Bluesbreaker

Sorry,no contest!

Too many shady punters reading this particular LOC Forum,and trying to make a fast buck,with the insulting addition,that they think we all came down in the last shower,don't encourage them,their shysters-or worse

I thought it might be useful to write a blog of my experience of LPG conversion from start to finish.

Today I will be dropping off my 1999 mk4 LS400 to Battersea Autogas to have a BRC system with auto flash lube fitted. I have requested they remove the inlet manifold when drilling to prevent swarf entering the engine.

They have complied with my request without reservation, when I drop off the car I will also insist on photos being taken of the engine with the manifold off for confirmation.

My experience with Marco at Battersea Autogas so far has been excellent, so let's see how it goes!

Call me old-fashioned-but would not removing the inlet manifold,to prevent swarf- ingress,during drilling of holes,not be a glaringly obvious part of this whole operation,or am I missing something here? ( for Battersea Autogas, I'm not casting aspersions on your comment,which sounds perfectly feasible,as I would wish the same) I hope everything goes well,with the conversion.

Earlier cars look like the picture below

IMG_4479_zpsc6d033d3.jpg

The Mk4 is different to this.

@Keynsham1- I cannot help you with your problem unfortunately,but wish you every success in your endeavour,to effect a repair-or replacement,I want to comment though,having an Engineering background,I've never ceased to be impressed,at the the high quality of workmanship, in these cars-clearly evident from the photograph of your steering column assembly, they just don't make 'em like that anymore!

Thanks for the warm welcome & good information.

Those wheels you have linked to would work. One thing you have to be careful of is fouling the front calipers, but the earlier models like yours have smaller calipers so you will likely be fine.

What kind of look are you going for? If you want the wheels to sit flush you'd be best going for a lower offset or getting some spacers.

When you mention lower offset do you mean a higher number,eg et44 or lower et12?

ianlea73- welcome to the LOC, you've no doubt realised by now,your in good company,for obtaining first-hand advice regarding all things Lexus,some of the Members on this Forum,are very clued-up on these cars, as I have found,to my benefit!

Regarding your remarks on changing your wheel sizes,previous posters,have mentioned caliper- clearance,etc,when you get around to actually getting new/ different wheels for your LS, if you find,that you do need spacers,-I have a bagful of different-thickness ones,which fit the Lexus 5 -hole configuration,don't hesitate to contact me if they are needed.

May take you up on that soon.

I've found a set of staggered alloys on a modified Supra for sale they are 18x9.5 et44 & 19x9.5 et44.

I will eventually get coilovers but for now I have Tanabe 50mm lowering springs.Do you think these wheels will fit in those sizes.The seller has some spacers I can trial fit to gain the right stance etc.

The eBay listing is just a shop so unable to test fit before buying so I have to 100% they will fit if the supra ones don't.

Always a good idea,to trial fit,before committing to buying,the LS front calipers are huge,-not much clearance between caliper-body and wheel rim.

ianlea73- welcome to the LOC, you've no doubt realised by now,your in good company,for obtaining first-hand advice regarding all things Lexus,some of the Members on this Forum,are very clued-up on these cars, as I have found,to my benefit!

Regarding your remarks on changing your wheel sizes,previous posters,have mentioned caliper- clearance,etc,when you get around to actually getting new/ different wheels for your LS, if you find,that you do need spacers,-I have a bagful of different-thickness ones,which fit the Lexus 5 -hole configuration,don't hesitate to contact me if they are needed.

Ditto Bluesman-that's how I ended-up getting the quote I did,using these site,and,I might add,lying through my bloody teeth,about the quotes I'd had before, -I soon got it down to what I'd term a sensible price,their a bunch of bottom-feeding eejits, insurance companies,but I accept,a necessary evil,unfortunately,but I won't play their con -game.

A short while ago,my insurance came up for renewal, without going into all the palaver of the hoops I had to jump through question-wise,with different insurers,( and yes,I was using that irritating Meercat site as well as others) I got to the stage,I was getting nowhere,getting stupid quotes,etc,it got to the point, where I was thoroughly brassed -off with it all,to the point,where I seriously thought about taking the LS off the road,and eventually selling it,but,thankfully,sanity prevailed,and I manage to get a Lexus Counselling Course on the NHS, -a couple of weeks later,and I'm cured now,the Old Girls back on the road,and I'm driving around in it,wearing a mad grin?....ain't life grand!.....

Welcome to the LOC Forum bargefann77- I would echo some of the previous Members posts,In that bassmans LS would be a good buy,if your looking for a well-looked after car, plus the added bonus,of having all the help and knowledge at your disposal here,good luck in your search anyway.

Your health and practical needs,come first,I wish you well,and somehow,I doubt you will have your Lexus listed for sale very long,before some Forum Member will buy your car, and cherish it,in the way you did yourself.all the best.

Well Sir,I have to take off my hat to you,that was one of the most comprehensive,detailed,explanations,I think I have ever seen on this Forum,now you've got me wanting to get under my rear wheel-arches,at the earliest opportunity .....

I couldn't agree more,with everything you've said about these wonderful cars,I'm going to get slated now,for this fatalistic comment,my LS400, ('98),I bought for £1000, about a year ago, I reinsured it recently,I'm informed by the different insurers,that it's Market value is around £780, if somebody hits me,whatever,they will more than likely write it off,I'm going to lose my car:- that's why I'd be reticent to shell-out a lot of money to buy any LS400, much as I love them,as we all do, I might add,for the benefit of any certain LOC members on here,who may want a stand-up online fight about what I've just written,( given some recent spats) my answer is don't bother,I won't rise to the bait, ( too old,can't be arsed,life too short.....)

Hey! I'll bet it feels great to have the car back, looking like new,after all that bother you had.fair-play to you, the end-result looks great!

It's probably one of the main reasons I like the LS400 - I'm a pure sucker,for big V8's-ye canny whack 'em, my stay in in North America, only fed my appetite for big cars, I spent a load of money buying and selling them, Ford LTD's are around the closest thing to an LS400 I ever owned,( cat among the pigeons time folks,come on,bring it on!) it was a real come-down, arriving back in the UK (1979) and having to make-do with a Ford Granada Estate..."

you have had all the advice not to get one,mostly from older sensible people i suspect, who have prob bought some very silly unsuitable cars in their past mine include ferrari 330 basket case when bought,mercury cougar, oldsmobile toronado, land rover 101,spring to mind, and many more,but sometimes you have to follow that dream, even if you lose a bit of money.

no good when you get older and look back and think, i wish id done that

You had an Oldsmobile Toronado, bigjap. .... What a beast of a car,( sorry to hijack this thread,folks) It was the first car that I bought when I moved to Canada,In the mid-70's, damn near 7 litres,front -wheel drive, drum- brakes all round,this car took some stopping,as the brakes were prone to fading,for obvious reasons,my Canadian Relatives,warned me,( I arrived there in early May) that come winter,I could have traction problems,-I lived in Toronto then,not known for its mild Winters, but, having had experience on British roads, owning front-wheel drive cars, driving that beast around was a doddle, yessiree! Gasoline then,was an wallet-pleasing 36cents a gallon,happy days!

As above, very simple /straightforward job, as mentioned also, be very careful of keeping bonnet propped,during this operation,I did mine last year,what a difference.

Very nice it looks too.

The words :- life,and need to get one,spring to mind,-obviously the sellers a few slates short of a roof?

A bag of Bon-Bons for you when we next meet!.....

.....sorry about the photos turning around,they do it themselves-honest Guv....

A big thanks to Mike and Steve, for posting a step-by-step guide on this operation,I wasn't in a hurry,but from start to finish,only took an hour-as the guide predicted.

In the past,I have undertaken many tasks on different cars, it's never really fazed me, coming from an Engineering background, but I have to say,that this comparatively simple operation,really gave me peek into just how damn good the LS400 is put together(and it follows,other Lexus models too,no doubt) but then,that's what you pay for,in a vehicle of this calibre.

The mirror I sourced is not black-it's maroon,I couldn't have cared-less, if it had been tartan,with pink polka-dots, ( no wisecracks please,Mike!) after 9 months with a 'dead' door-mirror, I wasn't caring,-it works,and now I feel a lot safer driving the old girl now, I was getting a crick in my neck from twisting right round,before lane-changing on Motorways,etc.

I've put up a couple of photos for your amusement and delectation, I'll spray the mirror black, when I've time, but I stripped the old mirror down,in order to check-out the damage,and see if something could be salvaged,-note the miniature servos on the white plastic block-dontcha just love Lexus technology!

Thanks again for the help.

Thanks for the links Fellas, will let you know how it goes,after I tackle it tomorrow.

I have successfully sourced,purchased,and received, a second - hand N/S door - mirror,for my LS,I'm going to do the job of fitting it myself.

I looked-up the 'How To' thread, a Member by the the name of Mark,has put up a really good,detailed step-by -step guide,for removing the door-trim,an operation ,I believe is necessary,in order to remove the mirror-body itself, for the life of me, I cannot find the thread here,which I'm sure I read ages ago, which gave a run-down on the removal and installation of the door- mirrors themselves, -which I'm sure is a pretty straightforward operation, - I am however, very wary of disturbing any of the electronic gubbins during this process, I would assume,naturally,that the key be removed from the ignition, but am worried in case there are any live - wiring I have to be careful avoiding? -mainly because I'm really worried about disturbing the on board computer set-up/system,when I remove and re-attach the new mirror,-perish the bleedin' thought, any guidance here would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Welcome Sammi, seems like a few of us Lexus types around Bucks, I'm in MK myself, I see a lot of ls200's, when I'm driving around here-makes me wonder if we shouldn't start an MK Lexus Club!

Don't know if I should be 'outing ' myself, in the context of watching this show on the odd occasion (honest Guv) but I find the character of the Village Policeman, both highly irritating and offensive, ( phew,I've put on my pompous hat now) bordering on the childish, the whole show is becoming boring and repetitive, give it arrest, (ho,ho,)

Signed,

'Miffed' -from Milton Keynes......