steve2006

Hello John and welcome to the LOC. I’ve only driven one once many years ago on a Lexus Open Road day, the strangest thing to me not having driven a hybrid before was the eerie silence waiting at junctions to pull out in a gap and hope it was going to go. It always did and made good progress to match traffic speeds. I would imagine once you get used to the car and have full confidence driving it you’ll be fine. You’re right about the engine revs it did sound harsh at higher speeds but I just jumped in and drove it without any settings being altered so there may be a quieter mode plus it was a few years ago so things have probably improved since then and of course I was used to the low purring V8 in mine. More plastic than wood trim (again biased opinion) but seemed solid with no rattles. No problem with all round visibility, driving a van for work I tend to reply on door mirrors more than the internal one. As Janis mentions I also didn’t notice any difference in braking and no dramas, you still have the normal hydraulic brakes like any other car as well as the regenerative system. I’m sure other owners will have more to add.

The OEM seal or “Weatherstrip” as Lexus refer to them has the advantage of being pre-shaped and no joint as opposed to the aftermarket generic offerings. However the price difference at around 4 times the cost would have made me consider the cheaper option even though I prefer OEM parts. Did you find any rust or rot on the seal lip around the boot?

I think that’s what happened to me I saw the SC and was like a rabbit caught in the headlights, either that or the lights changed prematurely catching me out. Most LS400 owners have by now experienced the blowing Y pipe problem. With the rest of the exhaust constructed with stainless steel this particular part is not which can result in stress fractures at the circled point. Another issue is the Y Pipe to cat flanges which tend to rot away probably assisted by combustion water accumulation at these points. This set up is common across all the V8 powered models with later ones fitted only with mild steel systems adding to the rust and rot problems further along the system. With this section alone costing around £700.00 and no aftermarket alternative available a complete cat back custom SS is a cheaper option. This gives you the choice of either separate systems for each bank or the other configurations you mention.

Apparently John it has something to do with the sun, planets and maybe clutching at stars. https://autoportal.com/articles/cvt-transmission-how-does-it-work-6660.html

Probably the dreaded Y section on the exhaust, the Achilles heel of Lexus models. Lexus SC430....the only car to bear me off the line at traffic lights 😀

This youtube video shows all the fusebox locations and the circuits they power, you will need a switched circuit so power is only present when the key is in the ACC position. The interior fuse boxes do have this but no sure regarding the easier option for wiring from the engine bay ones. If you have a test meter you can easily find a suitable fuse which is switched, find a fuse which is dead but has power when in ACC mode. Personally I’m not fond of the fuse piggy back connectors but it should be fine given the relatively low current requirements for the DRLs, just make sure you fit the supplied fuse at no more than 7.5 Amps. Finally where are you located in Cyprus, Parallimni area by any chance?

I’ve just realised, this is the seat repair topic so gone off on a bit of a tangent, seats coming back soon hopefully 😀

Just took mine out Stuart, if yours are anything like mine I would keep hold of them and change them. Full penetration cracks on both of them in the same place although this could be a stress crack from over tightening at the factory. Remarkably the distributor caps still look fine, slight corrosion on the pins but centre connection still good and springy, no signs of arcing or cracks in the body. For 26 years old pretty good I think.

Could I just add to this thread and update my earlier post. I took my struts to SGS engineering as mentioned and had them re-gassed, put them on but they were worse than before. I took them back again and they re-gassed them up to a very high pressure, refitted them and 2 years later they still almost lift the bonnet up when the catch is released never mind hold it up perfectly. Just be very aware of the weight of the bonnet once the struts are removed and make sure the prop you fit before removal is stable, if the bonnet were to sudden drop while you have your head and hands under it you would certainly suffer some serious injuries.

Battery tray components below also showing fixing points.

According to other posts the battery tray can be removed without taking out the steering ECU. If you do need to remove the ECU also here’s video link showing how to open the connectors correctly without causing damage.

Have you checked the date John, the original post was in 2017 so 3 years later has 182 posts.

If it’s any consolation Malc mine did 26 years service 😀

I’m going in the bath now, in the meantime here is some music and a picture.

You’ve lost me John, Lucifer only had 3 ?

As I am now going to also replace the distributor caps and rotor arms as part of the leads and spark plugs you need to remove the lower belt covers to gain access. You remove the bolts and they are now loose but won’t come off because there is a coolant hose in the way. Drain the coolant and remove the hose. Still stuck because the cam sensor wiring is also attached to the cover. Cannot release the wire because there is no space to get your fingers in to do do. It’s like a set of those Russian dolls that fit inside each other, the first line in the Lexus LS400 service manual procedure for any engine related job should read 1 Remove the engine.

Sorry guys as soon as I was notified by a couple of other members (big thanks 😀) I immediately took action by preventing further posts, gave Lucifer a good whacking and returned him to the gates of hell. If you see anything like this is the future the quickest way to get it dealt with is report to moderation team when it will flag up in our message alerts and we can then act promptly. At least one of us is generally on the forums at most times but bear with us as we do this job for the love of it not a salary. You may have noticed that we are “global moderators” but in the time I’ve been doing it I have never received any flight tickets or accommodation vouchers to moderate around the world ( Minimum business class flights and 4* hotels only accepted Steve ) 😀

Given the previous lack of maintenance to the valve it’s probable that the moving parts, generally a solenoid, are gummed up also preventing full travel. You can test the solenoid by applying power and see if it moves as it should as there are only 2 positions open or closed. Personally for continued reliability and peace of mind I would replace the complete unit with a new one.

Not been a good week, having damaged the ignition wires during the spark plug change which are now in transit from Rockauto the seat repair bundle finally arrived today. First thing that I did notice that despite an email from the supplier on Monday saying the parcel had been dispatched, the label was dated 22/05/2020 so a little porky there but explains the delay. It was when I opened the package my week continued in a downward spiral. I ordered a “Bundle Package” which should have contained “Leather Binder 250ml, Complete Leather Repair Kit and Leather Colourant Kit.” However I soon discovered the first 2 items were missing leaving just the Colourant Kit. This means I still cannot continue with the repairs as I need the binder to strengthen the leather and the repair kit to fill the cracks and finish off the tear repair carried out previously before recolouring. I have sent the company a polite email asking for the missing items to be dispatched on an expedited delivery. A bit annoying that with all this spare time at present but never mind still got a few weeks left at least and mistakes do happen.

Cheers Stuart for pointing out it does affect low idle steering, given that mine has now started smoking due to this fault it’s going to get the replacement valve and not the bolt.

This valve is fitted to all LS400 and LS430 models and is a known failure problem, it is a vacuum controlled valve that provides extra power steering assistance at low engine RPM i.e. when manoeuvring out of a parking space at idle speed. The valve internals fail which allows power steering fluid to enter the vacuum pipes which in turn is then sucked into the engine. This is then burnt in the fuel mix and produces a cloud of white smoke at a cold start up. Once the initial leakage has been sucked out and burnt the smoke will disappear but small amounts will be constantly sucked into the engine which over time could cause damage to the catalytic converters. The fix either involves the replacement of the valve or removal of the valve replacing it with a suitable sized bolt and blanking off the two vacuum pipes, reports suggest the latter has no noticeable effect on power steering feel. Due to the position of the valve under the pump body it’s not an easy job access wise, the alternator needs to be removed to get to it. The fluid leaking onto the alternator below is another issue in that the O ring seal on the reservoir fails, this allows fluid to escape which eventually soaks the alternator directly below leading to its demise.

Hello Jim and welcome to the LOC. The IS220d has been subject to some serious engine related problems compared to all other Lexus models, it was along with 200d Lexus’s first and last diesel model. This as you have noticed is reflected in their prices and you are wise to steer clear. Even though you are a new member I will move this post to our wanted section as it may produce more responses.

Not too sure about bikers, do Lexus even make them? 😀 Last bike I had was a Kawasaki Z400, got my licence a few days before they introduced the theory and practical test when all we had to do was ride around a certain route and a random guy would step out into the road for the emergency stop.

So it’s not just me then, I’m still working on call out but the phone hasn’t rung for weeks....might start ringing myself 😀 Hold on a minute I think I have a misfire on the lawnmower, just get the toolbox out and take a look.

Well the seat repair kit has still not been delivered so decided to change those “I’ve been sitting on the shelf for months” spark plugs. Started on the passenger side bank as it’s a fair bit easier, covers off, leads exposed. Right let’s get those plug leads off, 7, 5 and 3 tight but pulled off, No 1 awkward to grip pulled wire out left connection on top of spark plug, socket now won’t go over spark plug, curse and move to other bank. All intake and covers off here we go, No 8 and 6 same as No1 ( Increased amount of cursing!) 4 and 2 came off. Back inside to order a pair of surgical forceps to remove lead connectors left on plugs and order another new set of HT leads. Forceps from fleabay a couple of quid, cheapest HT lead set £115.00. Over the pond to Rockauto, same leads now £60.00 (NGK) so went the whole hog and also ordered 2 distributor caps and rotor arms (Bosch) as these are still the original ones as far as I know. Total cost including shipping and prepaid VAT £114.00 with delivery by the end of next week. Never mind plenty of time and going nowhere.