Ls400 mine, where's the longevity in this eh ?

[Malc]

Alternator crapped out last night, just as she was gliding into the parking space at our dinner venue 

24 years and 227,450 miles too and this the first time an alternator has gone

RAC absolutely BRILLIANT .....  assuming the diagnosis is correct, find out Monday ( new serpentine belt fitted recently, well, when the cambelt etc was changed )

The second time an alternator has gone on my Ls400, the first many moons ago, about 17 ? years on my Mk1 Ls400  and on a wet windy night time motorway, M2 or M20 and caused by the earlier PAS leak syndrome onto the unit

This failure is probably due to simple " old age " and miles etc .....  but she went very conveniently, if there ever could be a convenient time and place

courtesy of RAC Membership a free taxi home, 25 miles and car recovery overnight and taking the car to my indy Monday for repair etc

 

I'll keep you posted,

this is maybe a very rare occurrence, an alternator failure ??  any one else had to replace one ?

Malc

 

[ambermarine]

Had one go on my Mark1 that was due to the prevelant power steering pump leak recovered on the M8 and taken to The Arnold Clark Lexus dealership  in Glasgow which they lost shortly after, they were not very good.

The issue on the PSP was an o ring failure which as now been irradicated on the Mark 4.

[Malc]

26 minutes ago, ambermarine said:

which as now been irradicated on the Mark 4.

and hopefully the Mk3 too  .............  I'll find out Monday BUT there has never been any indication of any pas leak from the unit onto the alternator on mine 

[royoftherovers]

53 minutes ago, Malc said:

Alternator crapped out last night, just as she was gliding into the parking space at our dinner venue 

24 years and 227,450 miles too and this the first time an alternator has gone

RAC absolutely BRILLIANT .....  assuming the diagnosis is correct, find out Monday ( new serpentine belt fitted recently, well, when the cambelt etc was changed )

The second time an alternator has gone on my Ls400, the first many moons ago, about 17 ? years on my Mk1 Ls400  and on a wet windy night time motorway, M2 or M20 and caused by the earlier PAS leak syndrome onto the unit

This failure is probably due to simple " old age " and miles etc .....  but she went very conveniently, if there ever could be a convenient time and place

courtesy of RAC Membership a free taxi home, 25 miles and car recovery overnight and taking the car to my indy Monday for repair etc

 

I'll keep you posted,

this is maybe a very rare occurrence, an alternator failure ??  any one else had to replace one ?

Malc

 

Avoid cheap Jap cr** mi amigo.

It should have last at least a quarter of a million miles !!

[Britprius]

The problem with the alternator at that millage is likely to be the brushes have worn, Sometime just swapping them over is enough to restore normal operation for many more tens of K's miles as due to the configuration one brush always wares faster than the other. Even just fitting new brushes is much cheaper than buying a new alternator.

John.

[Malc]

37 minutes ago, Britprius said:

just fitting new brushes

many years ago I did this on a dynamo on my Wolseley 16/60, in the dark ages about 50 years ago maybe, cost about  2/6 pence  I think then

not sure I'm up to that these days tbh  

Malc

[Britprius]

8 minutes ago, Malc said:

many years ago I did this on a dynamo on my Wolseley 16/60, in the dark ages about 50 years ago maybe, cost about  2/6 pence  I think then

not sure I'm up to that these days tbh  

Malc

It's probably easier now as usually the brush holder is removed by undoing two screws in the back of the alternator. Back in the days you are talking about "I had an MG magnet virtually the same car as the Wolseley" you had to dismantle the Lucas dynamo to get to the brushes.

John.

[ajchetcuti]

Also had to replace mine but at 69k. There was no PAS leak it just gave up. Was going up the M6 in the rain and the wipers were slowing down and the dash lights were all lit up! It got me right outside my sister's house before it conked out. Couldn't really complain. That and the ECU are the only mechanical failure I've had on the car in almost 2 years.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

[runsgrateasanut]

Quote  -  24 years and 227,450 miles too and this the first time an alternator has gone -  Unquote. Can you be sure of this fact? Have you owned the Car for 24 years Malcolm?

Mine packed up on the M20 much as the expereience of Alexander above, had it gone just a further 500 yards I'd have been at the Stop 24 hour Folkestone Service Centre.  Mileage around 120k from memory. Leaking P/S pump probably didn't help but when I opened the Alternator up the Brushes were like packed coffee grouts in the top, so finally worn beyond contact. Can buy replacement Brush set for abour a fiver on eBay. Towed back 100 miles on trailer I had to replace both Alternator and P/S pump in my driveway.  Didn't let on that I had a replacement new Alternator in the boot, as unlikely that it would have been fitted and couldn't be sure at the time that it wasn't the P/S pump leak that was to blame. Ferry to France went witohut us, that day. 

[Malc]

52 minutes ago, runsgrateasanut said:

Can you be sure of this fact? Have you owned the Car for 24 years Malcolm?

I can be sure for sure 

owned her 8.5 years and the Full Lexus Service History for 123k miles prior showed no alternator change

Malc

[royoftherovers]

17 minutes ago, Malc said:

I can be sure for sure 

owned her 8.5 years and the Full Lexus Service History for 123k miles prior showed no alternator change

Malc

Only circumstantial Malc. The absence of something does not mean it hasn`t been done.  If you understand what I mean (lol).

Even Lexus can have a dilemma every Preston Guild or so.

[runsgrateasanut]

It would be a surprise if one alternator can go 227k miles but others only manage 120k.  Service books don't record actual replaced parts, only invoices do, I'd have thought.  But............

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, runsgrateasanut said:

It would be a surprise if one alternator can go 227k miles but others only manage 120k.  Service books don't record actual replaced parts, only invoices do, I'd have thought.  But............

I don't think it's unreasonable for an alternator to last that long, just as it's not unreasonable for it to last for only 120k.  Luck of the draw really, which goes for many car components. 

[Malc]

quite frankly I'm not at all surprised it's lasted 227k miles

My Mk1 Ls400 I changed the alternator when it blew out at about 150k miles following the age old pas O ring issue leakage and there was little doubt then that was the original alternator

this upset me tbh it only having lasted a short mileage, but accepted that cars do break down sometimes, even fabulous Ls400s 

I had thatcar since about 100kmiles and would have been really really upset if it had gone before or at that time

I think 227k miles is fair wear and tear and any longer would have been a bonus in life maybe ............  a little longer would have been happier though 

I don;t doubt that original Lexus equipment could easily last so well

Malc

 

[Malc]

so my car's now with my mechanic for autopsy 

there are 3 suggested alternator options for my specific car so he's got to check out all the numbers to make sure he gets the correct replacement

AND it's a bugger but the brand new Toyota Battery  put on last January has cooked / well at least totally died in the event too

no amount of recharging will bring it back to life sadly

I'll keep you posted

Malc

 

[runsgrateasanut]

On 1/5/2020 at 4:06 PM, The-Acre said:

I don't think it's unreasonable for an alternator to last that long, just as it's not unreasonable for it to last for only 120k.  Luck of the draw really, which goes for many car components. 

I have tried to restrain myself from responding to this, but alas........  How can two identical Denso Alternators with the same internal parts wear out the brushes at different rates on the commutator.  A variance yes, but not 100k miles variance.  Scientifically impossible I'd have thought.

When my Alternator etc failed, the Yuasa Battery which can only have been installed a year or so earlier (from memory) ran totally flat and was Turbo boosted (the kiss of death) by the Pick up people.  It was given another turbo boost to start the Car outside my drive and the car did run to put in the drive. You might have thought that the Battery would be a gonner. I trickle charged it and its still running today. Yuasa are great batteries.

[The-Acre]

13 minutes ago, runsgrateasanut said:

I have tried to restrain myself from responding to this, but alas........  How can two identical Denso Alternators with the same internal parts wear out the brushes at different rates on the commutator.  A variance yes, but not 100k miles variance.  Scientifically impossible I'd have thought.

When my Alternator etc failed, the Yuasa Battery which can only have been installed a year or so earlier (from memory) ran totally flat and was Turbo boosted (the kiss of death) by the Pick up people.  It was given another turbo boost to start the Car outside my drive and the car did run to put in the drive. You might have thought that the battery would be a gonner. I trickle charged it and its still running today. Yuasa are great batteries.

How can a car Battery last 7 years and another 1 year, a wheel bearing 100k or 250k, the starter motor the same?  Some LS starters have failed many haven't. 

[Malc]

good news, collecting the up and running Ls400 tomorrow, all done, final bill about £467 I think

I'll confirm tomorrow

Relief all round today 

I would have investigated specifically the Amayama route but didn't wish to wait a couple of weeks longer for the steed

so missed her, the Honda Legend is a great car but it's not really " me "

Malc

[runsgrateasanut]

 

Phil,

Different Antimony content, cheap verses expensive Battery - Life time expectancy seen on the sales lit. How long in storage before purchase.  Long pauses between use and /or short runs only, can reduce Battery life. That explains the Battery.

Wheel Bearings - depends on the manufacturer and way Car is driven, road conditions etc. Unless you can show a case where the Car has been owned from outset to the failure there won't necessarily be evidence of what is original.

Same with Starter motors although short runs and many start up situations will affect it more than irregular use of a Car. Daily start ups as opposed to once weekly start up.  Fact is, without owning a Car for the whole of its life you cannot be certain of the history of its parts and I don't think we have a Member who has owned their Lexus LS400 for the whole of its life?

I only say that two parts in regular contact must wear similarly for each vehicle where other factors do not contribute and mileage is the measurement.  Perhaps we'll agree to disagree, Phil.  

[Malc]

42 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

Some LS starters have failed many haven't. 

I know it's " old hat " now but the Mk3 starter motor was the subject of a free recall all those moons back

when i bought my car in 2011 from ACLex on here I did ask Lexus if it had been changed and they confirmed there was nothing outstanding

Malc

[runsgrateasanut]

5 minutes ago, Malc said:

I know it's " old hat " now but the Mk3 starter motor was the subject of a free recall all those moons back

when i bought my car in 2011 from ACLex on here I did ask Lexus if it had been changed and they confirmed there was nothing outstanding

Malc

That's interesting.  Was it recalled because it was redesigned or failure on previous models (hope not!) ?

[Malc]

no idea, sorry

M

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, runsgrateasanut said:

 

Phil,

Different Antimony content, cheap verses expensive battery - Life time expectancy seen on the sales lit. How long in storage before purchase.  Long pauses between use and /or short runs only, can reduce battery life. That explains the battery.

Wheel Bearings - depends on the manufacturer and way Car is driven, road conditions etc. Unless you can show a case where the Car has been owned from outset to the failure there won't necessarily be evidence of what is original.

Same with Starter motors although short runs and many start up situations will affect it more than irregular use of a Car. Daily start ups as opposed to once weekly start up.  Fact is, without owning a Car for the whole of its life you cannot be certain of the history of its parts and I don't think we have a Member who has owned their Lexus LS400 for the whole of its life?

I only say that two parts in regular contact must wear similarly for each vehicle where other factors do not contribute and mileage is the measurement.  Perhaps we'll agree to disagree, Phil.  

To be honest I'm not agreeing or disagreeing, or even debating the issue, but if someone says they have the original alternator after 220k plus miles I'm more than happy for that to be the case....or not.

[Malc]

On 1/4/2020 at 11:33 AM, Malc said:

and hopefully the Mk3 too  .............  I'll find out Monday BUT there has never been any indication of any pas leak from the unit onto the alternator on mine 

mine did NOT suffer from any pas leakage from anywhere .......  just so's you all know the Mk3 seems immune from this earlier catastrophic pas unit positioning

Malc

[Malc]

collected and oh how I have missed her this last week 

glad she's back, total cost £467.88

Auto Electric Co Alternator £298.48  ( exchange )

Yuasa battery   £79.40

Labour content £90

Malc

just out of curiosity they also supply dynamos ( bloody expensive for some ) and replacement brushes at sub £2 to almost a heady £5 ( not the 2/6 pence I remember from aeons ago )