1996 LS400 Project. Let the fun begin.....!

[Howplum]

Six months ago I was offered this car, which my friend bought new in 1996, by the current owner who bough it from him in 2016, but he barely used it. As a result of it sitting on his drive for over 3 years it is now in desperate need of some serious TLC. I have had a few projects since I retired (I don't like golf), but they were all BMW and Mercedes-Benz, so this is my first Lexus.

I was offered the car in 2016, when it was still in regular use, but had to refuse due to other projects on the go.

Two things in its favour - the mileage of 79,000 and the price of £400. How could I refuse!

So far I am impressed with the build quality, especially compared to my previous projects. As an example, the wheel nuts were not seized and the alloy wheels were not fused to the hub, which has happened frequently to me before. I also noticed that Lexus used what looks like stainless steel bleed nipples - very thoughtful. Once the immobiliser had been disconnected the car started with no trouble, even after its extended slumber.

I have made a list of jobs that need doing, but no doubt that will change as I get more familiar with the car:

• Overhaul the braking system. At least the parking brake works well and wasn't even seized on after 3+ years
• Change the bonnet struts (common)
• Treat the car to a new Lexus Battery
• Carry out a full "B" service, although I might pass on checking the valve clearances
• Replace the timing belt, along with the water pump. I'm not sure about idler and tensioner though.
• Replace the N/S mirror glass (common)
• Recommission the A/C
• Get the climate control LCD display repaired (common). Apparently @steve2006 can help there
• Get the electric aerial working properly (common)
• Get the sunroof working properly. Apparently it's never been used in 24 years.
• Investigate the non-working heated front seats (common)
• Dry out and clean the interior. It looks as though water has got in behind the dashboard due to a blocked drain
• Tidy up the bodywork, especially the scrape down the offside
• Repaint the wheels

I did find a rear brake pipe had rusted through, just where it passes through a clip, so I had to cut the pipe and cap it, then I could at least manoeuvre it off the owner's sloping driveway. That was fun!

Some photographs follow, but those of you with a sensitive disposition, or OCD tendencies, might want to stop looking now!

I will keep you posted with progress, time and weather allowing.

PS: Are the registration letters appropriate? VRP = Very Reasonable Project. Alternative suggestions welcome.

 

 

 

[rich1068]

Excellent! And looks in remarkably good condition.

Keep us posted. Especially regarding how much easier they are to work on than German cars 

[Farqui]

Hi Howard, 

This LS does look in a sorry state but should scrub up nicely and all credit to you for taking it on.

Sounds like a great project and at that price, how could you possibly refuse.

Good luck, Lee

[runsgrateasanut]

Very Ripe Plum  - Water internally sounds like biggest issue -  good luck.

[ambermarine]

There is nothing there that you can't fix quick and at a low cost, get the fundamentals done mechanically before the cosmetics you don't want to waste your time if she as a terminal  mechanical fault .There does not look to be a lot of body corrosion have a good look at the chassis and running gear also.

[Howplum]

Thank you all for your encouragement.

You're right of course, @ambermarine, and I did notice there was the usual flaking paint and surface corrosion on the suspension components, so I will be cleaning those up before submitting it for an  MoT test. I've noticed in the course of my research that underbody surface corrosion quite often comes up as an advisory point on theLS400.

[steve2006]

This was my £200.00 project purchase a few years ago, a C-F packaged Celsior with all the toys and air suspension.

Sorted out the misfire but it had also damaged the cats, too old to start climbing under the car so eventually broke it and let it go for an engine transplant.

[cruisermark]

Very doable project - and I look forward to future progess reports.

The only the thing I would say which is not fixable is the heated seats unless you buy a new set of seats or strip the originals and replace the heating elements. This is was a common problem on the Mark 3 LS and I couldn't get mine to work even after buying a set of used seats from a 50k mile car.

all the best

[Howplum]

@cruisermark, I appreciate the heated seats are a common problem, and probably a lost cause. However my friend, the original owner, seems to think they stopped working after Lexus replaced the climate control LCD. You never know.......

[Howplum]

So the first job was to replace the bonnet struts. £65 from eBay and and a straightforward job. Now the bonnet rises majestically of it's own accord.  No more broom handle!

[MotorDevil]

That looks like a great project to have and nothing there that should put you off  and a lot of quick wins with just some elbow grease needed.

Will you have a go at the timing belt yourself?

[Howplum]

Thanks @MotorDevil.  Yes, I am planning to do the timing belt myself, subject to getting hold of the harmonic balancer locking tool. Approximately £70+ from the USA.

[Howplum]

Because a thorough overhaul of the brakes is required I removed the brake discs and calipers today. It was a pretty straightforward process, apart from one of the disc retaining screws which had to drilled out, and then the hole retapped.  All the cars I have ever worked on have only one such screw per disc, but Lexus decided to fit two.

I suspect the hoses are original, and if so they have survived very well, with no sign of perishing and only light corrosion on the ferrules.

The brakes are obviously binding so the calipers will need overhauling, with new seals, and possibly pistons too, but I will strip them all down first before getting in touch with Bigg Red.

The rear discs show evidence of binding, even though the rear brakes were disconnected when I moved the car:

• 

There is also plenty of flaking paint and rust scale all over the rear suspension and subframe, as mentioned on many MoTs, so I will be cleaning that up before the MoT test:

 

 

One of the rear shock absorbers has a light oil mist on it, and a damaged protective boot, so that may be an advisory. I'll see what my friendly tester says. I will clean it up first and monitor it, although ultimately it (both) will need to be replaced.

This is connector I used to isolate the rusted rear pipes:

One of the rear discs and its caliper. There are a couple of companies locally that do skimming, so I will explore that option first, because then I will still end up with the original discs, rather than aftermarket alternatives. There is no way I am going to pay Lexus's prices for their discs.

This is the connector above the subframe:

My original plan was to disconnect the middle union and just replace the rusted section of pipe. However, None of the unions want to come undone, so plan B is to remove all of the pipework to the rear brakes and replace with Kunifer. At least one of the unions to a flexible hose wants to come undone, but the other doesn't, but I have a plan....

This is one of the front discs, with a small lip, which hopefully can be machined out:

Unfortunately several spiders have been made homeless!

This is the rear face of a front disc. Clearly something is amiss because the contact area is much smaller than the front, and the pads have very little wear:

More to follow. At least the weather forecast is good for the next few days.

[Razor61]

Good luck with all the work and you deserve some applause for doing it 👏

I replaced the front discs and pads with genuine Lexus stuff and didn’t think the price was too bad to be honest, I priced them up with Lexus Parts Direct first and then called local Lexus dealership with the price and they matched it. Local dealership weren’t exactly pleased about it but any way you can save a bit helps. Approx £180 for front discs and pads, £210 ish for rear discs and pads iirc.

[Howplum]

Today, apart from cleaning the calipers prior to removing the pistons, I removed the rear brake pipes, which mostly involved plenty of penetrating fluid, a wire brush, a six sided 10mm socket and a hacksaw. I was lucky, only one of the studs for the retaining clips sheared off.

My plan B to undo the union to the flexible hose on the nearside was to use an Irwin nut remover, but even that failed.

Plan C is therefore the angle grinder, which means I'll have to order a new brake.

At last they're off the car:

The original culprit is at the top of the picture. However, it was clear that the pipes going to each wheel were similarly afflicted where the retaining clips were:

Surprisingly I was able to undo these unions without any trouble, so the connector will be used again, after treatment:

[Howplum]

Not much progress over the last couple of days, although I have ordered quite a few parts in the meantime, so hopefully I shall be putting the braking system back together in the next few days.

As far as the obstinate flexible hose connection is concerned, it eventually dawned on me, after a good night's sleep, that I could remove the retaining clip and take the hose to my workbench. Mind you, even clamped in the vice a lot of force was required to get the old union out:

Having done that, I then decided to replace all the hoses anyway! I have therefore ordered them from Lexus Parts Direct, together with a new Battery and other bits and pieces.

I have spent a fair amount of time cleaning up the mounting studs for the brake pipe clips, ready for installation of the new pipes. I shall be using new plastic clips and stainless steel nuts, although hopefully it's not a job I have to do again. Still, somebody might appreciate it in the future.

Today I took the pistons out of the calipers, using compressed air, and was pleased to find they were all in excellent condition, so I have ordered seal kits from Bigg Red.

Rear calipers:

Front calipers:

My next job will be to remove as much flaking paint and rust from the front and rear suspension components as I can and then apply rust treatment. That will be a fun job!

At least the forecast is good for the next few days, so I might as well turn the current restrictions to my advantage!

[Howplum]

I have now finished refurbishing the calipers:

I am awaiting the brake hoses and a few other important bits, which hopefully will arrive in the next few days. At least then I can put the system back together and put the car back on its wheels.

I did spend a lovely hour or so under the car this afternoon scraping off the flaking paint and loose rust, so hopefully that's one advisory I won't be getting.

I have also ordered 4 new Kuhmo tyres, but have no idea yet when they can be fitted. I'll just have to wait and see.

I also ordered several service items from Car Parts 4 Less, so they should be here next week.

There are a few bodywork trim pieces that need replacing, namely both offside wheel arch trims and the lower corner trims under the front bumper.

I rang Lexus Swindon and they quoted £120 and £150 respectively for the front and rear wheel arch trims. Ridiculous.

The bumper trim pieces are much more reasonably priced at £27.46 each. Mercedes-Benz's parts pricing strategy is equally inconsistent.

One job I do need to do is remove the wiper arms and plastic scuttle cover to investigate where the water has been getting in. Hopefully it's something simple like a blocked drain hole, fingers crossed.

[DruLS]

Obviously it's in need of some TLC but there's definitely a good car under there. And for that price you can't argue. I bet it's going to look great once you're done with it. 

[ambermarine]

18 hours ago, Howplum said:

I have now finished refurbishing the calipers:

I am awaiting the brake hoses and a few other important bits, which hopefully will arrive in the next few days. At least then I can put the system back together and put the car back on its wheels.

I did spend a lovely hour or so under the car this afternoon scraping off the flaking paint and loose rust, so hopefully that's one advisory I won't be getting.

I have also ordered 4 new Kuhmo tyres, but have no idea yet when they can be fitted. I'll just have to wait and see.

I also ordered several service items from Car Parts 4 Less, so they should be here next week.

There are a few bodywork trim pieces that need replacing, namely both offside wheel arch trims and the lower corner trims under the front bumper.

I rang Lexus Swindon and they quoted £120 and £150 respectively for the front and rear wheel arch trims. Ridiculous.

The bumper trim pieces are much more reasonably priced at £27.46 each. Mercedes-Benz's parts pricing strategy is equally inconsistent.

One job I do need to do is remove the wiper arms and plastic scuttle cover to investigate where the water has been getting in. Hopefully it's something simple like a blocked drain hole, fingers crossed.

Howard

Check the front sunroof drains are not blocked before you take out the scuttle and wiper arms, this is the usual cause of water ingress if the water overflows the sunroof tray and runs down the windscreen columns and then down the inside of the firewall.

The drains themselves actually run down the columns and then exit through the crumple zone into the area rear of the front wheel arch,push some weed eater cord through them .

[Howplum]

Thanks for that tip Phil, although by the time I got around to reading your message I had already removed the scuttle cover and wiper arms!

Still, arguably it all needed a good clean anyway.

I did as you suggested with the sunroof drains and had no problem inserting about one metre or so of wire on both sides, until I assume it hit the wheel arch liner. Apparently the previous owner never used the sunroof so it's all reasonably clean inside the aperture.

Unfortunately I did manage to break most of the clips holding the rubber seal to the front edge of the scuttle panel, so I will have to find some suitable alternatives.

[Howplum]

There we are, I said the scuttle needed cleaning:

I had some deliveries today. Firstly, a pukka Lexus Battery and terminal cover. A perfect fit:

Secondly, flexible hoses, brake disc screws, pipe unions and clips:

All being well the car should be back on terra firma, with working brakes, in the next couple of days, but first I need to dig out my thermals!

PS: For the eagle eyed, yes I do have the missing trim joint cover for the rear window.

[Razor61]

Looks like you are on a similar journey to me but for different reasons and in different areas on the car. Do you have the alloy wheel cap/trim thingy’s? On the original pictures of the car they are not there. I have 2 spare sets so if you need a set..........

[cruisermark]

Well judging by how clean the scuttle looks now I think we are going to end up with a showroom worthy car in the end

[Howplum]

Thank you all for your kind comments.

Thank you for your offer Paul, but I do have the centre caps. I just took them off whilst I was working on the brakes.

Over the last couple of days I have installing the new rear brake pipes (and their clips), flexible hoses, discs, refurbished calipers and pads, culminating in a full bleed and fluid change. Hopefully that should all last a few years.

The parking brake seems to work well, and I know these can cause a problem with lack of use. For some reason a lot of automatic drivers don't bother using it, with a predicatable result.

I was curious about the brake hoses for two reasons, because superficially they looked similar. One is that the front and rear are different prices from Lexus and the other is that only the front ones seem to be available from aftermarket suppliers.

I can't answer the first question, because all the hoses are the same length and have the same type of fittings. However, the banjo connector neck is at a different angle between front and rear. The other, more important difference, is that that the two flat sides on the ferrule at the other end are 90 degrees different, so they cannot be swapped. Useless information, perhaps.

I think my next job will not involve lying under the car in a 30 mph wind!

 

[Malc]

39 minutes ago, Howplum said:

I think my next job will not involve lying under the car in a 30 mph wind!

 

you can get that many cans of baked beans ??

Malc