End of the road

[thatfatbloke]

Had the power steering leak looked at today (see previous thread). The pump is leaking as is the pipe that runs close to the radiator. The garage phoned around everywhere about the pump, but kept being told 'main dealer only'. Main dealer want £1900 for the two items!!. Can't really use her anymore as fluid is leaking on to the alternator and making the electrics cut out. I could wait and see if I can find a used pump I suppose, but I need a car to get to work every day. So I am afraid she will have to go to the great scrapyard in the sky, which is a shame as I really loved her. 

[steveledzep]

That would be a shame.  Give these guys a try:

 

https://www.breakeryard.com/

 

[Herbie]

Try this place https://www.carparts-direct.co.uk/power-steering-pumps

They're very good to deal with and reasonably priced. They can even remanufacture your own pump if they don't have one on the shelf.

[Chris Skelton]

Hire a car and fix it! It's a LEXUS!

[Colin M]

Another alternative would be to try Paul Frost at Lexus Spares Direct - I can send you his email address and phone number if you need them.

[Herbie]

Why not just post the details anyway to help others as well?

Details taken from his eBay listings:

Lexus Spares Direct

PAUL FROST

autotek lexus spares direct
cottonhall street
bb30dw
Darwen
Lancashire
UK

Phone:07590072646

Email:paulnfrost@hotmail.co.uk

 

 

[mrdoofa]

7 hours ago, Chris Skelton said:

Hire a car and fix it! It's a LEXUS!

I thought the whole idea behind Lexus is that they don’t go wrong and shouldn’t need fixing!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[Stupot]

This seems ludicrously cheap... perhaps too good to be true

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Power-Steering-Pump-Fit-for-Lexus-LS400-1990-1997-OEM-44320-50020/112431774831?epid=1658801312&hash=item1a2d74bc6f:g:dAQAAOSwpvZaC6OY

[Chris Skelton]

5 hours ago, mrdoofa said:

I thought the whole idea behind Lexus is that they don’t go wrong and shouldn’t need fixing!!! 🤣🤣🤣

At 20+ years old, even Lexuses need attention. It's 'wear +tear' items

In these days of 'throw it away and buy new' - but the new seems designed for short life.

depends how you feel about driving something comfortable and relaxed?

[Malc]

17 hours ago, thatfatbloke said:

So I am afraid she will have to go to the great scrapyard in the sky,

you're totally bonkers when there's much simpler solutions to Lexus main stealer prices

Malc

[runsgrateasanut]

5 hours ago, Stupot said:

This seems ludicrously cheap... perhaps too good to be true

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Power-Steering-Pump-Fit-for-Lexus-LS400-1990-1997-OEM-44320-50020/112431774831?epid=1658801312&hash=item1a2d74bc6f:g:dAQAAOSwpvZaC6OY

Bought one from the States similar price - seems to be working OK. Its the pipe issue that may cost. Find out the part number and ask Lexus Direct what the pipe costs.

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, runsgrateasanut said:

Its the pipe issue that may cost. Find out the part number and ask Lexus Direct what the pipe costs.

I've never had to buy anything like that before in my life (now desperately clutching at some wood to avoid tempting fate!) but I do know that there are other places to buy hydraulic pipes besides main dealers too. Might it not even be possible to replace a specially-shaped metal pipe with some other sort of flexible pipe or is that 'just not done'? I'm no mechanic so just thinking out loud.

[Malc]

2 hours ago, Herbie said:

Might it not even be possible to replace a specially-shaped metal pipe with some other sort of flexible pipe or is that 'just not done'? I'm no mechanic so just thinking out loud.

Herbie, please read the other thread just prior to this  about substitute pas stuff and it's pipework ...............  it's fine and economic too in appropriate cases 

Malc

[cruisermark]

Many years ago when I joined there was a topic where it was suggested using microbore copper plumbing pipe and pipe benders to fabricate a replacement pipe - not sure if this is at all possible.

I also came across this website http://www.powersteeringstore.co.uk/

maybe they can help

[Malc]

my prior post referred to by thatfatbloke on his earlier post last week refers !

copper tube length £3 suffices as opposed to £171 ??  from Lexus

Malc

[cruisermark]

Found it! - Here is a link where a member used plumbing pipe:

https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/98529-ls400-mk-3-power-steering-hose-to-pipe-leak/

[mrdoofa]

On 12/28/2018 at 10:46 AM, Chris Skelton said:

At 20+ years old, even Lexuses need attention. It's 'wear +tear' items

In these days of 'throw it away and buy new' - but the new seems designed for short life.

depends how you feel about driving something comfortable and relaxed?

Yeah, I know that. I’m only having a laugh!!! I have an 18 year old 2.5 V6 mondeo and a 29 year old Rover 827. Like them both much more than modern cars!!!

[skyway]

I had my alternator go last year on my 430 after my ps pump leaked on it... I bought a replacement from Paul Frost (although I only see Colin up there in darwin) although I got the wrong model Alternator 1st and had to run up to change it on the same day... being that my car was in bits check the plugs they are the give away.

It was straight forward enough... just jack the car up or drive it onto a set of ramps access it from the top for the ps pump if I remember correctly and the bottom for the alternator the worse part was getting the connectors on.

Speaking of ramps has anyone found some wide enough for the Ls430? I am going to weld some up as mine are way to narrow and to short for my Taste as it is always a bit of a risky business finding the very fine line between on enough and falling off the ends got to be an inch in it.

I think mine are made from 20mm angle iron I think 40mm angle would be better also more of the blobby stuff as the factory seemed a little tight with the stuff like its done with gold wire even the sealey ones I ordered in once... I remember one of the struts even had only 2mm of weld on it they had missed the rest No quality control it seems even for a big company and it may just be a personal thing but if I am under the car (using axle stands also) I would like some faith in the kit i am using.

[Mikaelse]

Ouch....  Giving up on a LS400 because dealer part cost and labour is too much is not needed.  
You should at least sell it to someone willing to let it live on if it is otherwize ok.  
Parts for these cars can and should be bought for reasonable cost from Mailorder suppliers. 
Also OEM parts can be obtained that way less expensive. 
If you are not a "Car person" you need to find an independent mechanic that can also order good parts for you.  
Due to that finding, waiting for parts can take a while I have had a spare car to use if needed for the 3,5 years I have had a 1995 LS400. 
I had an extra old car and space for it.    
Felt too stressful to use a 20+ year old luxury car as a daily driver otherwize.
After the first major service and preventive stuff was fixed need for a spare car was minimal. 
That may have been plain luck though.  You were not that lucky 

 

  

  

 

[Malc]

8 hours ago, Mikaelse said:

That may have been plain luck though.

preventative maintenance is the key to longevity with our Mk3s I know .................  so not luck at all, just good planning

Annual service with the MOT and my indy is amazingly thorough and knows this car's going to last me for many years to come.

My indy also has the mindset to make sure my costs are kept to very best value ....  hence he was happy to use the copper tube method at £3 for replacing the front pas cooler pipe rather than the Lexus OEM steel part at £171 etc etc

I did find that other garages/workshops refused to use this method and would only use OEM .......  maybe thatfatbloke has encountered this syndrome with his mechanic

His £1900 would have been about £200 with judicious purchasing of the parts

I do " invest " in my car though, she's just a marvel for the 12/15k miles I cover each year

Malc

[Malc]

and is there a happy outcome to this ?

I hope so

Malc

[thatfatbloke]

I listed her on eBay on Thursday at 15.00 and within twenty minutes a bloke hit the buy it now button. I thought it would be a messer, but the guy duly travelled 80 miles yesterday to pick her up and drive her home leak and all. He's a trader in the North London area and he reckons on getting her fixed up and re-sold. So keep an eye out for her. 'L400 UFO' plate, gold MK3 with LPG, MOT September, 162000 miles.  My long suffering wife asked me if I would buy another LS, I said probably not as the three LS's I've owned have all come to a sticky end. The first one failed at the hands of the MOT tester (all four coil springs broken plus another couple of things which would have cost around £800 to repair). The second one was written off when a 1965 mini collided with the rear end, and this was the third one. I have always had to buy at the bottom end of the market so should expect problems, but there again I could have spent considerably more and still had the same problems. I am now the (not so) proud owner of a 1997 Volvo V70 2.0 non turbo estate which the previous owner seems to have been using to demolish gate posts and street lights with!. Oh well, who knows, one day I may return to the fold of LS ownership, but only when I have enough money to pay for repairs too. Happy New Year.

[Malc]

oh dear, you sold your Mk3 for a £200 fix + labour  .........  sad 😢

Malc

[mrdoofa]

I’d have to seriously think twice before buying another Lexus, I’ve had several now and all have been very troublesome. They don’t really deserve this so called “brilliant” reputation for reliability they have. It always makes me laugh when people say these are the best cars money can buy except for... then you get a huge long list of common issues!!! Yes, they are a nice enough car but let me tell you I’m currently “slumming” it in a V6 mondeo which is every bit as comfortable to me as the LS, in fact more so because after a long drive the LS430 gave me a bad back whereas the mondeo doesn’t. Being the Ghia X it has all the toys too. I also have the added luxury of knowing that if something does go wrong I won’t have to remortgage the house to put it right!!! Think about it, quite often with prestige cars you are paying for a badge not necessarily a better car.

[The-Acre]

14 minutes ago, mrdoofa said:

I’d have to seriously think twice before buying another Lexus, I’ve had several now and all have been very troublesome. They don’t really deserve this so called “brilliant” reputation for reliability they have. It always makes me laugh when people say these are the best cars money can buy except for... then you get a huge long list of common issues!!! Yes, they are a nice enough car but let me tell you I’m currently “slumming” it in a V6 mondeo which is every bit as comfortable to me as the LS, in fact more so because after a long drive the LS430 gave me a bad back whereas the mondeo doesn’t. Being the Ghia X it has all the toys too. I also have the added luxury of knowing that if something does go wrong I won’t have to remortgage the house to put it right!!! Think about it, quite often with prestige cars you are paying for a badge not necessarily a better car.

I can only say you've been unlucky. I've been driving a Lexus for about 12 years, all of them with some years behind them, and they've all been brilliant.  I wouldn't, even if I could afford it, buy a new one, simply because I don't like the look of them.