Cels1or

The full suspension assemblies are in the garage, maybe one day I shall attempt to get them rebuilt as they would certainly be worth something to someone. I must say I'm impressed by the after marked coilovers. I have never fitted them to anything other than performance orientated vehicles so it was a bit different for me looking at lower spring rates to keep the comfort and make it just a touch lower and flat front to rear.

Only reason I found it was a slight fluctuation in the steering over small bumps just on the left hand front wheel. It was out of place to the comfort the car normally gives you. So off I went into the black hole attempting to diagnose. There wasn't any fluid leakage visible on the front shock just the bounce test showed it was way gone compared to the other side. I originally thought it could be the dreaded classic toyota lower ball joint which I was worried about collapsing on me forcing me to investigate.

Sorry for the essay haven't really posted anything about it. 😂

28 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

Any updates on the car Aaron? I know you mentioned a few niggles and possibly a damper problem.

I spent quite a while searching for a replacement damper then after removing them off the car for a better inspection found one of them was completely shot (front left) and rear right was leaking fluid. Gave up and I managed to secure some after market coilovers for now to tide me by. £703 for all 4 including topmounts. On the softest setting they are basically the same ride comfort as the TEMS system in sport mode. They have settled substantially lower than I wanted after a couple days so car is going back in the air to be raised another inch and half in the rear.

On other notes I noticed the steering dampner was leaking some fluid when removed so I am going to measure the stroke of a Mercedes S320 steering dampner as the bolt holes are the same size and I can get a KYB model for £28 delivered. Worth a shot.

Just slowly going round doing my usual thing of future proofing the car for the miles it will receive in the summer going to shows.

I'm pretty sure its not in the under tray as I dropped my ratchet down there and had to dig around to get it back out. That involved a lot of tapping of the under tray. I shall have a proper look tomorrow now I know I'm missing a bit. Its going up on the ramp on Saturday I believe so can have a real search.

No that would appear to be long gone. I shall have a dig around in the bay tomorrow it may be stuck somewhere after the firing of the belt.

I did in my 350z take apart the original stereo and soldered an aux cable onto the input for the cassette deck not sure if something similar could be done. I did it for the pure cost of swapping out the original stereo as it was a bose unit with separate amplifier. I shall see if I can find a walk through, I'm unfamiliar with the innards of your particular stereo.

3 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

Did you manage to get any pictures of that old pulley? Never known a collapsed bearing happen before as you normally get a squeal from cold which disappears once the engine warms up giving you some prior warning.

I replaced this and the tensioner bearing when this did happen some years ago with supposedly “quality Japanese bearings” 

Usually there is some sort of sign when it's going. I literally got two chirps of the belt and 15 seconds later or so it snapped the belt. Very strange!

Hope you can see enough in that photo I cant zoom in properly on my phone.

Aaron

1 hour ago, steve2006 said:

Great news,I used to spray all the accessible nuts and bolts in the engine bay with WD40 to stop them rusting and seizing.

What are the other niggles you need to sort ?

Little blow on the exhaust, and a bush/wheel bearing/track rod end or something on the passenger front wheel it has play havent got round to chucking it in the air. Its a second hand car I expected much more than this! Its very very clean! I just go too far restoring my old cars.

Not complaining at all! Please done take it that way!

Aaron

Just now, Malc said:

all set-up for another 25 years then 

Malc

mine's in tomorrow for it's annual service and MOT all on Wednesday .  I'll report back on progress

I've asked him specifically to check for your issue .  he said he's only ever known it twice in his experience 

Fingers crossed got another couple of little niggles to look into, nothing major.

Managed to take it out on a good 25 mile run so far all seems well!

I'm sure yours shall fly through on Wednesday 🤞

Aaron.

Belt and idler pulley have been installed! Went quite smoothly believe it or not!

Not yet the pulley isn't due to turn up until Monday at the earliest I believe. I have removed everything from the boot already just waiting till I have the belt back on and I can take it for a good spin recharge the Battery then I shall leave it all open maybe set off a scent bomb.

8 hours ago, steve2006 said:

I got complimented by Aaron on the Celsior engine bay, unfortunately it is now contaminated by bits of rubber off the shredded belt but pretty sure he will get it cleaned up again.

My job for tomorrow is to start attempting to remove all the little rubbery blobs littering the engine bay. And possibly attempting to remove the smell of burnt rubber inside from leaving the snapped belt in the boot.

24 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Ah, I`ve been out all day and have just read the entire Thread.

Welcome Aaron. Good to have you with us and the spirit of your response is typical Lexus old school.

We look forward to your future Postings

Thank you

You all seem to be a brilliant group of guys so far, and a wealth of knowledge on this forum quite glad I joined!

Hopefully once I get it going again I can take her for a real spin during the light this time.

1 hour ago, cruisermark said:

all is well that ends well.

I'm a bit confused how you used a zip tie as a temporary fix??

My brother has a similar probem with his bmw a few years back - one of the pulleys seized shredding the belt - had to be rescued by AA

Usually I would use a shoe lace or bit of rope something with a bit of give. But it just so happened I had some 5/8" cable ties in the back of the van. Managed to just cable tie from the crank pulley to the altenator with enough force to keep the altenator spinning. I shall attempt to upload a photo not that you can see much.

59 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

Good morning Aaron, welcome to the LOC and the world of Lexus unreliability sorry reliability.

Once you get that new pulley and belt on I’m confident that there will be no further issues so early in your ownership.

AS I mentioned the idler pulley bolt is conventional thread direction so anti-clockwise to loosen and remove.

The video below shows the belt fitting method.

 

Thank you, shouldn't be too crazy to do atleast it wasn't something that couldn't be "bodged" for the rest of the journey. Unfortunately it has left a bit of rubber all over your immaculate engine bay!!

16 minutes ago, Malc said:

well there we are ........  wot a disaster ....... motto Aaron..... .  use your beloved Ls400 as a main car for ever and a day and with proper servicing and maintenance these things will only ever happen every quarter century ..  oh it has ! ... well ok then ......  just maintain her as it should be and in 2026 this just might unexpectedly happen again ..  we've all had a couple of " appenings " over the years .......  have you seen the permanent thread here 

" Ls400, what catastrophic unknown failings "

 

Take note please and just beware theses odd things can happen .....  at least our cars are around long enough to need this sort of Post

unlike Beemers and Mercs and VWs and Audis where longevity like ours is often far from assured 

Best wishes Aaron and welcome to the Club, may your miles be long and comfy, reliable and safe and your steed in 25 years time be as valuable as it is today

Malc

I certainly wouldn't count this as too catastrophic really, (Not compared to some of the vehicles I have owned) One pulley and a belt. These things happen i shall have to show you a picture of the bearing when I get it off I haven't seen one quite go like that literally locked into place.

Aaron

I am new said owner, and I cant say thankyou enough to steve2006 for the help he provided and also the compensation!!! Talk about a nice guy, completely unnecessary! These things happen i just wanted to use his superior knowledge to make sure I wasn't going to ruin something bodging it up for the final miles home.

Thank you again.

And thank you to giant cable ties made a bit of a racket but got me home and still didn't break. Parts ordered thanks again to steve2006 for giving me all necessary information.