Tinonline

Hi Harry I've a 2000 LS400 and have plugs ready for my toolkit and time: they are Denso Iridium SK20R11 bought from OPIE OILS for £57.10 including p&p. Retail prices vary of course and they can be around the £70-80 mark. NGK, Bosch, Champion also do the iridium equivalents. In my case I can't see any evidence of my plugs being replaced, so worse case this is 16 years and 77,000 miles or best case before change of owner and records began 10 years and approx 42k miles. These are long-life high quality plugs and I have read of 80-100k miles as acceptable before a change. However, one might want to factor in time related deterioration and whilst your mileage is minimal, eight years is a long time...I would personally replace them. But it is not cheap. I opted for the Lexus oil filter as they are reasonably priced but I did baulk at the air filter and went for a Blueprint. As I did the work myself it does make opting for Lexus parts easier as I'm not paying labour charges and then the VAT on that. For example I would stick to Lexus transmission fluid and brake parts but I fitted Gates pulleys, waterpump, tensioners and belt. To sum up I believe it is preference/budget and not necessarily in that order! I wouldn't buy unbranded and I'm ok with quality replacement parts even if I have to get them from the US. As for your fuel consumption: well I assume you reset the trip...or if so it did reset? Any test drive and having the car idling whilst being checked and repaired by the specialist would reduce your average. In my case when doing my son's university run...superb on the motorway at decent speeds pulls the average up from very sub twenty driving I've clocked up in ultra busy urban environment if I haven't reset the trip! Good thing is your car can be checked at the service for anything untoward. Good luck and I look forward to hearing how you got on.

oh yes...soon stopped...

Good for yougreat job. many years ago I worked for a company that had advanced tracking on a vehicle...garage said vehicle wouldn't be ready for some time...they were using it to collect parts...times, routes, mileage all on a colour report...

I should have thought this would be part of the service. I use BluePrint parts if I'm going non Lexus but I do use genuine oil filter...I've got Denso plugs to fit and will be opting for Lexus tranny oil.

1) small trim at front of battery unclips by gentle pull up and away 2) long front trim: unscrew 10mm bolt right hand side nearest battery and pull right and out from filter holder 3) this exposes the filter holder and the inlet hole to the housing...take a torch and have a good look...into hole and how grey the inner coils of the filter are... 4) to remove you will need 10mm socket for the 3 retaining bolts, assortment of medium swear words and Phillips to undo the clip on air intake hose 5) unclips the electrical connector into pipe, some mild swear words may be required and stronger ones to release the electrical lead clip from the filter housing 6) twist and pull out the ***** assembly compressing the air hose to pull free without snapping or tearing yourself or hose 7) unclip the stupid collar clip to remove the cover and filter, to replace the filter slide it into the retaining collar and reassemble 8) bugger about refitting have a look at your throttle cable...lot of slack? That's your next job...

I intended to change the spark plugs but rattling around in my tool bag, box 1 box2 I realised that my small toque wrench required a connector from 1/4 to 3/8. Ok I've ordered one. I wanted to do the torque thing. Whilst rummaging I noticed the throttle cable was as loose as an unpegged G string. The front nut loosened off ok but the rear is not easy to get at as there are top lugs on the rubber mount. I wiggled up and out the rubber mount and pulled away the cable from the mount. With a grip and spanner the back nut gave. I then reassembled taking up the slack. The mount wiggled back in easily. Job done. Next was the realisation that the air filter needed changing. I inspected this last summer when I changed the cam belt et al and it seemed to be ok. I don't do much mileage but the filter needed a change. Oops looking at the records it's a few years old. in the old days it was a butterfly nut to take off a filter cover...so easy that you would do the job a few times to ensure you had done it correctly. But boy Lexus, Alfa, Merc, Jag give the appearance of ease but have nuts, collars, hidden out of the way clips...I shook out as much dust as possible and reassembled. New one will arrive in a few days. More work to do...

Yep on the cable probs just best tucking well out of the way. my ls400 wheels are so shot...

That's an AV audio cable...aerial/cd player or TV aerial?

Yep 5W-30. I've got Shell Helix HX7 AF in at the moment. Runs well. I've used Magnatec in my Jag 4ltr. and like it. Even the budget oils are pretty decent nowadays. If you get 6ltrs you will be fine with the filter change. I'm sure I put over 5.4 in though to get it to the mark.

Welcome to the land of the enlightened.

Ok well I bought a Gates kit from the US and the pulleys, with water pump. Comes with all required gaskets and instructions. I didn't take out the rad but do cover with cardboard. I bought a few bits: v big torque wrench (second hand) Allen key socket, cheap and cheerful small sockets and extensions. Spent £65 T298 kit and an additional pulley. My posts cover the gory details with some pictures. The small bits are the hardest and major work easy. Hours over stupid things...obvious when you know how but gets lost in the detail. Clean the timing pulley grooves with very cheap but good quality cotton buds. Change thermostat. Very satisfying job.

Well it sounds like a pulley bearing doesn't it? Did you put a wet belt back on and wd40 can still make a belt squeal? The belt is correctly routed? I don't believe you need to panic. Just recheck everything. Why did you replace the rad? Maybe the water pump is shot? Any leaks of atf anywhere?

Very nice indeed. Wheels look like new compared to mine - same style - I was quoted £75 per wheel for a refurb/paint....not re-diamond cut. I'd be happy with a paint as they would be warranted and the finish would last longer.

I'll take a look thanks

Drove my wife to her gym session...her Jag in the garage for them to replace the fuse they had removed from the radio unit in testing for a voltage leak so common to the marque, leading to flat battery. All on its own the issue appears to have corrected itself. Time will tell. In case she needed to drive it - I pointed out the controls. What followed was momentus. Wife acknowledged that it was a good car and very useful...worth improving a bit with sorting out the wheels and knocks the previous owner had put on to it...(the whole car was a parking assist for the previos owner...) The wheels are aweful and I don't think they can re-diamond cut can they? They'd have to be painted...and not many wheels look good on the LS400 and I want a direct fit with no spacers or change of rolling profile that upsets the speedo or gearing. What to do...?

Sounds a bit belt like. If you can get someone to start up with bonnet open and you carefully listening whilst keeping away and not touching anything... might be worth swopping drive belt and tensioner if not done for a while. Check for any fluid leaks dropping on to the belt. is it a pulley bearing squealing? Water pump? what work has been done and when?

Awful colour and why not fit chrome covers? Great job though.😀

They look great!

Mind if I ask how much per wheel?

ah yes as you say same old bollards. Just walk away. That's it. Walk away. Deep breath. That's better. There are great sellers out there. Not that difficult to spot as everything is so simple. Walk away.

With you there. Seeking to reassure that correct spec replacement or later replacement is ok. I think it's like non Lexus parts argument a lot is personal choice. Rest assured when our cars are classics we'll be only fitting Toyota/Lexus parts. i don't buy pre mixed as its a rip off.

Yes although red is being phased out and is difficult to get. Pink is used in all new Lexus. If you mix then mix long life with long life. Mix to recommended strength.

Red is the old spec replaced by Pink long life. Any good quality OAT long life will be fine. Folk get very cut up about these kinds of specs but a core reason of Lexus recommend stuff is directed by service length. Shorter life products are fine but don't match the service schedules. Same with oil and semi and fully synthetic engine oil.

Might want to take care to avoid allegations of misrepresentation or worse.

My LS400 Year 2000 flew through the MOT for the 2nd year in my ownership: no advisories. My trusty mechanic from ATS in Reading does my cars and has done for years. No favours though as my wife's Jag failed last year with a front drop link and that's an indy bill just shy of £300. All good this year for the fleet. If I was cashed up I'd attend to the wheels and knocks and bumps. What a great car.