Newbie1

Christmas came today with a delivery of Toyota parts from Amayama for my Soarer and LS400. A photo of a humble LS400 ARB bush is attached. Note the additional textured material lining to the bush which presumably reduces the possibility of creaking from the bush (a common enough issue with ARB bushes. ) I must have put on dozens of ARB bushes over the years on all sorts of makes but this is the first time I've seen this level of attention to detail on a simple bush.

After reading of your story I removed my boot linings and rear wheels and checked the arches but all seems solid, thankfully. I'm still curious how the arches rotted out there.

Wow! Was just wondering how to do this! Thank you. FYI LS430 telescoping steering motors (maybe just early ones?) will fit Mk IV LS400 (part number 89232-50041)

God those were beautifully built cars. I love my MkIV but the finish on these ones was superb.

Yes. £10 ebay part with a BT receiver, analog output and USB powered. Intercepted cables in the amp under the driver's seat with a suppressor in place. Wired it is as a parallel input from the pre amp into the power amp, so it will be "live" no matter what function you select (CD/tape/radio). However, you can use all the existing functions-just don't play anything on the bluetooth. The best bit is that the factory volume knob still works, however the bluetooth controller has a volume knob and I have stuck it near the gearknob so its within easy reach. Ta da, bluetooth, all factory look. In terms of "communicating" with the factory head unit, I think you are out of luck unless you swap out the factory nav for a non-nav head unit, which would have to come from a US or Japanese market LS400/Celsior, as a non-nav option was not offered in the UK. Plenty of units on US ebay although the volume knob is on the wrong side! I've looked into this conversion (should the nav fail) and the connectors would all seem to match for the swap, but whether the UK ECU is involved I do not know (would not think so but you never know.)

I've seen more LS400s with rough undersides and nice bodies than the other way around. Garage queens, once a week to the car wash and never an underbody pressure washer to be seen...

I'd advise simply connecting a Bluetooth receiver into the amp. I did it and can help. Then, instead of hacking too much initially, just add an outboard amp for a new sub in the existing place, running it off the existing wiring. Tune the bass from there and see if you need to beef other things up. Usual advice working on door speakers. Be very careful to replace all moisture barriers.

Speaking of which, booking my old girl in for the full underbody treatment. Not cheap, bit after what she got me through in the snow and salt recently it's worth it.

How few people bother with a mobile phone snap of the underbody...

Checked on Amayama and springs are coming to about $130 a piece. Imagine the freight charge. I have these guys just down the road from me that manufacture all sorts of springs. Wonder if they could whip up copies of the LS400 springs. https://www.europeansprings.com/ Just sent them a message.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I was surprised to see BC won't do low spring rates for the LS400 (I know they advertise a few combinations online but I was led to believe they could do almost any spring rate). The person I spoke to said that could do the rates quite low but you would not be able to lower the car by much unless they we're re-valved, which didn't concern me. I was speaking to a BC rep in the US, so the local BC suppliert may be different. edit: here's the link that reflects what the BC rep said. I would push BC a little more on this. https://bcracingcoilovers.com/pages/faqs

For about £5000 you can import a beautiful low mileage Celsior UCF20 or UCF21 that's never seen any salt. The price is silly.

BC Racing make coilovers for UCF10 and UCF20s. They are good guys to speak with can can do custom spring rates which could match the LS400 rates. Set at the exact factory ride height all suspension geometry would be preserved.

I've had it happen with springs on other cars. Don't fit, or fit badly and make noise, or the spring rates wrong so car's ride and handling changes...unless Toyota want to ruin me I'll be replacing with OEM to avoid hassle.

Someone had this issue a few years back https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/86545-93-rear-ride-height/

And on the ls400 they are a resilient thing, unlike lesser cars.

Phew! Resting on the bump stop. Does it have DHP springs or just the wheels?

So it would seem that the drain pipes blocked at the exit end (from road crud?) and the water backed up in the wheel wells. Sunroofs, more trouble than they are worth on an older car.

Never nice to find. So you removed the side panels in the boot and found the holes? Right where the drain pipes go through the floor on the sides? Just checking so I can check!

And yes NO to oil leak products!

I have had a leak from this area on a 1JZ VVTi engine. It was the VVTi cam gear oil seal leaking. As it was a 60k mile service I renewed the whole cam gear, filter and solenoid, but I am keeping the car. Anyway, not unknown for the VVTi cam gear to leak.

But easy to clean...

Gorgeous interior. But I'll still take a new Toyota Century, being old fashioned like.

Sounds fantastic and i can't wait to see the details of the journey. Why not drop Lexus a line to let them know you're taking one of their finest on an Asiatic sojourn?

Crucial steering component in a wet area. Go Toyota OEM. Replace the seals, too. Sorry, it's the cost of ownership of these cars...