Razor61

No problem, I suspected you were after the boot seal so I looked myself. It's listed as you know and I wanted to find out what the shipping costs were, I ended up placing an order somehow (no payment) and I also received an email 10 mins ago to say it's not available.

I vaguely remember seeing this site/company sometime in the past, not bought anything from them though but looks ok to me.

Hopefully it does the job so fingers crossed for you. I presume the water leaking into the boot on the sides must be caused by the channel filling up/pooling and the water working it's way past the seal (up and over the lip inside the seal) or between the top of the rubber seal and the boot lid. I have seen someone drill a hole in the area illustrated below where the water collects, put in a rubber grommet with a plastic pipe running into the boot and out at the bottom to drain the water. This stops the water pooling in the first place I expect. If the car is perfectly level then I would expect the water to run off ok unless it's a monsoon.................but if the car is facing 'down hill' the water can't run off as designed and works it's way past the seal. I fitted a new seal early last year but I still park mine on the drive front first which is slightly uphill and stops the water pooling. It's a pain reversing out onto the road sometimes but I've got used to it doesn't cause much of an issue. I also presume it's the same sort of thing for the water getting into the wheel well, it runs down the inside of the seal and ends up dripping/running into the boot behind the boot lock mech and then runs into the wheel well.

Feedback isn’t 100% but apart from that the seller looks ok, what makes you think the seller is a bit dodgy? Lexuspartsnow list them but with shipping and duty from USA it ends up at £250.Only thing I would be wary of is placing the order only to be told it’s no longer available.

There is one for sale on eBay in Lithuania, £140 plus £45 delivery https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363405305477?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=k6atoiclQAG&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=im66MZjLQ6G&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Interesting topic, especially as the oem boot seal isn't available anymore. As far as I can see it isn't available from Amayama and isn't listed anymore on the LPD website.

Part numbers are different but maybe they are the same size and will fit. According to Amayama the 64810-50290 rear screen is still available at approx. £782 plus the import duty and tax etc.

I think it does work because the LS400 is generally known as mk1, mk2, mk3 or mk4. The LS400 is generally referred to in this way, although it is technically incorrect as you say, not a L430 or LS460 or LS600. It’s a ‘LS400’ thing not a ‘LS’ thing. LS430 onwards is referred to in a different way as with many other makes and models, pre-facelift and face-lift. My favourite is the LS400 Mk3🙂

Unfortunately I think this sort of thing was done in times gone by and now it’s only dedicated local garages that continue doing it and other stuff. A good friend of mine, Harold, was an excellent mechanic and served his time as a Jaguar mechanic iirc, he was meticulous and did the job ‘right’. Harold retired around 8 years ago from his own one man band garage and sadly passed away at the start of Covid, nothing to do with Covid though. People took their cars to him after a ‘so called service’ at another garage or main dealer, he despaired at the quality of work done before. Shoddy work, things not done when they should have been done, things not greased or cleaned when they should be, discs and pads thrown on without cleaning the calipers and greasing slide pins, etc etc etc. Its rare to find a mechanic in the same mold as my friend Harold but you may have found one Malc.

The part I bought from eBay, PLATE,COMPUTER METER CIRCUIT NO.1 - part number 83277-50231, for £90 was delivered today. Everything was there and all brand new, circuit board (not the one that stores the mileage), fuel gauge, temp gauge, speedo assy, rev counter assy and some metal clips. I’m chuffed to bits to be honest, I may rebuild the spare cluster I have with all the new parts and fit to the car. I know the spare cluster has a knackered temp gauge, the rev counter needle sticks sometimes and maybe the speedo needle (can’t remember if it did or not now). Judging by the cost of the USA equivalent part, I reckon it would have cost £1500 to buy in the UK and probably more. Regarding the ‘air mix path holes’ mentioned earlier and cleaning them, I didn’t clean them and the throttle body to cure any issues with delayed throttle response because I didn’t think I had an issue. Although I’ve never been happy about the idle………….I know I’ve mentioned the idle speed and how steady it is or not multiple times on this car and mainly the mk3 I had. My thoughts are that the idle speed and how steady it is, is a good indication of the cars engine health, just my opinion though. However, after driving the car for 250 miles or so since I did the work on the throttle body and air mix path holes at the weekend (motorways, A roads, stuck in motorway traffic, round town and to work and back)……………….. I think it has made a difference to a couple of things and an issue I didn’t think I had. The slight delay when pressing the throttle reasonably hard before it picks up, which I thought wasn’t an issue, seems to have gone. It’s difficult to explain this symptom because it’s very subtle and isn’t a big deal at all but you notice when that subtle issue isn’t there anymore. If that makes sense. Idle speed is now spot on and rock solid, checked accurately using a laptop and Techstream plugged into the car tonight😉 New addition to my toolbox. As for MPG, it hasn’t made any difference to the MPG on motorway journeys and is the same at 34-35 at a steady 70. Round town though, driving back and forward to work, which is a mixture of town and A roads, I suspect it has made a difference. Just a feeling I have, that’s all. For the next to nothing cost of cleaning the throttle body and the air mix path holes on a Mk4 LS400 it’s well worth doing, if done properly of course. Depending on the state of them you could be pleasantly surprised at the results.

That figure was resetting the mpg just after setting off, approx 90 miles M65/M6 motorway to M6 junction 10 then maybe 15 miles of ‘normal’ roads to Brierley Hill. Same journey tomorrow then back home on Friday. If I pick a long bit of flat motorway it can average 38 mpg or more, you need something to occupy your time and focus on sometimes when eating up the motorway miles on your own😀

I changed the coolant temp sensor a while ago but I wasn’t looking to see if the mpg increased. Changing it on the 95 MK3 I had made a big difference and was pretty sure it cured the engine dying when stopping after a decent run. I changed it on the current car because of that and it’s a critical bit of the EFI system, there weren’t any symptoms like on the MK3 and probably improved the MPG.

I was a bit concerned too but soon realised what caused it. I adjusted the throttle cable 6 months ago due to too much slack. I didn't really have any drivability issues, I thought I did after reading the post about the 'delay pulling away' but wasn't the case or at least that's what I think. I'll be doing a 110 mile journey tomorrow, mostly motorway, and it's a journey I've done regularly over the past 18 months so will be able to tell if it's made a difference to anything. Maybe mpg will be better, but we'll see. I'll know if the mpg is better or not pretty quick. Not that bothered if it isn't better because it averaged 34 - 35 ish anyway. This morning driving to work the mpg seemed better but that's no measure at all. I only looked at it because of the work done over the weekend. The idle was back to normal at the very least and probably better. On my MK3 the idle should be 650 +/- 50 rpm according to the manual and I assumed the MK4 VVTi was the same. But it's not according to the manual and should be 750 +/- 50 rpm. Some LS400 PDF manuals say they cover the MK4 but they don't, I have 2 x versions. 1 x manual covers the MK4 VVTi and the other doesn't and must be up to 97 only. MK3 94 - 97 MK4 VVTi 97 -2000

Not done much on the car for a while, today I looked at the ‘air mix path holes’ on the throttle body. I didn’t know they existed until I read the post below. Removed the cover on the throttle body, cleaned the chamber, cleaned out the ‘air mix path holes’, cleaned the throttle body and butterfly, cleaned up and put everything back together. Started the car, it fired and stopped. Started again and it fired and stopped. Started again and all good. This was caused by all the throttle body cleaner in the intake manifold after spraying on the butterfly and throttle body. So far so good……….however, the idle was higher than normal so left the car to warm up. I could tell that the idle was higher while warming up. I’ve read other posts about high idle after cleaning the throttle body so was a bit concerned. Disconnected the battery for 20 mins, reconnected and went for a run in the car round the block and the power was lower, got back and the idle was still high. Disconnected the battery again, washed the car, about an hour later connected the battery and went for a 12 mile drive to the local supermarket. Power was back to normal, stopped at home and left the car on idle, idle was stillhigh still but gradually came back to normal. Makes sense that after doing what I did the car needs to re adjust ‘things’ to compensate. Time will tell if cleaning the air mix path holes and throttle body/butterfly will make a difference, can’t do any harm though. Before and after photos, the clean bit on the first pic is where I ran my finger along to see how baked on the crud was. It wasn’t baked on so some crud went in the holes. http://1999 LS 400 - on pulling away there is a delay in engaging gear and car lurches forward

Earlier this year I had a faulty Temp gauge, new Temp gauge wasn’t available anymore so swopped the cluster for a spare I have. That left me with a cluster with a faulty temp gauge which is good for spares or emergency use. I keep an eye on eBay for LS400 spares, while looking last night I saw a brand new cluster circuit board with 4 x new gauges for a Mk4 LS400 for sale - part number 83277-50231. Not the exact part number for my year of manufacture but the gauges are the same. Price was £96.89, thought about it for a bit and came to the conclusion it’s a bit of a bargain so bought it. I know eBay isn’t what it used to be for bargains but I think this was a bargain.

I think it has settled now, a few weeks ago I realised it felt smoother and more supple. It rides better over uneven road surfaces now as well I think.

I don't think so, done some proper testing and there isn't an issue with the car taking off quicker or delayed, it just 'seemed' like it was. I'll still have a look at the air mix path holes and clean them though.

That’s a very interesting post and link thanks, my car does seem to accelerate and take off quicker than normal/expected sometimes - mainly when pulling away quickly and put your foot down to get out of a junction quick for example. It’s a bit like the throttle cable is sticking slightly and then suddenly off you go. I’ll have a look at this and clean the air mix path holes described, can’t do any harm. The gasket for the cover plate isn’t available anymore but it’s easy to buy a sheet of gasket material and make one. Making a new thicker cover plate with a domed cavity makes sense as well, I’ll look into getting one made.

If you want a good LS400 you can have my 1998 LS400 for £10k.

It is decent money, if it’s a good one though it may be worth it. The first one you looked at was the same money. As for being off the road for 5 years, if it’s been protected then it may not be an issue. A good look at the car is needed of course, paying attention to the areas where they can rot. My current LS400 was off the road 2008 - 2015 and again 2016 - 2021. I have done lots of mechanical work, some work I expected and some I didn’t which is well documented on here. Some stuff was probably due to the car being off the road. I bought the car off the condition, no rot in the common places and my view was that mechanical stuff I can do but rot and bodywork is a different matter and can write off the car if bad enough. I looked at a fair amount of LS400’s in the £2k - £4k range, all of them had body rot issues in different places depending on the model year and were pretty rough on closer inspection. On the outside the car may look really good but dig deeper and there are places that can be really bad, you need to know where to look and check. My car has the parking sensor button things in the rear bumper, fitted in the past no doubt but have now been disconnected. Didn’t bother me at all.

This one looks decent. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210060487378

There is a 1999 LS400 in green for sale and the same car is on eBay, looks decent to me.

LH or RH is determined by sitting in the car looking forward, therefore for the UK - LH = passenger side and RH = drivers side.

Noticed a brand new LH passenger side door mirror glass for a 94 -97 LS400 for sale on eBay, link below, in case anyone needs one. They are not available anymore and would be expensive if they were. Not sure if the passenger mirror on the Mk3 is auto dimming or not though. It’s £70 or best offer. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125573133006?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=N-15uCReRm6&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=im66MZjLQ6G&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Thanks David, it's much appreciated👍🏻 I'm getting to the end of all the work. I still have the rear shocks/mounts/UCA's to fit but I can't motivate myself to do them yet, mainly because I need to remove the drive shafts to get to the UCA ball joint nut. Manual says to remove the complete hub to replace the rear UCA's but removing the drive shaft gives access to the nut, whether I can then split the ball joint is another matter though. If anyone has a crafty method of replacing the rear UCA's with removing the drive shaft or complete hub then please let me know😉