Specialist Auto Electrician ? should we have a list of specialist known excellence in several fields ?

[Malc]

Gentlemen ......  this is proving incredibly elusive for me to find sadly in my part of Kent

I need one to identify my intermittent issue that's just a little more than bugging me !

There are those " Specialists " that are saying to cancel the booking for attention if it's not showing itself as a " permanent " problem two weeks before the day ........or later !

And another who looks brilliant on line, and local,  but apart from being able to send him by email, his phone seems unobtainable ......  guess covid or whatever 

So then, if anyone knows of a Kent based Specialist Auto Electrician, preferably local to me on Sheppey / Medway / Maidstone Kent then I would be so so grateful

Thank you

Malc

[nicnac]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

Gentlemen ......  this is proving incredibly elusive for me to find sadly in my part of Kent

I need one to identify my intermittent issue that's just a little more than bugging me !

There are those " Specialists " that are saying to cancel the booking for attention if it's not showing itself as a " permanent " problem two weeks before the day ........or later !

And another who looks brilliant on line, and local,  but apart from being able to send him by email, his phone seems unobtainable ......  guess covid or whatever 

So then, if anyone knows of a Kent based Specialist Auto Electrician, preferably local to me on Sheppey / Medway / Maidstone Kent then I would be so so grateful

Thank you

Malc

I should think that most fault finding guys these days do not want to bother with intermittent faults as they can take days /weeks/ never to locate without going back to basics . Most diagnosticians are lost without their fault codes etc and just want the easy jobs that they can trace easily . I cant blame them . Intermittent faults can be a pig , and wont show when you want them to . Techstream is a great tool but you need experience as well . In the modern world this is becoming hard to find . !

 

PS:- What is your intermittent fault ?

[Malc]

• Nick hi

From my posts from 31st January in the Post ISSUES AFTER HIBERNATION

Malc

Posted Monday at 03:52 PM

  On 1/31/2021 at 3:44 PM, Malc said:

no other car " self heals "  quite like the Lexus Ls400

well guys .......  it's done it again today 

Been a couple of weeks since she's been out and  about ...  started fine today, a bit warmer and sunny and dry ..  going to get some essential cat food at P-at- H a 5 mile drive ......  just approaching there and POP it all goes off again ............  so I didn't stop, just carried on home ..  at the traffic lights put her in P and when the lights change she won't move into Drive .... so I pressed the Gear Override button on the console and she pops into D ok and off I go .........  5 miles to home and radio works, cigar lighter works ( my phone charges in there )  but all else looks a bit " dead "  ...  just getting into my turning and BLIMEY  it all sparks into life again and seems fine 

So if it self heals it also likes playing around 

Asked my indy and he says electrics not his strong point so I'm awaiting his positive suggestion

I guess it's a local Auto-Electrician I need then ?

Anyone know of one on Sheppey, Kent

Malc

[Malc]

Found a potential Specialist at Aylesford in Kent BUT they're estopped from doing stuff coz of lockdown .  maybe start again end February they tell me !

Let's wait and see then 

Malc

[m4rkw]

Not really local to you but if you get totally stuck, Electrum in Wimbledon are very good.

[Malc]

Thank you 

Malc

[brendangeorge]

On 2/17/2021 at 12:25 PM, Malc said:

 

• Nick hi

From my posts from 31st January in the Post ISSUES AFTER HIBERNATION

Malc

Posted Monday at 03:52 PM

  On 1/31/2021 at 3:44 PM, Malc said:

no other car " self heals "  quite like the Lexus Ls400

well guys .......  it's done it again today 

Been a couple of weeks since she's been out and  about ...  started fine today, a bit warmer and sunny and dry ..  going to get some essential cat food at P-at- H a 5 mile drive ......  just approaching there and POP it all goes off again ............  so I didn't stop, just carried on home ..  at the traffic lights put her in P and when the lights change she won't move into Drive .... so I pressed the Gear Override button on the console and she pops into D ok and off I go .........  5 miles to home and radio works, cigar lighter works ( my phone charges in there )  but all else looks a bit " dead "  ...  just getting into my turning and BLIMEY  it all sparks into life again and seems fine 

So if it self heals it also likes playing around 

Asked my indy and he says electrics not his strong point so I'm awaiting his positive suggestion

I guess it's a local Auto-Electrician I need then ?

Anyone know of one on Sheppey, Kent

Malc

Hi Malc

I'd put my money on an intermittent engine ECU (duff capacitor, dry joint etc.) or one of the connections to it.  My wife’s Avensis has a duff body ECU which results in intermittent central locking operation.  The body ECU is part of the fuse box – I have a low mileage scrapper to refurb because Toyota want £1K to fix it.

There are 12 ECUs in a 400:

● ECU (ECM)
● Proportional Power Steering ECU
● Cruise Control ECU
● ABS or ABS/TRAC ECU
● Shift Lock ECU
● A/C ECU
● Body ECU
● Tilt/Telescope ECU
● Power Seat ECU
● Driver's Door ECU
● Front Passenger Door ECU
● Wireless Door Lock ECU
● Air Suspension ECU (if equipped)

The list may help you narrow down the fault.

You mentioned you could not select drive – check this URL out.  It is about converting a 400 to a manual gear box (nuts I know but it takes all sorts) 😊.  You can get an idea about how they are connected and what may stop you being able to select drive.

lextreme.com/forums/index.php?threads/tricking-the-ecu-with-5-speed-tranny.1301/

put www:// on the front of the URL above.

Some stuff on ECUs from our American pals:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-1st-and-2nd-gen-1990-2000/726265-how-many-independent-ecus-in-ls400.html

I don’t have a 400 or 430 any more so cannot be much more help – however I have been an electrical and electronics engineer for a few decades and know what a pain intermittent faults are.

You could try a heat gun (hair dryer) or freeze spray on the engine ECU to see if you can make it fail – this is a standard troubleshooting technique.  You could open it up and see if you can spot any bulging or leaking caps.

Good luck mate – now I need to do some work 😊

Bren

[Malc]

Oh my, are all these ECUs on the old and ancient Mk3 Ls400 too ?

😲

Malc

[Malc]

anyone any further thoughts on all this please ??

Malc

[Malc]

update guys ........  driven some 58 miles today ...  pharmacy and other " essentials " ........  stopped halfway thru to fill with fuel too ......... that's been a long time coming 

AND she behaved impeccably ....  no sign of my little gremlin .....  so what shall I do now ......  cancel the appt made for 11th March with a local garage electronics guy ( not specialist tho ) who said to give him 2 weeks notice and I should cancel 2 weeks before if it's not playing-up when I get the car to him !

Malc

[Malc]

ok update .......  I cancelled the 11th March appt and the chap was amazed and thankful I had called as he asked ....... overdue hearing back from the Aylesford Specialist .......... is he really worried about my issues I wonder 😷 ............ but having travelled some 40 miles today and no gremlins I'll leave things as they are and perhaps will leave this all in abeyance ftb .......... 

Jeez, the ( mine anyway )  Lexus Ls400 is such a dream to drive ......  no wonder I'm happy travelling 000's of miles in her, whenever and wherever I can 

Malc

[Malc]

On 2/17/2021 at 6:40 PM, Malc said:

Specialist at Aylesford in Kent

this guy feigned knowing anything about anything methinks 😲

he won't now respond to my simple request to look at my email and whatsapps to even say if he thinks he can consider looking at any of this ....  so I guess he just doesn't know what to say or do !  So much for being of any use auto eletrical specialist'wise eh !

If anyone needs to know who to avoid in Aylesford Kent .....  do please ask

Malc

[m4rkw]

Electrum 🙂

 

Edit: I mean take it to Electrum. Didn't want this message misinterpreted as them being who to avoid! 

[Malc]

yes I know you mentioned Electrum prior ......  the issue thankfully has evaporated at every subsequent trip I've done in her ......  I shall leave it all for now and if the gremlin reappears I'll sure consider Electrum

Thank you

Malc

[Spacewagon52]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

yes I know you mentioned Electrum prior ......  the issue thankfully has evaporated at every subsequent trip I've done in her ......  I shall leave it all for now and if the gremlin reappears I'll sure consider Electrum

Thank you

Malc

As you know Malc ....... the LS400 does repair itself!

[Tulpen]

2 hours ago, Spacewagon52 said:

As you know Malc ....... the LS400 does repair itself!

So did Steven King's 'Christine'!

[Spacewagon52]

2 hours ago, Tulpen said:

So did Steven King's 'Christine'!

That was a very scary film!