SO.. My much abused and now loved ls430 is ....

[skyway]

Hi guys,

SO.. My much abused and now loved ls430 is .... not starting so well it seems.

Mostly when I have been on a run I will stop and she wont start but after a few attempts she will I even had to pump the throttle once.

I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump relay (only coz I read about it on a forum some time ago) but I am not sure.

It has had a new Battery, MAF sensor has been cleaned, timing belt done (still working), Battery in the key fobs have been changed. I am thinking about shaking it or hitting it with a hammer to get it working again.

I just wondered maybe someone might have an idea on what's wrong with her before it's hammer time :)

Oh and I changed the radiator I think I made a mistake buying one off eBay (new) it's not a toyota of course and the bugger started to leak at the seam between the plastic and the metal.

I bought a new one as I needed the car to work on the asap, It came today  I opened it and it had been used and stuck back in the box after talking to the supplier in which time he hinted on 1st I should fit it anyways, 2nd even though there was antifreeze all over it and the box that it hadn't been used, 3rd that I should drive 30 miles to pick  up a new one lol. It had staining marks on it where mine had leaked.

So I'm am thinking that these ones on eBay aint worth buying as they can't keep up. Oh and the radiator has been fitted for 4 weeks.

I am now thinking about getting one from lexus... £350 ish I believe a huge jump up. Any ideas anyone?

Many thanks for taking your time to read this guys and thanks in advance for any help or abuse given.

[black400]

Throttle position sensor could be playing up

[skyway]

OHhhhh where might I find that beastie? and is it cleanable or does it just need a quick tap with my hammer?

[black400]

On the throttle body . Not cheap so shop around, I had two LS 400 I share by CATHACLEAN, Halfords ,  I was thinking of a LS 430 , nice one here in Ireland on gas for 4500 Euro,  not sure .

[skyway]

Thank Martin I will look into it.

I think for my money the ls400 is better I am kinda regreting the 430 a little bit (don't let my wife know she thinks I love working on cars) as lots of the mod cons are a pain in the bum for breaking.

Mine thank god has coilovers no way you could get me on air shocks with all I have heard. This of course is just my humble opinion and with that in mind not worth a damn thing :).

Always wanted to put this thing onto gas... Once I (IF) get it working well I will.

[runsgrateasanut]

Do you only do short runs?  Have you used injector cleaner lately?

ps What brand of Rad did you purchase, so others know what not to buy. For my 400 I have a Nissens which I bought off eBay and yet to decide if to fit.  Seemed to have good feed back on the product. Made in Denmark/Sweden or somewhere.

 

 

[skyway]

Hi Stuart,

I only do long runs and no I have not used injector cleaner ever, have they ever clogged up on you?

The rads I believe are cheap Chinese copy's not that the Chinese don't make good items just that theses ones are... well crap.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-LS430-4-3-32V-2000-2006-NEW-MANUAL-AUTO-RADIATOR-425x757mm-/121996008258?hash=item1c67875b42:g:JOEAAOSwepZXRDUk

I got one more coming tomorrow which I will fit (not holding my breath though I'm kinda sure it will leak).

Then I guess I am gonna get a lexus one I think there is a lexus dealer in warrington and im up there on the weekend so if they got one in stock I will go for it .

[Chris Skelton]

Rads can also be recored-even repaired. check Yellow Pages (I know-old technology!)

[skyway]

I would and have had a rad repaired not in while though. But this radiator is new and if it's already leaking it's got to be not worth fixing I recon.

A funny thing the eBay seller told me to glue it or give it a squeeze with some pliers lol

 

[SHELLDRAKE]

Allan: there are no Lexus dealerships in Warrington only car show rooms who might sell Lexus cars so they wont have supplies, My local dealer in Ellesmere Port, don't have a spares department, if an item like what you want is needed they order it from a central warehouse the same as other Lexus Dealers.  

[skyway]

Thats a shame. back to the drawing board. Tbh the rad is the smallest of my problems the not starting is the worry.

The rads just a part swap i guess

[mikeyv]

You can get a Denso for half the Lexus price, a brand that many fit as original equipment, Lexus included.

Opie advertise that on eBay, maybe you can find it cheaper still, or ask Opie if they give the normal 10% members discount on that price.

£40 is suspiciously cheap imo, for a decent quality rad, after all, the idea is to eliminate a common fault, so pointless fitting crappy gear, given the possible disastrous consequences.

[skyway]

Hi Mikey

Thanks for the advice mate. I will look at buying one right now.

[mikeyv]

You're welcome Allan, good luck.

[black400]

Breakers and bring it to a tad specialist to refurb , a lot cheaper and he will pressure test it

[The-Acre]

Does it start OK when cold or is it cold and hot? 

[skyway]

Hi when is hot or warm.

If I take it out on a run leave it for a bit then it's hard to start.

[The-Acre]

This is something that I mentioned a few weeks ago, and a problem my wife had with her car. It is possible that the temperature coolant sensor is going south, a relatively cheap part so it may be worth changing.  I think I mentioned in that previous post that some refer to it as the master sensor as it can have an effect on most areas of the engine.

 

[skyway]

Sorry I'm not really good with all the terminology is it also called a thermostat?

Did you change the one in your wife's car?

[Tinonline]

Ouch the Rad thing is annoying and the eBay seller should swop it or refund...or pay for the repair if that suites you.

I'd tend to get the old one rebuilt as it will come in well under your Lexus new price and - self-satisfaction bonus point - you have retained the original equipment. In my experience it will be as good as new too.

On the starting: if hot sounds like fuel sensing so I'd be looking at temp sensor but you can tell as it fails to record temp. doubt injectors or plugs, lamda sensor going or as previously mentioned throttle positioner is very likely. Worth running out to a Lexus indie or even Lexus to plug in to get the fault codes as that way you won't end up replacing the whole car in the search of the fault.

Don't worry about the starting - you'll soon get that fixed. Car will also soon be as good as new.  

 

[skyway]

problem is the rad in the car is a crap one to start with. No matter now though I ordered a Denso.

 

It's a shame there are no fault codes to go from I checked with my reader

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, skyway said:

Sorry I'm not really good with all the terminology is it also called a thermostat?

Did you change the one in your wife's car?

Its not the thermostat, it's a small sensor that sits somewhere near the top middle of the engine. I changed my wife's one in 60 seconds but that was a Vauxhall!  I'm assuming Lexus are the same, if so its not the same sensor that registers the temperature gauge on the dash.  I've not done it on an LS but it looks easy enough. If you google it you'll be able to see what the part looks like, it's about £15-ish

[skyway]

The temp gauge hasn't not worked..just yet but I will watch it as I might not have noticed

[steve2006]

First thing to do is have the OBDII fault codes read, even if the EML is not illuminated there may be fault codes stored in the ECU which may help diagnose the problem.

Guesswork diagnostics is the most expensive way to repair a car, although my money from your symptoms would be on the CPS.

[skyway]

Hi Steve,

I put A reader on and it's not showing any codes at the moment. So I'm back to guesswork.

If I can't sort it in the next week I will drag it up north to an Indy recently mentioned on the forum .

What's the cps mate?