esque.

You could always go back to original fitment i.e. 225/60/16. Guaranteed to be nowhere near as harsh.