Ls 400 Starter

ROYT · March 27, 2010

My '94 LS 400 starter finally refused to engage with the usual contact wear problem.

After making a brilliant car Toyota spoiled it by putting

the starter in the most stupid place they could.

The labour charge for replacing it would now exceed the value of the car,

even though it's only done 70 odd thousand miles.

So if you are handy with the spanners you have to do it yourself!

Everything imaginable is in the way when you try to get to it and

after you have removed all the inlet manifold and attached parts you can finally see the motor.

In their wisdom they bolted this in with two bolts FROM THE REAR so its damn near impossible

to get any spanner on them.

I left the EGR pipe in place which didn't help much, but the 2 lower bolts holding this on

are too far down to reach from the top and I didn't want to lie on the floor looking for these!

Now here are a couple of tips which are the point of this saga,for anyone doing this job

Buy a LONG 14mm spanner, the standard length is almost impossible to work with 'cos

of things in the way. [Couldn't get any ratchet or swivel head spanner or socket in.] Even with this you are only going to get a 1/4 of a turn on either bolt right to the end, allow more than an hour for each!

Faced with the same problem putting them back I devised a cunning plan!

When the bolts are out, carefully cut a neat sawcut in the centre of the threaded end and don't

leave any burrs on it or mark the threads, make sure the threads are clean.

Once you have started the bolts back in you can get a thin screwdriver and WIND THE BOLTS RIGHT IN FROM THE THREADED END. This just leaves final tightening and saves hours of aggravation.

Put rags or something in all open cavities, you don't want to drop something in the engine do you!

Hope this is some help, it's a lot of dismantling, don't forget to get new gaskets.

SteveLS400 · March 27, 2010

Faced with the same problem putting them back I devised a cunning plan!

When the bolts are out, carefully cut a neat sawcut in the centre of the threaded end and don't

leave any burrs on it or mark the threads, make sure the threads are clean.

Once you have started the bolts back in you can get a thin screwdriver and WIND THE BOLTS RIGHT IN FROM THE THREADED END. This just leaves final tightening and saves hours of aggravation.

Put rags or something in all open cavities, you don't want to drop something in the engine do you!

Hope this is some help, it's a lot of dismantling, don't forget to get new gaskets.

Inspirational :winky:

dan_t · March 27, 2010

I did this job a few weeks back - not the most fun thing to do on your day off thats for sure but was a whole load cheaper than taking it somewhere and pay to have it done.

ManicMark · March 29, 2010

A mate of mine got his done including a starter rebuild for £120 all in at auto electrics Ilford( I dont think they will be doing anouther one for that price)

ROYT · March 30, 2010

A mate of mine got his done including a starter rebuild for £120 all in at auto electrics Ilford( I dont think they will be doing anouther one for that price)

I don't think so either, but if they do there will be a queue at that price!

I already had parts ro fix mine,but there is so much to dismantle I bought a starter from Lexus

in case something else failed and I had to do it all again!

JellyBean · March 31, 2010

After making a brilliant car Toyota spoiled it by putting

the starter in the most stupid place they could.

Almost certainly, it would be the only place they could put it. Although, putting the bolts in from the rear seems a bit obtuse. I remember some Jaguars had both the starter bolts joined together with a semi-circle of steel rod, so you ony needed to tighten the nuts without trying to get at the bolt heads. This said, starter replacement on an E-type was not for the faint-hearted - but probably a lot easier than on an LS.

Odd for a starter to go wrong at only 70k miles?

Chris Skelton · March 31, 2010

Inspirational ....AND depressing!

About to get mine back on the road after winter. So hoping my 83K mile one is still fine!

Have a good weekend everyone!

ROYT · March 31, 2010

Inspirational ....AND depressing!

About to get mine back on the road after winter. So hoping my 83K mile one is still fine!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Re jellybean,'odd for starter to fail at 70k'

Agreed, can only assume previous owners, did a lot of short journeys.

I think the starter should be twice as big for reliability 'cos

of where it's sited!"

Manc · April 2, 2010

Inspirational ....AND depressing!

About to get mine back on the road after winter. So hoping my 83K mile one is still fine!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Re jellybean,'odd for starter to fail at 70k'

Agreed, can only assume previous owners, did a lot of short journeys.

I think the starter should be twice as big for reliability 'cos

of where it's sited!"

mines done 220k (ish) and is still fine.... but i was planning on doing my egr pipe soon so would it be an advantage to change starter at same time too? is it really that bad

ROYT · April 2, 2010

Inspirational ....AND depressing!

About to get mine back on the road after winter. So hoping my 83K mile one is still fine!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Re jellybean,'odd for starter to fail at 70k'

Agreed, can only assume previous owners, did a lot of short journeys.

I think the starter should be twice as big for reliability 'cos

of where it's sited!"

mines done 220k (ish) and is still fine.... but i was planning on doing my egr pipe soon so would it be an advantage to change starter at same time too? is it really that bad

I would while you have it stripped, there is so much to remove to get to it.

At the back is a boxed in harness bolted to a crossover water pipe, there is not enough slack in this even when its unbolted and creates another fiddle of a job to work around it.

John Lawley · April 12, 2010

i think it's more age then use that kills the starter motor, mine went at 208k and 14 years old.

ROYT · April 12, 2010

It was just the usual copper contacts worn thin, readily available as a kit.

I had them already, but decided to fit a new motor 'cos of all the dismantling needed.

sir john · April 14, 2010

You`re a hero for persevering. 15 years or so back i had a Talbot Rancho with the 1442cc Simca engine. My son and i had to change the engine for one from the scrappers. The alternator kept catching on the slam pannel were the bonnet shuts every time we tried to lower the engine into the engine bay. So we removed the alternator and dropped the new engine into place. Connected everything up, clutch, gearbox, exhaust etc. Then found that the Frenchies hadnt left enough room to get the alternator back on. Brilliant. Everthing back off the engine. Engine mounting unbolted. Trolley jack under to lift engine so we could get the alternator back on.

I know there isnt much room to work on our Lexus` but look on the bright side. At least we dont have to drive a Talbot.

Bet my starter motor goes next week!

ROYT · April 14, 2010

You`re a hero for persevering. 15 years or so back i had a Talbot Rancho with the 1442cc Simca engine. My son and i had to change the engine for one from the scrappers. The alternator kept catching on the slam pannel were the bonnet shuts every time we tried to lower the engine into the engine bay. So we removed the alternator and dropped the new engine into place. Connected everything up, clutch, gearbox, exhaust etc. Then found that the Frenchies hadnt left enough room to get the alternator back on. Brilliant. Everthing back off the engine. Engine mounting unbolted. Trolley jack under to lift engine so we could get the alternator back on.

I know there isnt much room to work on our Lexus` but look on the bright side. At least we dont have to drive a Talbot.

Bet my starter motor goes next week!

Hope not!

Think we've all been there.........!I can remember changing a Citroen CX gearbox on my

drive with hardly any tools and expecting to drop selectors during reassembly!

Changing rear brake cylinders on a Vauxhall in the snow! nice!

Happy days....

SteveLS400 · April 14, 2010

You`re a hero for persevering. 15 years or so back i had a Talbot Rancho with the 1442cc Simca engine. My son and i had to change the engine for one from the scrappers. The alternator kept catching on the slam pannel were the bonnet shuts every time we tried to lower the engine into the engine bay. So we removed the alternator and dropped the new engine into place. Connected everything up, clutch, gearbox, exhaust etc. Then found that the Frenchies hadnt left enough room to get the alternator back on. Brilliant. Everthing back off the engine. Engine mounting unbolted. Trolley jack under to lift engine so we could get the alternator back on.

I know there isnt much room to work on our Lexus` but look on the bright side. At least we dont have to drive a Talbot.

Bet my starter motor goes next week!

Hope not!

Think we've all been there.........!I can remember changing a Citroen CX gearbox on my

drive with hardly any tools and expecting to drop selectors during reassembly!

Changing rear brake cylinders on a Vauxhall in the snow! nice!

Happy days....

I can remember the 1st mini engine I changed. No so-and-so told me to crack the top ball joint to draw out the drive shaft. Spent a week laid in the rain. Maybe the best was yet to come; when I finally got it in and connected, it fired up 1st time. Oh joy. Trouble was it wouldnt accelerate. During the course of the following week I had the carb in bits so often it was shiny enough to see to shave in. Pity I'd put the distributor back 180 degrees out!