PeterTorbet

On 7/6/2020 at 7:20 PM, steve2006 said:

I agree with CB injector clatter, I would give it a good run to settle it in.

Adjusting valve clearances isn’t a ring spanner, screwdriver and cork gasket.

me neighbour is a mechanic and he confirmed the injector clatter, he reckons it's the noise of the solenoids doing their thing and all good. Hell of a difference driving post-service btw 🙂

engine is on 138,000 miles btw

1 hour ago, Mihanicos said:

It sounds like the valve clearances need adjusting. 

Is the engine oil to the manufacturer's specifications?

Chris.

I looked around and got Mobil 1 Ow20?

After 3 months(!) of tinkering I fired up the engine for the first time today. This is the engine warmed up running at tickover. Is this how it should sound? (engine revved up at 58secs)

7 minutes ago, LexIS200Sport said:

@Herbie, compared to a refrigerator, the aircon system in a car is exposed to more extreme operating conditions - heat from the engine being one. As over half the aircon system resides in the engine bay, would that not mean that things like the oil would be prone to degradation?

Also, isn't there a "filter" within the sealed aircon system (and I do not mean the pollen filter). If so, would that not need replacing at some point?

Just wondering - please correct me where wrong  🙂

Agree 110% on the transmission side of things. In my books, sealed for life = sealed for 10years/160,000km

 

Yup, even told the fella it was 14yr old, 135,000 miles

Whilst I've seen Lexus MK recommended, is there any Indy specialists local to Northants anyone can recommend?

Just called Milton Keynes Lexus to get my transmission fluid changed and AC degassed/checked (both things I can't do at home). The guy on service gave me a quote for the AC, but said not to worry about the transmission fluid as it never needs changing. On my service records an indy said they changed the gearbox oil at 105,000 miles. Should I insist it's changed (belt and braces) or go with the 'never needs changing' and save a few quid?

Long shot, but I'm in the middle of tidying up the rear suspension on my LS460, and managed to shear the %£@%!! bolt from the actual sensor. I've tried to open the thing up to investigate but it seems well and truly sealed. Has anyone / does anyone know how to service these? blinking' expensive to replace. Video here. (Just for fun I started uploading videos to me YouTube channel at the weekend with zero effort put into the script / editing, as you'll see 😉 

17 minutes ago, Herbie said:

The word "spoilers" has never been so appropriate!

Just like a big carrying handle in my view!

I know, but there's something about a big car with a genuine bit of grunt carrying them. I'll be mocking the thing up in Photoshop before taking this any further 😉 

3 hours ago, rich1068 said:

So. The money you saved. What are you spending that on?

Honestly? I'd love to do something with it along the lines of the Jaguar Project 8 that Harry Meycalfe has in his garage. Just love the idea of a big spoiler on the back! And when I get up with it, take the thing off and put some aluminium grommets in.

18 minutes ago, Charlie Alder said:

Always gives me a warm feeling inside when I see a v clean engine bay like yours. As a matter of interest what materials did you use to achieve such an immaculate job.

Whatever I could lay my hands on 🙂 cleaned everything with Cillit Bang Kitchen cleaner(!), then Gunk Engine Cleaner, then Interior Car Polish for the plastic work. slam panel was removed, sanded down and resprayed with Hammerite 🙂 

Here's the before and after (remaining beauty panels to be put on once I've tested everything) (and Battery holder to be fitted) (and air intake)

1 minute ago, rich1068 said:

Thousands!

*3 weeks of tinkering officially justified*

what I told the missus 😄 now I can show her this! 😄 

Radiator fitted (genuine)
AC Condenser (non-OEM)
Spark Plugs
Drive Belt
Radiotor Reservoir hose
ECU duct

clean engine bay, treat rust, replace broken plastic poppers / bolts / nuts

remove and clean all understrays

remove and clean all wheel liners, treat inner arches, remove rust and treat suspension components

Any idea (roughly) what the labour cost would have been on the above?

8 hours ago, runsgrateasanut said:

Bit curious Peter, was there a Panel (undertray) under the engine bay when you bought it? 

Is it common to have so much rust for a Car of this age or has the owner been ploughing through a Ford on their way to work, daily?

Leaving the under tray off is not a good idea. Heavy Rain, puddles etc. are held back from doing the sort of damage  your Car appears to have in terms of rust.

Well doen you for sorting it.  

Yup, there was, but lots of fixings missing, likewise around the wheelarch liners. I think (looking at the history) it had a great time up until 90,000 miles then the official Lexus service stopped. Lots of little brackets related to the suspension need serious treatment/replacing. Enjoying the challenge though! (Other half a bit concerned about mounting costs though; I keep telling her this work would be thousands at a garage) 

On 5/9/2020 at 9:35 AM, steve2006 said:

After the rust treatment solution perhaps mask off the belt contact areas and then spray Hammerite rather than brush it on to avoid excess build up. While you have the tensioner and idler pulleys off replace the bearings, they only cost a few pounds for decent replacements and take a few minutes to do. I would also give that green gilled earth wire a good examination and clean to prevent any potential faults in the future.

Don’t forget the tensioner bolt is reverse threaded.

Turns out I bought the wrong bearings 😕 so treated myself to new tensioner / pulley / idle. Also polished up the earth cable and took the (Dremel) grinder to the radiator support panel, then Kurust, then Hammerite. Also drilled out and re-threaded a sheared bolt on the slam panel where the Hammerite really brought the thing back to life! Next steps, radiator and AC condenser!

Quick brush down to find lots of surface rust which I'll treat, BUT this bracket is loose. I've tried to upload a video, but not sure of they work on here?

16 minutes ago, BigBoomer said:

Damn! Is that car driven on muddy tracks for most of it's life?
Looks worse than the underside of my mates 4x4 after a day playing at the local gravel pits.
Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration but that is super muddy for a road vehicle.

We have a horse which means (meant!) it used to go up mucky roads to the stables (height set to high!), but once I get this straightened out it'll be kept away from horses, or as minimum hosed down straight after. The more I get into this car, it's had a proper life or two!

Finally got the rear up on axel stands to have a look around the rear suspension / brakes, and also look at the MOT advisory regarding the rear subframe. Lots of surface rust, a couple of pipes / wires that look like they should be better located, a few empty bolt holes and a rogue cable tie(!)

19 hours ago, Tulpen said:

On the US forum there are many entries about steering rack problems. What happens is that the steering wheel, for no reason, takes up a 45 degrees left or right position with the front wheels straight ahead. Running diagnostic check gives an error code which requires a steering rack change. 

I had this happen to me and took it to my local Lexus dealer. I told him about the US forum and he just laughed. He was adamant that the problem was NOT the rack. They ran a full diagnostic and, sure enough, got a code which recommended a steering rack change. He still didn't believe it and told his guys to run a full program check on the various systems. They found a corrupt script in the Auto-Parking module. A quick re-boot and all was well. That was 5 years ago and I've had no problems since. 

Interestingly, he told me that, after a rack change, they would have to do the same re-boot as part of the schedule. Makes you wonder how many racks (at around $5000) have been changed for a computer glitch. The fix cost me about 130 euro.

 

wow! thanks for this. 

Off the back of @runsgrateasanut mentioning about finding out the service history of my LS460, I pieced together this table (below). Most of the works was carried out by Lexus Cardiff, and then it went onto Lexus Birmingham before finishing up at East Midlands Autos. I've been calling around trying to get missing info, but makes for interesting reading so far. What's with the new steering rack at 90,000 miles?? is this common?

Morning all, 

As I continue tidying up my motor, I pulled out 4 sponges that I think Lexus refer to as 'spacers' from the front wings. The things were soaked, with lots of grime / bit of surface rust where they had been. Surely on a 14yr old car I can through these away? or should I be investigating how they got wet in the first case, i.e. should they be one dry at all times (on the assumption the rest of the car has everything else in place correctly?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162386011336?ViewItem=&item=162386011336

So, because I'm an idiot and forgot to check that this fitted my LS460-L (2006) when it arrived, my request to return the thing has been declined by carspares-direct (as it falls outside their return window).

Therefore does anyone wish to buy this? Open to offers, I paid £70. Argh.

On 5/29/2020 at 9:53 AM, runsgrateasanut said:

Peter, still find it difficult to believe the state of those plugs at under 130k.  Was tempted to buy a 460SE-L before lock down - well was having discussions on one.

I looked at your Car history and nothing seems to explain. Did you get Service history with the Car?  Any Main dealer? Garage bills?

Be good to know who to avoid!

Strange that there was no MOT for 2012.  Between 2011 and 2013 it covered 24k miles.  A DVLC record error presumably.

Previous owner not a meticulous Lexus man or near bald front and rear tyre would have been changed rather than driving 9k miles on them.  Curious, have you got odd tyres on the Car? It usually follows. 

Plenty to do to get it up to standard. Keep plugging away at it.

All tyres are the same, Dunlop Sport SP01A, manufactured 48th week 2016, 245/45 ZR19. I've got a stack of paperwork, going though at the moment to piece together the history of as much as poss. Enjoying getting everything up to standard to date. Thought this summer would be a chance to finally get to work on my project car (MX-5), at the moment it's looking more like Lexus-stravaganza 🙂

Has anyone / Does anyone know if it's possible to upgrade to the 2010 LS460 Sport Flappy paddles manual gear change method on a 2007 LS460? Watched a review of the 2010 last night and the flappy paddles got a decent review.