cleverdick

Land Cruiser Amazon?

Simple! They're sick!

I've always used Magnatec 10/40 in my LSs and nothing bad's happened as a result. Recently, Halfords were doing this at a substantial discount; might be worth checking out. Be sure to use a genuine filter though.

The other day I had to replace a stop lamp on my '94. It had been a while since I'd had to remove the rear light cluster, and I was reminded that the procedure is not immediately obvious. (The handbook tells you just to go see your nearest Lexus dealer - as if there's one on every street corner, open 24/7/365 and that they would actually know what they were doing anyway.) It's no good having spare bulbs in the car if you don't also have the right tools and you don't know how to get to the damn thing. (Yeah, you need tools to change a lamp in the rear cluster. Clever bit of design, innit?) What you need is a trim removal tool (like a flat fork with two prongs) and a 10mm spanner. A decent #2 crosspoint screwdriver might do at a pinch. First, pry out the black fasteners on the piece of trim that covers the boot sill. The trim piece then lifts vertically off. Next, pull back the boot liner to access two bolts on the far side of the cluster. (This is a bit of a fight as it doesn't bend easily.) Then undo the two bolts and the cluster should come out. It's held in by two locating pins on the centre side. If you don't practice this beforehand you are likely to waste time undoing nuts that are irrelevant, making yourself late, rained-on, possibly trashing the boot liner and getting mighty hacked-off in the process.

I also have Conti PC2s on my '94. No concerns re. performance and safety, but in this size they do seem to ring slightly compared to the D8s (it wasn't an issue with PC2s on my Series1 with 15" rims). The man from Conti actually paid me a visit but of course would not admit to there being a problem. A few years ago, Which? said don't buy the Falkens due to their (relatively) poor grip.

Has anyone on here actually changed a seatbelt bulb? Mine has gone on the passenger side.

Cruisermark, thanks for reply... I really wanted to keep this off the public view, but what the hell... I've just had two PC2s fitted on the front (same on the rears a few weeks ago). I have two concerns (which I've already emailed the manufacturer about but they have yet to reply), and these are: (1) On one tyre specifically, there is a slight indentation on the sidewall, where (I've been told) there is an internal weld. This leads me to believe that the sidewall is not as substantial as it should be if it 'bulges out' everywhere except where the join is. (2) When I rap the sidewall with my knuckles, the air inside rings like a bell - just like the 'ping' sound you get when you bounce a football on concrete. And, I'm hearing this same note whilst driving - not particularly prominently above background, but noticeable to me. Pressures are 31 on the front and 32 on the back. I'm thinking that they've economized on the sidewall thickness. I had PC2s about 3 years ago on my previous LS400, although being a Series 1 that had 15" rims. Those were fine. I just wanted to know if these 'issues' are now typical for the PC2. I bought them specifically for their quiet ride, BTW. £550 all in. Too much to pay to have doubts. Thanks in advance...

Anyone here currently running these on 16" rims? If so please PM me. Cheers...

What - you mean they're meant to have a footprint pattern on them? Perhaps I ought to wash mine then! (lol) I agree it is a lot of money for an LS of this age. But if it wasn't left hand drive I would be sorely tempted. It really does look to have been fastidiously cared for. Note though that it doesn't have headlamp washers or heated seats - presumably not needed in Dubai. Still, as long as the a/c works...

This is not a '94. It's quite definitely from the 1990 - 92 time period, and, because of the colour, I reckon '91 (but possibly '92). The roadwheels are the most obvious indicator, along with the flat steering wheel pad. Anyhow, it doesn't matter what I say, the VIN will reveal the truth.

This is a Mk1, and it does have an analogue odometer. And as for "that awful blue leather interior", well, my '94 has exactly that and I love it! What an audacity! ;)

Pretty sure it's a '91. Looks nice though!

£610 for Scotchgard treatment sounds like a blatant extortion. One would expect the carpets and upholstery in a car of this class to be well-enough developed to be sufficiently forgiving already. Also, any after-market treatment (particularly to the carpet) might give rise to an electrostatic problem. More research needed.

Sorry mate - that sump has to come off. If your trans fluid is like molasses or strong black coffee then it's long overdue - and the filter will need changing too. The lexls tutorial works - and it's valuable info for free. But you will need a ramp or hoist. Not sure I'd trust the dealer - they will inevitably take short cuts and quite possibly not use the correct fluid. (You must use genuine T-IV and you'll need 10l of it.)

Should be a pretty safe bet if it really is in good order and they're not asking too much... I had a 1990 until about 18 months ago - it never let me down once and I'm sure it would still be running today - sadly I had to scrap it (saving all the good parts of course) because I was faced with some fairly hefty bills for suspension work that would have cost way more than the car was worth, given its poor paintwork and underbody corrosion. You can soon tell how meticulously it's been looked after. Are all the tyres good, matching and a proprietary brand? Does it have the right wheels on it? (Sorry guys with aftermarket wheels - no offence!) The 1990 wheels are directional - are they fitted the correct way? Does it have the remnants of aftermarket alarms, hands free kits or audio systems? Most of this applies to any car, of course... Service history? On the LS, do check that the steering pump isn't leaking, and if poss drive it over a rough or concrete road to check for noisy/rattling suspension bushes. (Creaking on a 3-point turn is likely to be dry sway bar bushes and is an easy fix.) Take it for an MoT if you're serious.

Don't be lulled into a false sense of security. You might have the best tyres in the world, but it's all the other idiots you have to watch out for. OK, you've reduced your risk of skidding, but as an LS400 driver my guess is that you'd be driving sensibly anyway. As I indicated in an earlier post - consider the well-worn, cheap tyres on the average hatchback or MPV, driven by the average inexperienced woman driver on the school run, perhaps the for first time on snow. The only thing to protect you from that is to leave the car at home.

Interesting... Do we have the diversity of temperature in this country to actually warrant winter tyres? Agreed, the Met Office predicted one of the coldest winters on record starting in October, which, funnily enough has yet to materialize. Not sure what Piers Corbyn has to say on the subject but it might be more accurate. As for which tyre to choose, well, I'm holding out for some Conti PC2s as an all-rounder - for grip, ride and quietness. There seems to be a shortage at the moment though, which is just as well because I'm still saving up! According to various reports (including Which?), some of the cheaper tyres just don't have the requisite grip or stability (especially for such a heavy car), and of course this could mean the difference between having a crash and avoiding one. I'd say go for PC2s. If the roads are that tracherous then do you really want to take your car out? Consider the state of the tyres on the average Ford Fiesta!

Sorry, don't wish to sound patronizing, but are you 100% sure the battery is holding a good charge? Or even getting charged properly? Sounds obvious, but of course I don't know your reasons for saying it's the starter itself. I would not anticipate this kind of trouble after only 125k miles. 225k, perhaps! I changed my HT leads and plugs recently, and even that was enough dismatling for one day! Good luck anyway...

I recently bought, from an eBay seller in the US, a complete second-hand front steering knuckle/hub assy. When currency-converted, the item cost around £50 and the shipping £60. (It's a heavy object.) Imagine my shock on receiving a notification from Parcel Force, stating that my parcel would not be delivered until I paid a ransom of £28: £20 VAT and £8 "clearance fee"! I've made several attempts at calling the number given to dispute this extortion, but each time, after going through all the menus, was told "all of our agents are busy, try later" and was then cut off! A visit to the HMRC website does indeed indicate that VAT is payable on shipping as well as the value of the goods. And second-hand goods aren't exempt. I mean, WTF?!!! So, to sum up, they: (1) Steal your property (for which you have already paid) and demand a ransom for its return, (2) Demand a further ransom of £8 for doing this, and (3) won't answer the phone and just cut you off. And I still haven't even seen the item - it might be damaged or unsatisfactory in some way, and then what? And before you ask, I have not been able to find one of these in the UK. Yes, I did try you-know-who, and no, I wasn't happy with what he sent me. Not a good day.

Thanks guys. Funnily enough with the cable disconnected it still pauses halfway on the test sequence - maybe the '94 models were programmed to do that - I don't know. But the valve seemed smooth enough on its own (although I gave it a drop of silicone spray anyway). Not sure about low RPM as a possible cause - this doesn't happen every time and it certainly wasn't a problem last year. But I will bear in mind... Cheers...

OK, so there's an autumn chill in the air, and guess what - my heater is giving me grief! No probs with engine coolant temps - everything is OK in that department. However, sometimes (and only sometimes) it takes much longer than normal for the heater to start blowing warm air - and then it will suddenly start working. There are no error codes on a climate diagnostic check. However, when running the 'mode test' sequence (by pressing the 'recirc' button), the heater control valve (in the engine bay) works smoothly in one direction, but in the other it pauses half way and resumes with a click. I'm therefore wondering if it's sticking. So, I'm hoping somebody with a Gen 1 LS will be kind enough to check theirs for me and let me know if this is normal. The heater control valve is easily accessible, under a pull-off cover right at the top of the bulkhead. I just need them to run the test and tell me if theirs pauses halfway, one way. Haven't got as far as referring to the book - yet! Thanks in advance...

I don't know if you have/have access to a dial gauge, but it might be worth checking the disc runout - I think the spec is +35 microns or thereabouts (but don't quote me on that). Sometimes the deviation can be reduced just by rotating the disc by 1/5 of a turn each time until the minimum reading is reached. (Can't see many fitters going to that trouble, somehow!) I have Blueprint discs and pads front and rear and have found them to be fine. I can't help wondering if you have something sticking which is causing the disc(s) to heat up unduly - piston or slidebar. Do check this out before spending lots of money. The slide bars must be lubricated with special 'lithium soap base' grease, available from the main dealer. Any other grease may harden over time, causing the slider to stick. I once successfully had my front discs machined on the car (Ford Granada) when all else had failed, although the setup on those is different from the LS.

Hi, Just looking at the matrix chart for the '91, most of which should still apply (although you've eliminated most of it)... For "Hesitation/Poor acceleration" it lists: Ignition Signal Circuit, Main Oxygen Sensor Circuit, Water Temp Sensor Circuit, Intake Air Temp Sensor Circuit, Air Flow Meter Circuit, Throttle Position Sensor Circuit, EGR System, Injector Circuit, Cold Start Injector Circuit, Fuel System Circuit, Fuel Quality, Vacuum Leakage, Spark Plug, Ignition Coil, Distributor, Accelerator Pedal Link, Brakes drag when released, Sub Throttle Valve faulty, ECT faulty, Engine Mechanical & Others, Engine & ECT ECU. It then suggests: Valve Timing, Timing Belt, Piston Ring. Well, you can cross off 80% of that lot, and just a thought - has there been any work done on the transmission? If somebody forgot to reconnect a plug somewhere, it might think it's in a low gear which will also limit the RPM.

There is a tutorial for the 1st gen LS on lexls.com; I don't know if the '98 is the same in this department. BTW, he doesn't slacken the adjusters first, and therefore struggles to get the disc off. Before starting, I would suggest ordering replacement shoe retaining pins and cups from the dealer - mine were rusty (which I discovered only after dismantling) and I had to do the job twice. This is not a nice job, getting the caliper off can be difficult - as can refitting the springs and retainers. (The parking brake is not self-adjusting on the 1st gen.)

I did manage to do this job on my previous LS (about 5 years ago), with the help of the lexls tutorial. It is reasonably straightforward provided you have access to a hoist and plan the work meticulously. I did have trouble obtaining T4 from the Toyota dealer but got there in the end, it cost about £100 for the requisite 10 litres IIRC, plus a filter and gasket from a company in the US. I used red Hermitite to reseal the sump. This is the kind of procedure that needs to be tackled in a calm, collected and methodical manner, without time constraints. Best of luck...