Razor61

It may be one cure for it but for my mk3 it was the ECT Sensor and maybe the sensor combined with an updated ECU. I can't say for sure but I'd plump for the ECT Sensor on it's own and I didn't clean the throttle body. I don't think it affects the mk4, maybe the sensor was updated.

This pic is better for the ECT Sensor

Thanks for everyone's input on this, it's put my mind a ease that there isn't another major issue I have to deal with👍🏻

Front LH side of the engine at the top. looking from the front of the car. The pic below will help.

Mmmmmmmh, I wonder.........................maybe it's my old friend the 'EFI temp sensor' which causes the cutting out issue after a decent run and stopping on the mk3. I'll order one and replace it, I was thinking about replacing it anyway and this has made my mind up. It is a different part number but does the same job.

I did a search and found the thread/s, it matches the symptoms. Started, drove a short distance, switched off then tried to start again. You live and learn and as said before I won't do that again!!!!

Sounds like it could be, it did sound fuel related. I switched it off and then started again to get rid of the 'VSC off' light while I was waiting for the lights to change (they are 4 x way so take quite a while), otherwise it would bug me all the way to work (only 9 miles but still bugs). I won't do it again that's for sure.

I had a strange issue this morning and I hope someone can maybe shed some light on the possible cause. I have had the LS400 on an Optimate 4 trickle charger/conditioner on the car since Saturday, this morning I decided it's had long enough and I'm going to take it work. I have an intermittent 'VSC off' where the 'VSC off' light comes on, I can counter this by keeping my foot on the brake for a while while starting. This is to explain the reason I switched the car off and tried to start it again and I've not had an issue with starting at all since I bought the car. This morning I forgot to keep my foot on the brake, car started spot on, set off to work but just down down the road are some road works, stopped at the lights and I switched off the engine and then went to restart to get rid of the 'VSC off' light as normal...................car cranked fine but didn't start. Tried a few times without success so had to roll it out of the way because lights had gone to green. Tried a few more times, fired into life but struggled/spluttered a bit like it was a fuel issue. Carried on to work and it ran as normal, parked up, opened bonnet and checked for any noises but all ok then switched off. I didn't try to start it again but will need to start it at 4pm when I finish work, if it doesn't start then it's a call to the Mrs to pick me up!! Just wondered if anyone has ever experienced this type of starting issue, it may not do it again like the 'dash lights off/ignition switch issue'. Maybe it didn't like what I did and how I did it.........

Ha ha, maybe by the time I’ve finished🤣 I need to claw some money back now so if anyone needs a new set of OEM front ball joints for a mk3 then let me know…………

Received most of the parts I ordered from Amayama today, ordered them on 24th of Jan so pretty good service. Rear UCA's, front lower ball joints, tie rods, rear drop links, front drop links, front and rear anti roll bar bushes, various clips/covers and grommets and the 09812-00010 'tool' for loosening the door bolts to adjust the doors while I was at it (pic below). Wouldn't have ordered it on its own but made sense getting it with the other bits. That will keep me busy for a while😉 I'm waiting for some other bits from UAE, front and rear pad wear sensors and an new antennae.

Fuel leak all sorted, filled the tank to max yesterday, checked this morning, no smell of fuel and no leak from the fuel sender gasket. I can fit all the trim in the boot now, fuel leak sorted and a dry boot

Have prices risen? I think the answer must be…….yes they have. At least for LS400’s in good condition, maybe dealers and private sellers with a LS400 sense the time is right to sell. Also because of ULEZ or clean air charges in various other locations, LS cars are being sold when otherwise they wouldn’t be. This applies to other cars as well of course.

I had exactly the same issue after I bought a LS400 and driving it back home. I was going to buy a new ignition switch but members on here gave me good advice and a member kindly gave me his old one to look at and use if needed. I then planned to remove the switch, remove the grease, clean the switch, apply some contact grease and put it back and see if it happens again. However, it hasn't happened again since mid December and I've done a fair few miles in the meantime. My plan now is to leave it alone and maybe do it later in the year, if it happens again in the meantime then I know what the issue is, just wiggle the key and it goes back to normal.

Thanks Malc, I'll do my best👍🏻 There are some noises on the suspension, nothing dramatic at all, I can hear some dull bumping/thudding noise coming off a speed bump when the suspension comes off load. Going on the the speed there is also some noise, it's different but maybe caused by the same issue. It's not really bad by any means but I can hear/feel it. Not sure if it's the front bottom ball joints or the UCA's, when a set of new bottom ball joints arrive from Japan I'll fit them and see if that cures it. Then it will be front drop links, anti roll bar bushes and track rod ends, if that doesn't fix the issue then it's probably the front UCA's (I have a new set anyway but didn't want to fit them just yet)

Correction, they were 600n and not 650n

As for the Krytox stuff on the seals, spent an hour applying the stuff. It’s pretty thick and applying a small amount does go a long way but when applying to old rubber seals it takes a fair amount of stuff. I bought a 30ml bottle and have about half left. I did the bonnet, boot, door seals but not the bottoms of the doors themselves (I’d had enough by this time) and the headlight seals. If nothing else the seals look good, like new now. As with anything else of this type of stuff, time will tell if it’s worth it compared to Gummi Fplege or equivalent stuff which is easier to apply that’s for sure.

Video after. 1737CC37-80B2-4BD7-B7E4-5640964B7DEB.MOV 6E3C4D5E-910F-48CE-8D96-0C5871B4398F.MOV

Well, I removed the needed bits to get to the tilt motor worm drive and and gear. Gear was in perfect condition, removed all the original grease, applied the Krytox stuff and put it all back together. Is it quieter………not sure but I think it maybe quieter on the tilt bit. The telescopic bit I couldn’t get to easily but I will do in the future. I did take some videos before and after but it’s difficult to tell if there is any difference, it seems quieter when the key is removed and the steering wheel returns to to the in and up position. If there is a difference it wasn’t worth 2 hours doing it all but I wanted to try. Video before 121FB6C5-7DDE-48C5-B2AF-0CE9ED619DBF.MOV

So todays work…….not as much as I intended to do. Fuel sender gasket leak removed everything again, cleaned and remove all traces of the sealant. I noticed the plate on the fuel sender wasn’t exactly as it should be (a bit bent and not square) so straightened it as best I could. Reassembled and fitted everything without any sealant this time so the rubber gasket will do it’s job as intended. Went for a drive and intentionally drove to slosh the fuel about, stopped at fuel station, put £40 fuel in and repeated. Got home checked for leaks and it looks good this time but time will tell. Note to myself, don’t try and be clever….just replace the bits as intended and don’t use fancy sealant as well. Put in the blanking grommets in the tow bar holes, of course the grommets I bought were not a perfect fit but I made them fit.

Yep, precision engineer and he can make anything really and has done over many many years. Making some gate bolts and nuts for a ‘well to do’ country house that where originally hand made a very very long time ago, working out thread pitch, adjusting things until it all works as it should is one example. Proper skill, knowledge, experience, it has to be correct and excellent work ethic which I aspire to. If 10% of that has rubbed off on me I’ll be happy😉

Boot is nice and dry now but fuel sender gasket still leaking slightly. I did the gasket without disconnecting all the sender plugs and clips which was a mistake. Got the sender out ok, cleaned everything, applied the gasket sealant, gasket and tried to put the sender back in with the wires connected. It was a right faff and had to disconnect the wires anyway in the end, by the time I messed around the gasket sealant was going off I think and it wasn’t all lined up and seated correctly. I’ll have another go today, disconnect all the wires, clean off all the sealant and put put correctly this time. Not sure if I can remove the sealant so I’ve ordered a new gasket just in case and may wait until it arrives. Purchased some new SGS Engineering Bonnet struts and fitted them today. New bonnet struts had been fitted but were too strong at 650n. They were so strong I had to push the bonnet down to release the catch. Closing the bonnet took too much effort as well. Also when the bonnet was closed the passenger side of the bonnet was sitting too high and wasn’t flush with the wing. I tried pushing it down but was solid, after the new bonnet struts I could push it down and it’s flush now. Next jobs for today, fuel sender gasket again maybe, fit rubber grommets to the holes left after a tow bar removal in the boot (bought a kit of various size blanking grommets and normal grommets), adjust boot lid alignment (it has had a little ding on the boot lid, left a small dint but no paint broken and this has shifted the boot off alignment I think), if the weather improves I’ll clean all the rubber seals and apply some Krytox GPL 105 (not cheap stuff but a little goes a long way apparently) The Krytox stuff is used in the automotive industry and applied to rubber seals (similar to Gummi Pflege stuff) and other parts for reducing friction and noise. There are different viscosities depending on where it’s used, VW use and sell their own mix of GPL 105 for use on sunroof seals etc to make the sunroof slide smoothly and reduce wind noise which owners complained about I think. One thing that is bugging me though is the noise that the steering wheel motors make, I’ve bought some Krytox GPL 205 G2 grease to use. Bought 10 grams but it may not be enough. Plan is to remove the original grease in the motors on the worm drive and plastic cog, apply the Krytox GPL 205 G2 grease, reassemble and see if it makes any difference. I’ll take some videos of before and after. I will of course examine the plastic gears for any signs of wear, if there too much wear then I’ll send the gears to my Dad and he will fabricate new ones. Probably make them wider as well. I’ve seen him do this before for Slushy machines and arcade machines where the plastic gears are knackered in the motor assemblies/mechanism, spare parts are no longer available and the only other option is to buy a new machine.

Thanks Pete👍🏻

Hi, can anyone tell me the correct tyre pressure for DHP wheels and tyres please or what pressures people run them on? My recent purchase has DHP wheels and 225/55/17 tyres, I know they are not the correct size but are pretty new. Checked the pressures because they felt too hard, pressures were 38psi all round so dropped them all to 32psi as a starting point.

https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/127871-windscreen-washer-jets/

Not a lot of work really, some of it I expected. I didn’t expect to have as much done on the engine etc but the body is totally sound so worth doing. I haven’t spent much time on it before doing the boot seal, spent a few quid though! The boot seal took some time of course, I could have just cleaned everything and fitted the new seal in 20 mins rather than a few days and not taken the trim off but it wouldn’t have been the right thing to do at all. Front drivers side spring has been sorted, thought it would be a doddle but it wasn’t that easy. I had to really compress the spring and even then it was a struggle to turn, then undoing the spring compressors was moving it back so out with the buzz gun to undo them. That did the trick…..