LS430 Build Thread

[big_rob_sydney]

Hi Pete,

  I live in Sutton (south London).

 

Thx,

Rob

[DaKa]

Rob, I had my LS430 wheels refurbished locally (between Brentwood/Billericay at a cost of circa £270.

The main thing is to get a company that completely strip the old paint using an acid bath and then powder coat inside and out before finishing off in your preferred colour - I stuck with original silver.

I believe that they have other franchise locations under the trade name 'PaintItuk.com' - My wheels came with a 3 year warranty - that was 18 months ago and they are still perfect.

 

[Haylands]

Rob, Having the CEL light on along with the VSC and TC is the standard fault displayed for an emissions problem, you will have to get the codes read to determine what fault you are dealing with... I'm getting my wheels refurbished at a local place, your local Lexus dealer will do a refurb service, or google a local place..

Onto todays fun... Taking the wheels off and delivering them to the refurbishers, they don't look too bad from a distance but all are curbed and corroded, with peeling paint so they do need it...

All loaded up with the new tyres, dropped them off and they removed the old tyres while I waited so they are going on eBay later... Should be ready Wednesday with a bit of luck...

Next job was to change the front lower arm rear bushes, they are held on with just three fixings, a 22mm nut, 22mm bolt and a 17mm bolt, I took the undertrays off as I have other jobs to do but you can do it without removing them, first job is to remove the 22mm nut from the bottom arm, it needed a breaker bar to get it going..

I then removed the big 22mm bolt that holds the bush on as well as the subframe, as I cracked it off a fare amount of water poured out of the fixing, seems like it gets trapped in there...!!

Remove this long bolt and then the 17mm bolt as well.

The arm won't go anywhere and doesn't need supporting, the bush then just slides off the end of the wishbone..

There is a tie down bracket on there as well, don't forget to put it back on...

Replacement is a reverse, start the three bolts and nut off but tighten the nut up first to pull the bush into the correct alignment then do up the two bolts, they need to be tight but don't go too mad...

The old ones were well worn, the drivers side had been "fixed" with some goo....

Even the "good" one was bad enough to cause problems...

Two new ones should last another 10years, these are original parts.. I don't mind using cheap parts for some things but IMHO it is false economy on bushes..

Had a good check over the underside, helped with the removal of the underbody shields, it all looks OK until I got to the back,  the passenger side height sensor location looks like this...

Spot the difference with the drivers side one....

The nut wasn't tight so the arm was sliding up and down through the full adjustment... I did think it sat high the other day when parked but then it was fine later, this was obviously getting stuck at various different heights... I soaked it in penetrating fluid and left it alone for a few hours, then removed the nut and put a washer under it, it appeared the nut had bottomed out and not tightened up fully, a washer sorted that and it is now tight, I'm not convinced with the sensor itself, it appeared to be very tight, I have soaked it and it's arms so we shall see what happens...

 

I took the covers off under the engine bay and found that Micky has been at home under there at some time, this is classic rodent damage, you can see the little teeth marks, luckily this is just a cover for a pipe and I couldn't find any other chewing...

So not too bad, everything else looks fine.... 

Then time to bling up the calipers a bit, they are starting to look old so a good sand down, I used a DA sander and finished by hand, and a wash off with brake cleaner

Then mask then up and give them a coat of etch primer and stick on some caliper stickers I got of eBay for a few pennies..

Use the stickers as a mask, I then sprayed them with metallic black high temp paint, love this colour, then removed the stickers to reveal the grey primer

The metallic black does need a clear coat so a few coats and the calipers are looking great....

Then the last job of the day, and much easier when on a ramp, was to clean up the tailpipes...

Before

Covered in carbon, tar and generally a mess, a good clean, first with brake cleaner to remove the tar, then a good going over with metal polish, these tips are stainless steel not chrome so you can clean them up well... Now all clean and shiny...

And that was it for today... air conditioning compressor will be changed tomorrow or Wednesday after a guy comes to remove the gas that is in the system, swap out the Lambda sensor that's faulty, bolt the wheel back on and have a great weekend in London, we are down for a retirement do and to catch up with old friends...

More to follow...

 

 

[big_rob_sydney]

Hi Pete,

  I followed the guide in this link (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-3rd-gen-2001-2006/329133-check-vsc-vsc-off-9.html ) and received the VSC 51 error code, which I then tracked down here (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-3rd-gen-2001-2006/477707-display-says-check-vsc-codes-are-39-and-51-a.html ).

  Is there anything else you recommend to extract the error codes? My car seems to be running fine, and on reading the information floating around, if its just that it takes a bit longer for the o2 sensor to read, that seems to be okay from what I can tell, but then that's only based on my feeling of how the car normally runs. Who knows whats really going on in there?

  On a related note, I rang Lexus Croydon today, to be told the hourly rate for labour is £186. I nearly fell off my chair.

  Would you be able to post any part numbers for the o2 sensor? I'm happy to buy them and get a local garage to install.

  Many years ago I swapped my rims out, and the set I got weren't the same. They looked great, but it wasnt original. The pro was that it was very quick and the car was basically back with me within an afternoon. The con was that the rims had changed to an aftermarket set, which looked a bit different. I think a few days wait to retain the originals seems like a good outcome, if you can wait that long.

Thanks,

Rob

[Haylands]

I had a look at that long thread that seems to just want to turn lights off rather than fixing the problem, I can't see a part where they have extracted exact fault codes... How did you find it was fault P0051..?? If you haven't had the codes read then it is important that you do before anything else. You can buy an OBD11 scanner very cheaply and do it yourself... 

This is the sensor I bought, it should turn up today, probably fit it tomorrow so I'll post on here if it works...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181699077492

You will be fuelling on the base map with a failed sensor, if your car is not running at 100% then there is the possibility of catalytic converter damage, engines that are running rich "feel" ok but there are consequences....  

[GrahamG]

Peter, thank you so much for an outstanding thread. Especially all the informative photos.

[cruisermark]

Excellent write up pete! - I'll wait till you have your car on the road - Please do post up what difference you feel regarding the bushes.

[39buss]

Just a point on your excellent write up. Those valves don't look like TPMS type but I'm sure you'll take care of that when the new tyres are fitted.

[39buss]

On 19/04/2018 at 3:29 PM, cruisermark said:

Excellent thread and work! - I have done this but I lack the ability to think outside the box like using a bit of tissue lol! Brilliant

I tend to use a bit of masking tape to hold awkward nuts/bolts in sockets to get them started/undone.  

[Haylands]

4 hours ago, 39buss said:

Just a point on your excellent write up. Those valves don't look like TPMS type but I'm sure you'll take care of that when the new tyres are fitted.

The LS430 has the much better TPMS system, instead of using unreliable very expensive valves it uses the speed sensors that are already there and used by the VSC and ABS, TC etc to determine if the wheels are losing air... IMHO far more reliable and a damn sight cheaper....

[ambermarine]

Well done with the latest update Peter very informative and interesting, just one point I would make regarding tightening any critical suspension or running gear components ,I always use the torque settings from the workshop manual especially as OEM parts are not warranted if the torque settings are not used properly.

[39buss]

20 hours ago, Haylands said:

The LS430 has the much better TPMS system, instead of using unreliable very expensive valves it uses the speed sensors that are already there and used by the VSC and ABS, TC etc to determine if the wheels are losing air... IMHO far more reliable and a damn sight cheaper....

I didn't know that so thanks for the update. I test drove an 05 new shape GS300 this week and it had the type with the nut half way down the valve. 

[Haylands]

11 hours ago, ambermarine said:

Well done with the latest update Peter very informative and interesting, just one point I would make regarding tightening any critical suspension or running gear components ,I always use the torque settings from the workshop manual especially as OEM parts are not warranted if the torque settings are not used properly.

I hear what you are saying but I can't fully agree, torque settings are fine with a new component on a new car with a new bolt and nut, use the old bolts, in captive nuts and tighten them up to the specified torque and you stand a very good chance of stripping the threads or snapping a bolt, with experience you get to know how tight a bolt or nut was when you undo it, it's just a feel thing...!!! Personally I would rather under torque it slightly, I've been doing it for years and never had a problem or a bolt/nut undo... I'm sure others will have a different slant on it but you tend to do what works for you...

4 hours ago, 39buss said:

I didn't know that so thanks for the update. I test drove an 05 new shape GS300 this week and it had the type with the nut half way down the valve. 

You can get metal valves that look a lot like TPMS valves so it is not a certainty that it has them...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOLT-CLAMP-IN-CAR-VAN-WHEEL-ALLOY-STEEL-TUBELESS-TYRE-VALVES-X-4-DUST-CAPS-/161255459048?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10

 

[Haylands]

Onto todays fun...

Changing the air conditioning compressor is a bit fiddly because of the limited space, especially when you have hands like a gorilla...!!

I'd taken the undershields off and it made it a lot easier to take off two further plastic guards and the front ARB...

10 fixings and they were all off...

Not much to photo when swapping the compressor it has three bolts that hold it on, two pipes with clamps and an electrical socket, didn't take long to swap it, here's the new one all fitted...

Was glad to see a genuine oil filter on there... you can also see the blocked off original gearbox oil cooler pipes...

Then time to change the Lambda, the cheap eBay one had turned up, it was described as a pre-cat lambda but not sided, well they are on my 430, the one on the nearside has a short lead, the one I needed to change had a longer lead and the one they sent wouldn't fit... Oh well, ordered one from the local parts store at twice the price and soon had the right one... They are refunding me for the other one..

This lambda is fitted under the engine in the header and is surrounded by a heat shield so you can't get a spanner on it, these tend to tighten up very tight so the answer is to cut off the lead and use a 22mm deep socket to remove it, had to get my mate to do this as I couldn't get my hands in there, it is tight... it fits inside the red circle...

It's a bit counter productive to cut the lead off the new one so luckily they make a socket just for this job...

A 22mm socket with a big slot cut in it, Lambdas are a lot like spark plugs with a crush washer so you don't have to do them up real tight, just feel the washer give and that's enough, they get very tight after being in a few years though.... Just enough room for the socket...

Then a last check over and put all the shields and ARB back on, then noticed that some ****** had left the back door open on Monday and it had flattened the Battery...Doh..!!

Got a phone call that the wheels are ready for collection but I've left it till the morning now as it'll be easier to pick them up on the way in... it's booked into have the aircon refilled at 11am so hopefully it will all be finished by lunch, we're going to London for the weekend so it will get a good test...

I put the old (new) tyres on eBay last night and had an offer of £350 for them today so the new Dunlops have cost less than £100 for the set.... result...

(I am a southerner but since moving to Yorkshire I have got very tight...!!!)

You will have to wait to see what colour I chose for the wheels...!!

 

 

[Haylands]

Wheels picked up, refitted and job done... I went for the original colour on the wheels... the center cap looks a different colour on the front wheel but it's not really.!!!

Time to enjoy it now...

 

[cruisermark]

Man those wheels/calipers look good! I’m going to have to copy you!

whats the verdict on the bushes?

[Haylands]

15 minutes ago, cruisermark said:

Man those wheels/calipers look good! I’m going to have to copy you!

whats the verdict on the bushes?

Decals for caliper masking...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-CURVED-HIGH-TEMP-BRAKE-CALIPER-CAST-VINYL-DECAL-SET-STICKERS-GRAPHICS-MOD/270871152574?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Bushes have made a huge difference, so have the softer quieter tyres, if I am being fussy it's still not quite as smooth as it should be but I am comparing a 5 year old car with 40k odd miles to a 14 yr old with 124k so maybe I'm expecting too much...

[Haylands]

Well it had a good test over the weekend, nearly 600 miles.. there is still something wrong with the front suspension, it appears to get worse after driving for a period of time, it's best described as a wobbly or shimmy after hitting a pothole, it is 80% better than it was with the new bushes but still there to some extent, once or twice when braking across camber there was a vibration like warped discs through the steering wheel... it's looking like shocks but they seem to work well at other times, doing a bounce test shows then acting just like they should and driving fastish over undulations shows no bouncing, just controlled damping... I'm going to stick it back on a four post lift tomorrow and give all the other suspension joints a good going over.... Watch this space....

[cruisermark]

Its all good education Peter and at mileages of 100k it can be expected than one or two things are worn.

[DaKa]

I had a problem with vibration braking from circa 70 mph on my LS430 and thought it more likely to be bushes (upper/lower control arm or track rod ends) rather than the front disc/rotors. However changing the front Rotrs/Pds also cured my wobble?

On the Lotus owners forum where I go for Esprit issues there is a lot about how the bushes can look fine but under the stress of braking etc they show their weakness causing juddering/wobble. So if your happy that your rotors are premium and not imperfect then you are right to look at other wear and tear items that may have perished.  

 

[BarneyTT]

On 25/04/2018 at 9:21 PM, Haylands said:

blocked off original gearbox oil cooler pipes...

Peter, apologies if I've missed something in the thread......I'm curious about the blocked off gearbox cooler pipes, I understand the original radiator has the trans cooler integrated and is potentially problematic. Is your car fitted with a seperate cooler?

Very interesting and informative thread, I'm following this with interest.

[Haylands]

3 hours ago, BarneyTT said:

Peter, apologies if I've missed something in the thread......I'm curious about the blocked off gearbox cooler pipes, I understand the original radiator has the trans cooler integrated and is potentially problematic. Is your car fitted with a seperate cooler?

Very interesting and informative thread, I'm following this with interest.

Yes, it's somewhere on page 1...!!

It has had the original cooler pipes blocked off and a new air to oil cooler fitted below the front bumper crash box to eliminate the known integral oil cooler failure.

Seems to work fine...

 

[BarneyTT]

Thanks Peter, looks like a nice fix.

Best of luck sorting the suspension issues sorted.

[cruisermark]

Any update on the suspension issue Pete?

[Haylands]

Not had time to go into it, should get some time after the bank holiday...