Hazzo

Thats just a rocker cover gasket which apart from looking a bit messy isn't causing any harm and after all its 18 years old more than likely, mine looks similar and the 16 year old car I've got is sweet as a nut, I wouldn't worry too much about it unless it starts peeing out or you're a bit anal about this sort of thing, you could always replace it if its bothering you. I only got this car in jan and haven't even tried the air con yet but everything else works as it should, even my 6 disc changer so I'm not too worried about AC especially here in the North.

Did you put fresh fuel in before starting it last time, if not its probably sucked some crap into the injectors/throttle body, chuck some injector cleaner in it and turn it over then let it stand overnight before trying to start it again. Modern fuel is garbage when left standing, the 10-15% ethanol added to our petrol these days attracts moisture which turns into a globular substance which resembles 'cum', it blocks throttle bodies and carbs when left standing for months, I see it all of the time on motorcycles which aren't regularly run over the Winter period, I suggest this has happened in your car. Injector cleaner dissolves the substance on contact, hopefully it sorts out your problem.

You could have an airlock in the coolant system, it used to happen on a Toyota Surf I had, google 'burping the coolant system'. I have no access to a manual for this car but these systems need bleeding or burping, regardless of how you do it it needs to be sorted or it will only overheat and crack the head. H

I doubt you have two slow punctures, sounds more like the last tyre changer didn't clean the alloys properly before fitting the tyres, I've had the same before with alloy wheels. H

I like em, though I'd probably like anything but the ones I've got as I've kerbed them twice lol.

I've got one but prefer to do stuff outside when its a bit warmer as its easier to see and more room for crawling around, just take your time, I've not had the brakes apart on mine but I've found any brake which has seized on other cars/bikes is usually the piston dust seals being pushed out of their groove and rolling up the sides of the piston, I've no schematic to look at as I've been blocked from the online manual I found lol.

It was something I found online, I did have access to a full workshop manual online but lo n behold today my access is denied.

Disregard the expansion container and look in the radiator neck and because of the gurgling in the heater matrix you may need to burp the system to fill it properly, you could have a tiny pinhole in the rad or a hose, run the car in the dark and use a torch once its up to temperature to look for a fine spray.

Well according to this online haynes the jack point is forward and inside of the sills like this: https://reader.haynes.com/en-gb/cars/lexus/is/1999-2005/jacking-vehicle-support/

I'd be sorting the gurgling before driving anywhere in it, thats air in the coolant system which shouldn't be there and can lead to overheating and depending how low the levels are in the system might not register when it overheats, I had the same happen on a 94 toyota and managed to blow the cylinder head, theres no scanner going to point to that problem.

Well I cant see your picture but I doubt you positioned the jack in the correct spot and if it does look dodgy place it somewhere on the main chassis.

Heres my one piccy, done about 1500 miles now, sweet as a nut.

I've done it a few times with motorcycles and a Honda Accord none of which were lemons, luckily my Lexus was on the doorstep and other than threadbare front tyres and a worried looking salesman as I hit 70mph on the test drive its now running impeccably with new boots on, heres hoping it gives me as much service as the accord.

They use belts so people who don't know what they're doing either risk having their engine destroyed with a belt snapping or swallow the charges garages ask. I bought this car because the timing belt is relatively easy to change and I needed a comfy car that can go a bit.

Yeah he just used a wheel brace and nipped them up as I reminded him he'd bust a stud on another car of mine and I didn't want a repeat performance. Funnily enough when I checked them they all were at 100nm so he was nearly on the money. I've just hit around 500 miles since buying the car and I love it, nice solid feel throughout and comfort, looks like my boy gets to keep the 2018 shopping cart I bought as I'm in no hurry to get back in it. H

Brembo are world leaders in brake technology and have been for years but I'd have no problem using any of the major motoring 'names' in this country for either discs, pads or shoes, Lexus don't make these parts they buy em in and rebadge to overcharge customers, same with all sensors, exhaust parts and electrical components. Outside of manufacturers warranty there is no valid reason for not shopping around unless of course you've got money to chuck away.

Cheers Colin, seems quite high that and having had two front tyres fitted I know the bloke putting the wheels back on came nowhere near so I'll loosen and re-torque them to be on the safe side. H.

I replaced a whole refurbed head plus gaskets/timing belt/water pump on a hilux in the street outside the house in an afternoon and I'm a layman with a manual so theres something lacking in the two garages you used, did you keep the original engine, if so and now its out I suggest you buy a gasket and timing belt and do the job at home. I cant see the ecu causing the problem as the only thing changed is the motor, check the engine number and try and find out if its an earlier model considering your parts couldn't be fitted theres something different preventing it firing, try resetting the ECU by removing the battery connections for 5 minutes then try it, or bypass the starter solenoid with a live direct from the battery just to see if the starter is OK, if that works get another starter solenoid as your is goosed, possibly the fuse for it needs checked first too.

What are the torque settings for the wheel nuts on these alloy wheels on the is200, tia Hazzo

I've still not taken any, I cant find a fault on it other than those rear sills beginning to rust and the two tyres I had to replace. Its running sweet as a nut and the Mrs loves it too, we've given our 2018 shopping trolley to our 22 year old to get to work in, its not a patch on this car. I'll sort those sills in warmer weather and give the car a good going over but for such a cheap price I can't lose even if it blows up a year down the line.

Rather pour acid in my eyes than be seen driving it, it looks like a star wars helmet.

Don't worry Tex you only need find a tester on a bad day and even a new car gets failed, I reckon they have a list of most likely problems to fail you on at given mileages, I've an 02 bike passes every year without fail because I stand there and anything he brings up I shoot down as I'm always on top of maintenance.

^^^ ^^^ ^^^ This above is the reason I prefer to service my own cars.

Top it up with what you like isn't about to make it work, find its fuse and check that before you buy more washer fluid. The fuse for mine in the drivers footwell kickpanel, three rows of them, the cover has a diagram of which is which, WSH is the one you're looking for and a fuse is 10p, pull it, check if its blown as you can see the 'wire' and replace it if it has, any auto shop will have these fuses in stock.

Even on the right way, (pos to pos neg to body) they'll not have followed the procedure above so possibly blew a main fuse somewhere, I doubt even an AA man would connect a battery up wrong.