Finally Took The Plunge Bought A 2004 430 So My Trusty 400 Has To Go

Bluesman · January 19, 2013

Hi John 35 urban 50 on the run equivalent ( driving normally) more if I'm really light footed, less if I'm spirited. Thanks Mark, Its sort of nissan micra economy

Are we talking about an LS400 here??????

Mike

Lexmanic · January 19, 2013

I can speak for the amazing economy on LPG. Hunstanton Norfolk to West Dorset 250mls = £50

Bluesman · January 20, 2013

I can speak for the amazing economy on LPG. Hunstanton Norfolk to West Dorset 250mls = £50

Ah I thought you were using the gas word as an Americanism, I am with you all the way on LPG never been without it in 16 years. Mike

ManicMark · January 20, 2013

really!!!! 35 urban and 50 on a run?

Pound for pound thats what it works out at at lpg at 74 p a litre Actual mpg on lpg if the trip says average 24mpg I get 22mpg on my weekly commute on a long journey, say Wales or Germany the trip normally says 28 mpg actual is 26 @ 80mph. If I drive distance for work I always leave plenty of time & get 30 mpg on gas.

Or money wise I get between 220 & 300 miles from £40.

220 with a lot of town work 300 if I really try.

The lpg system is a brc plug & drive full sequential with its own ecu that constantly monitors & adjusts the mixture. The injectors are 25kw & the nozzles have been fitted directly next to the petrol one's. Not in the plenum( common practice as it is easier but which is further away from the combustion chambers so reduces efficiency of the system) It was the best system for the car at the time & fitted by a top installers, Hence I have not had a single blip with it in 60,000 miles. I done my research before having it installed & left the car with them for a week to do the install ( Was also present for the inital set up 3 hours of driving at different speeds to tweak the initial map settings to follow the curve of the petrol map) The installers were very happy to have a customer who was interested & informed on lpg rather than the usual do it as cheap and as quick as you can normal client.

Bluesman · January 20, 2013

really!!!! 35 urban and 50 on a run?

Pound for pound thats what it works out at at lpg at 74 p a litre Actual mpg on lpg if the trip says average 24mpg I get 22mpg on my weekly commute on a long journey, say Wales or Germany the trip normally says 28 mpg actual is 26 @ 80mph. If I drive distance for work I always leave plenty of time & get 30 mpg on gas.

Or money wise I get between 220 & 300 miles from £40.

220 with a lot of town work 300 if I really try.

The lpg system is a brc plug & drive full sequential with its own ecu that constantly monitors & adjusts the mixture. The injectors are 25kw & the nozzles have been fitted directly next to the petrol one's. Not in the plenum( common practice as it is easier but which is further away from the combustion chambers so reduces efficiency of the system) It was the best system for the car at the time & fitted by a top installers, Hence I have not had a single blip with it in 60,000 miles. I done my research before having it installed & left the car with them for a week to do the install ( Was also present for the inital set up 3 hours of driving at different speeds to tweak the initial map settings to follow the curve of the petrol map) The installers were very happy to have a customer who was interested & informed on lpg rather than the usual do it as cheap and as quick as you can normal client.

rather than the usual do it as cheap and as quick as you can normal client.

I have gone the cheapest and the quickest on my last 3 cars and all have performed without a single blip from the day they were installed at Profess Gas in South Wales £1400 incl VAT and a full tank of LPG to have the LS converted and done in a day and I know of many others of their customers who experience exactly the same. So nothing wrong with going in that direction. I am currently paying 68p.

I am really not sure why some of these companies want the cars for so long. If you add up what they are actually doing to the car two qualified engineers should do a car easily in a day.

I used to use a company that wanted the car for a week and charged X2+ for doing it but it was one engineer they had doing the job and he could be working on many cars at once which is just stupidity. All it does is ensure that engineer has work all the time but at your expense.

Mike

ManicMark · January 20, 2013

I am thinking about going to profes for my next conversion as I agree no one seems to have a bad word to say about them. At the time I had my ls400 done there was only a couple of plug & drive kits around. Profes wasn't an option at that point & the stag 300 premium kit wasn't on the market. A lot of horror stories about rouge converters 1 in Leytonstone actually had an explosion & burnt to the ground.

ManicMark · January 25, 2013

Well I sold it tonight the 400 that is. Its gone to a good home & the owner will soon be a member, once he has resisted the temptation to drive it every spare moment that is.

I have a strange feeling that it might not be my last 400, I have been using the 430 for a week now its growing on me & yes its got a lot of nice toys, But I am still of the thinking its not as well built, I will give it 3 months & go from there.

Thanks Mark

Bluesman · January 25, 2013

Well I sold it tonight the 400 that is. Its gone to a good home & the owner will soon be a member, once he has resisted the temptation to drive it every spare moment that is.

I have a strange feeling that it might not be my last 400, I have been using the 430 for a week now its growing on me & yes its got a lot of nice toys, But I am still of the thinking its not as well built, I will give it 3 months & go from there.

Thanks Mark

Glad you sold the old girl to another possible LOC member. As for the new car wait for the sun to come out and there are Daffodils lining the road side things always look different then. Mike

jpjsavage · January 26, 2013

Well I sold it tonight the 400 that is. Its gone to a good home & the owner will soon be a member, once he has resisted the temptation to drive it every spare moment that is.

I have a strange feeling that it might not be my last 400, I have been using the 430 for a week now its growing on me & yes its got a lot of nice toys, But I am still of the thinking its not as well built, I will give it 3 months & go from there.

Thanks Mark

That's very sensible and I'm sure that over time the car will grow on you.

ManicMark · February 3, 2013

Its growing on me, I'm used to the extra noise (not having the 400 as a direct comparison), It handles well, I like the keyless entry & start, the air con seats are a nice touch, the park assist & camera are quite handy for tight spaces.

Just got a couple of bits to sort out on it, 1 slightly warped disc, Sub woofer blown & the steering function manual & auto doesn't work ( fortunately its in exact the right position for me). I must go and get another key for it also before I loose the only one I have.( anyone got any ideas on this or is it best to go main dealer)

Thanks Mark

ManicMark · February 3, 2013

MMM just looked on a tyre noise calculator & the bridgestones fitted on my 430 don't come up to well compared to the michelins on my 400. Dunlops & goodyear seem to be the best choice for noise.

bookend · February 3, 2013

Mine runs on Dunlops they are nice and quiet

cruisermark · February 3, 2013

MMM just looked on a tyre noise calculator & the bridgestones fitted on my 430 don't come up to well compared to the michelins on my 400. Dunlops & goodyear seem to be the best choice for noise.

agree with that - if you change them mark can you please post up the results - thx

cruisermark · February 3, 2013

Mine runs on Dunlops they are nice and quiet

hi what dunlops are these please?

Malc · February 3, 2013

There was possibly a specific tyre developed for the LS430 ( all those years ago ).

I remember that Dunlop developed the D8z specifically for the LS400 ( in 1989 ? ) but sadly these are no longer manufactured.

Maybe worth asking Lexus at the Centre.

Malc

Bluesman · February 3, 2013

There was possibly a specific tyre developed for the LS430 ( all those years ago ).

I remember that Dunlop developed the D8z specifically for the LS400 ( in 1989 ? ) but sadly these are no longer manufactured.

Maybe worth asking Lexus at the Centre.

Malc

May be worth looking at Falken tyres (I understand are made by Dunlops) as they are a direct replacement for the Dunlops (no longer available) that LS 400 1998 came with. Mike

ManicMark · February 3, 2013

There was possibly a specific tyre developed for the LS430 ( all those years ago ).

I remember that Dunlop developed the D8z specifically for the LS400 ( in 1989 ? ) but sadly these are no longer manufactured.

Maybe worth asking Lexus at the Centre.

Malc

May be worth looking at Falken tyres (I understand are made by Dunlops) as they are a direct replacement for the Dunlops (no longer available) that LS 400 1998 came with. Mike

Hi the Falkens come up as being really noisy

bookend · February 3, 2013

Mine runs on Dunlops they are nice and quiet

hi what dunlops are these please?

I will check in the week as my car is in storage but will be passing in the week

Lexmanic · February 3, 2013

Is this any help http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyres_For/Lexus/LS400.htm The Evo seems well thought of. Also has anyone filled with Nitrogen rather than air, I have & it seemed to reduce the road noise

Bluesman · February 3, 2013

There was possibly a specific tyre developed for the LS430 ( all those years ago ).

I remember that Dunlop developed the D8z specifically for the LS400 ( in 1989 ? ) but sadly these are no longer manufactured.

Maybe worth asking Lexus at the Centre.

Malc

May be worth looking at Falken tyres (I understand are made by Dunlops) as they are a direct replacement for the Dunlops (no longer available) that LS 400 1998 came with. Mike

Hi the Falkens come up as being really noisy

I have had them on my LS400 for nearly 3 years and never noticed any difference in noise. They are meant to be a straight replacement for the Dunlops that were originally supplied so cant see how they would be any noisier. Mike

Bluesman · February 3, 2013

Is this any help http://www.tyrerevie...Lexus/LS400.htm The Evo seems well thought of. Also has anyone filled with Nitrogen rather than air, I have & it seemed to reduce the road noise

Just looked at that review and the Falken tyre they are reviewing is different from the Falken I have on my car.

mine are Falken ZE912. Mike

brendangeorge · February 4, 2013

Is this any help http://www.tyrerevie...Lexus/LS400.htm The Evo seems well thought of. Also has anyone filled with Nitrogen rather than air, I have & it seemed to reduce the road noise

Just looked at that review and the Falken tyre they are reviewing is different from the Falken I have on my car.

mine are Falken ZE912. Mike

The original tyres on my LS430 were Dunlop SP270 - and they are still available. They were not bad but I found it hard to get more than 20K miles out of them. Michelin were the best so far 26K - I am trying Kumo at the moment.

Bren

Bluesman · February 4, 2013

Is this any help http://www.tyrerevie...Lexus/LS400.htm The Evo seems well thought of. Also has anyone filled with Nitrogen rather than air, I have & it seemed to reduce the road noise

Just looked at that review and the Falken tyre they are reviewing is different from the Falken I have on my car.

mine are Falken ZE912. Mike

The original tyres on my LS430 were Dunlop SP270 - and they are still available. They were not bad but I found it hard to get more than 20K miles out of them. Michelin were the best so far 26K - I am trying Kumo at the moment.

Bren

I cant tell you what type of Dunlops were fitted to the 400 at production but according to those more learned than my self they aren't available any more and that the Falken ZE912 still made by Dunlop are the replacements. Mike

cruisermark · February 4, 2013

Is this any help http://www.tyrerevie...Lexus/LS400.htm The Evo seems well thought of. Also has anyone filled with Nitrogen rather than air, I have & it seemed to reduce the road noise

Just looked at that review and the Falken tyre they are reviewing is different from the Falken I have on my car.

mine are Falken ZE912. Mike

The original tyres on my LS430 were Dunlop SP270 - and they are still available. They were not bad but I found it hard to get more than 20K miles out of them. Michelin were the best so far 26K - I am trying Kumo at the moment.

Bren

I cant tell you what type of Dunlops were fitted to the 400 at production but according to those more learned than my self they aren't available any more and that the Falken ZE912 still made by Dunlop are the replacements. Mike

just looked at the falkens and they are supposed to be noiser than the dunlops

Im leaning towards the dunlops as found a good price at £600 for 4

Bluesman · February 4, 2013

Is this any help http://www.tyrerevie...Lexus/LS400.htm The Evo seems well thought of. Also has anyone filled with Nitrogen rather than air, I have & it seemed to reduce the road noise

Just looked at that review and the Falken tyre they are reviewing is different from the Falken I have on my car.

mine are Falken ZE912. Mike

The original tyres on my LS430 were Dunlop SP270 - and they are still available. They were not bad but I found it hard to get more than 20K miles out of them. Michelin were the best so far 26K - I am trying Kumo at the moment.

Bren

I cant tell you what type of Dunlops were fitted to the 400 at production but according to those more learned than my self they aren't available any more and that the Falken ZE912 still made by Dunlop are the replacements. Mike

just looked at the falkens and they are supposed to be noiser than the dunlops

Im leaning towards the dunlops as found a good price at £600 for 4