New owner

[Tomtit]

I have just bought a 51 plate SC430. It is the one featured on the Youtube video by High Peak Motors.

I have fitted a used DVD player and the sat nav is now working. There is a buzzing when braking at low speeds; it is as though the ABS is about to kick in. I think the iron filings on the rear wheel speed sensors are pointing me in the right direction. When the workshop manual arrives from the U.S.A. I will do some dismantling and hopefully find the cause. I will report back on this issue as it may help others. (I have no criticism of the dealer on these 2 points. He has already spent a lot of money rectifying other problems).

The car is a nice drive, especially with the roof down in the recent hot weather. The armchair seats are really comfortable and the cabin is well kitted out. I think it would be even better with conventional tyres. The runflats have about 5mm of tread on them so I won't be changing them just now.

[Lexiguy]

Hi Richard

Welcome to the SC430 club it's great to have another northerner in the group.

I watched with interest both You Tube videos by High Peaks Autos on his SC430 and thought them very fair. I had wondered who had bought it and if it would resurface on here. 🤔 

3

It sounds like you have been busy since buying it and like me I am sure you will get lots of pleasure driving it and making repairs and upgrades.

I am sure your comments about run flat tyres is correct as I have heard numerous times about the improvement achieved by changing them. My car is on Michelin Pilots and I have been very happy with them. 

I bet you are spot on with your diagnosis about your rear noise but only further investigation and stripdown will tell. I improved my front and rear brakes recently with calliper refurbishment and all new brake parts which made a vast improvement.

I have a long list of work I want to do to make her the best she can be but it is a labour of love and I am thoroughly enjoying the process.

I live in Meltham on the edge of the Peak District and my drives are frequently over the Pennines in your direction so I may see you one day!

All the best, Anthony 

 

[Tomtit]

Anthony.

Thank you for the reply. The videos were honest and persuaded me to buy the car. The dealer spent a lot of money having various issues sorted, and I have come away with a very good car.

I used to have a BMW Z4 and my first job was to get rid of the runflats. It transformed the ride and made it much more civilised.

Your car looks pristine. The alloys are better than mine. I might change mine in the future, but in the meantime I need to have the alloys on the LS430 tidied up. The paint is flaking off.

I am in Longridge and the Forest of Bowland is on the doorstep. I am looking forward to some roof-down driving on the country lanes.

Regards.

Richard.

[Neil E]

Hi Richard, the abs noise is almost certainly the common wear issue on the rear reluctor rings. There are plenty of threads explaining what to do, I mentioned it to Matt in the you-tube comments section. 

Run-flats do ruin the comfort of the SC430, ditching them should indeed transform the ride, though not to LS 'magic carpet' levels and if you feel the need for a space-saver they are available.   

[Tomtit]

I had previously found iron filings on the tops of both rear ABS sensors. Today I took the sensors out and found more filings on the tips of the sensors. I picked them off, then cleaned the tips with contact cleaner spray. I used a round magnetic tool inside the sensor holes to clear the remaining debris. The reluctor ring castellations are less than 1 mm deep, so I don't think they will be sending much of a signal to the sensors.

I put everything back together and a test drive showed the problem still there.

I did not want the hassle of fitting new reluctor rings, so I ordered 2 new driveshafts from Rockauto. They come with new rings and dust covers, and I will also get the benefit of new rubber boots and bearings.

They are due to arrive next month. I will post the outcome in due course.

[Malc]

On 8/26/2022 at 10:09 PM, Tomtit said:

and found more filings

and where would they have come from  ???

Malc

[Tomtit]

I assume the filings are from the worn reluctor rings.

[Russ59]

On 8/26/2022 at 10:09 PM, Tomtit said:

I had previously found iron filings on the tops of both rear ABS sensors. Today I took the sensors out and found more filings on the tips of the sensors. I picked them off, then cleaned the tips with contact cleaner spray. I used a round magnetic tool inside the sensor holes to clear the remaining debris. The reluctor ring castellations are less than 1 mm deep, so I don't think they will be sending much of a signal to the sensors.

I put everything back together and a test drive showed the problem still there.

I did not want the hassle of fitting new reluctor rings, so I ordered 2 new driveshafts from Rockauto. They come with new rings and dust covers, and I will also get the benefit of new rubber boots and bearings.

They are due to arrive next month. I will post the outcome in due course.

How much have the new driveshaft’s cost and where do you find them on Rockauto?

[Tomtit]

Russ.

They are under SC430 - Drivetrain - CV Axle.

Total cost including shipping is £289.

[Lexiguy]

8 minutes ago, Tomtit said:

Russ.

They are under SC430 - Drivetrain - CV Axle.

Total cost including shipping is £289.

Hi Tom

The replacement of the whole driveshaft sounds a very good idea, thanks for sharing that.  👍 

Anthony 

[Tomtit]

Anthony.

I intend to keep the car for some time. I see replacing the driveshafts as an investment for the future. I don't mind crawling about under the cars now, but I don't know how fit I will be in years to come. It would be frustrating to have to get someone to do the work.

Richard.

[Russ59]

1 hour ago, Tomtit said:

Anthony.

I intend to keep the car for some time. I see replacing the driveshafts as an investment for the future. I don't mind crawling about under the cars now, but I don't know how fit I will be in years to come. It would be frustrating to have to get someone to do the work.

Richard.

My problem is that some years ago, I would have had a go myself to save on labour costs, but now I would sooner someone do it for me, so whichever way I go it’s gonna cost 😩😩

[Tomtit]

Russ.

I am now running 2 Lexus cars with 4.3 engines. Thankfully I don't do a big mileage. The SC is 21 years old, the LS is 20. At that age there will always be jobs to do. 

If I had to pay someone to do maintenance and repairs I would only have one car.

[Lexiguy]

Hi Russ

I feel the same way to some extent, its 40 years (surely not,  I hear you cry 🤣) since I was a car mechanic and now I have to psych myself up to do underneath jobs! Topside is not bad but my milage is catching up with me as far as bending, twisting, squeezing, leaning and stretching is concerned! Technology has moved on greatly but my lack of understanding in this area has been greatly helped by the Internet and of course my friends on LOC.

I do miss hard copies in the form of books I can read and pour over, I often wish Haynes had produced a manual for the SC430 I would have enjoyed that.

Hi Richard

It's over 25 years since I worked at a Lexus dealership and was witness to so much evidence of the quality and longevity of their vehicles. It would take me until a couple of years ago to decide an SC430 would be my retirement car.

I believe in main dealer servicing so Lexus Leeds look after that and have also done other work for me too. Jordan Robinson is the service manager and a great guy always interested and helpful. 

I now know I made the right choice and enjoy being the owner of an SC every day!

Anthony

[Spock66]

13 hours ago, Tomtit said:

I see replacing the driveshafts as an investment for the future.

I'd suggest replacing the diff driveshaft oil seals as well and might as well change the diff oil too if that has not been done.

[Lexiguy]

Hey Richard

Andrew might have a point, while the shafts are out it's a shame not to do the seals at the same time, and due to the loss in dif oil changing the shafts it would be a good idea to do that too!

Anthony

[Tomtit]

Andrew and Anthony.

I have had no formal training as a mechanic, and your level of knowledge will be greater than mine. I have looked at the Lexus workshop manual (pages 29-4 to 29-8). It seems to me that when I unbolt the driveshaft from the differential side gear shaft the latter will stay in situ and no oil will come out of the differential. Perhaps you could confirm.

The reason for asking is because the M.O.T. on the LS430 is not far off and I need to spend time on that car getting it ready for the M.O.T. I don't want to do any additional jobs on the SC430 if they are not strictly necessary. I have to work outside on the drive and they are forecasting a lot of rain for early September. I will have to pick my days carefully. (In my younger days I have crawled about under the car with a fishing brolley for protection against the driving snow. I am getting too old for those antics now.) 

[Malc]

On 8/29/2022 at 10:52 AM, Lexiguy said:

It would take me until a couple of years ago to decide an SC430 would be my retirement car.

that's brilliant Anthony, well done to have concluded your retirement car thoughts 

I'm still thinking ( age 72 ) BUT really doubt I'll ever willingly stop having my / or a,              Mk3 Ls400  ..  hopefully retirement driving will go on until the car takes you up to and past 100 or so eh 

Malc

[Lexiguy]

Hi Richard

Yes you are right....silly me 😜, there is more work involved than just pulling the shafts out of the diff which would loose some diff oil!

So stick to your first plan, it sounded a good one!

Anthony

[Tomtit]

Anthony.

Thank you for that. I will replace only the driveshafts at this stage. I will think about diff oil seals if I get a leak in the future.

Richard.

[Bob King]

On 8/26/2022 at 10:09 PM, Tomtit said:

I had previously found iron filings on the tops of both rear ABS sensors. Today I took the sensors out and found more filings on the tips of the sensors. I picked them off, then cleaned the tips with contact cleaner spray. I used a round magnetic tool inside the sensor holes to clear the remaining debris. The reluctor ring castellations are less than 1 mm deep, so I don't think they will be sending much of a signal to the sensors.

I put everything back together and a test drive showed the problem still there.

I did not want the hassle of fitting new reluctor rings, so I ordered 2 new driveshafts from Rockauto. They come with new rings and dust covers, and I will also get the benefit of new rubber boots and bearings.

They are due to arrive next month. I will post the outcome in due course.

Richard once you have removed the driveshaft and you are looking at the inside end of brake hub, the problem is the reluctor rings wear due to the stainless steel guard ring pressed into the hub… its being pushed down by excessive rust build up .

    You must take this ring off or your new driveshafts will be damaged within weeks of fitting them.

   See photo of damaged ring.

 

[Tomtit]

Bob.

Thank you. I had been wondering about that. I will definitely leave the guard rings off.

Regarding the hub nuts, are they both conventional right hand threads? Also, they are supposed to be torqued up to 289 Nm. My torque wrench will barely reach half that value. I was thinking of measuring the length of exposed thread before the nuts are removed, marking the nuts at the 12 o'clock position and using a long breaker bar to tighten them back in the same position. Has anyone come across a better way?

[Bob King]

39 minutes ago, Tomtit said:

Bob.

Thank you. I had been wondering about that. I will definitely leave the guard rings off.

Regarding the hub nuts, are they both conventional right hand threads? Also, they are supposed to be torqued up to 289 Nm. My torque wrench will barely reach half that value. I was thinking of measuring the length of exposed thread before the nuts are removed, marking the nuts at the 12 o'clock position and using a long breaker bar to tighten them back in the same position. Has anyone come across a better way?

I would say by the high torque setting they are both conventional right hand thread. Must state it’s very important to do them up to the correct setting .

as they say …you can’t do the job without the tools !

invest in a torque wrench from Halfords ,one of their professional range.

im a retired mechanic and purchased both high and low range Halfords professional torque wrenches, they have served me well .

Yes you could mark the nut and count the turns but not very accurate . Think the trade term was do up FT !

F**king tight 😉😉

…or once job is finished, leave hub cap trims off and ask a local garage to torque the driveshaft nuts up for you…£20 drink has to be better that £150 of new torque wrenches 👍🏻

[Tomtit]

Bob.

Thank you. I already have 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive torque wrenches. I have just added to my set by ordering the Halfords Advanced Torque Wrench Model 300. It will tighten up to 300 Nm. I suppose that tightening the hub nuts is a safety issue, so now I will be properly equipped. I don't mind paying to expand my toolkit as I will be saving money on labour charges.

[Bob King]

What I like about the USA workshop manuals is the diagrams of suspension/brakes, they have the torque setting for each nut and bolt listed 👍🏻