runsgrateasanut

Check this out. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-1st-and-2nd-gen-1990-2000/656360-all-my-crazy-lexus-issues-solved-ecu-leaking-capacitor.html

I guess two tone means that you are putting the Car into a later bracket than 89-92 even if yours is on the cusp. Two tone was definately popular with Mercs of the period also. If you double click on my Avatar you can see a larger photo. The lower part is more gold than the upper beige. The Wheels btw are Lexus Wheels (which I love) and get a regular wash whereas the Car only gets one once a year, and came off a different model Lexus. An IS possibly?

ps Someone else will tell you if a '93 should be two tone (like mine) and yours has already been paint shopped one colour.

My car is two tone and 4k9 appears on the Reg plate in the engine bay. Sanstone beige However the lower code is not mentioned. I think I got it from a reputable supplier of paint and don't go on ebay as there are some dodgy paint dealers who will give you totally the wrong colour. My advice is phone Autopaint St Helens on 01744 818102 with your Car VIN code to hand and the guy will tell you if you need a different paint for the lower part. Possibly not.

I hope "Rick" of another forum won't mind me reproducing something he wrote which I eventually trawled down too, on the subject. At your own risk you follow the advice here but with the sticky weather having arrived and hopefully staying it seems that the answer to the problem has been found, or perhaps confirmed. Quote: For those of you who would like to fix the sticking speedometer and Tach needles yourselves, at no cost, the solution is simple, but takes some careful disassembly of the gage cluster to remove the sticking gage. First, remove the cluster. (http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/elect...ntcluster.html) Then disassemble the cluster (http://www.lexusownersclub.com/Lexus...rd_Removal.pdf) by removing the 4 screws from the power supply board and folding it back, then the screws holding the main board to the frame. Remove the ribbon cables by carefully prying up evenly on the wedge lock, and the other connectors by lifting straight up. Once the gage is removed you can access the needle limit stop arm from the back side. The sticking is the result of lube getting on the limit stop arm and causing a slight vacuum (much like denture adhesive) when the needle disk contacts it. This vacuum has to be overcome before the needle will release from the limit stop. There is no need for any lubrication at this location, and it must be removed. Take a Q tip and remove most of the cotton from one end. It will fit nicely alongside the limit stop arm. Make sure the needle is pointing toward 50mph and not on the zero point. Insert the tip on the face side of the arm and once the tip reaches the end of the arm, rotate it gently to remove the lube. Then, even more gently, rotate the needle back toward the zero position until the limit stop on the disk contacts the Q tip and rotate the Q tip another turn while applying very gentle pressure on the back end of the needle arm. Rotate the needle away from the zero position and extract the Q tip and the sticking will be gone. Reassemble and grin widely, knowing that you saved yourself a couple hundred bucks. -Rick Unquote. Thanks again Rick. May give this a try sometime as both seems to stick most days now for a brief period

I did try connecting an alternative speaker and thought I got a spark. Tried just refreshing the solder joints. Actually found that I am getting a sound from the Speaker, not quite the boom box I was expecting. So it seems to work but clearly is not designed to be an elbow out of the Window vibration annoyance to others.

I unscrewed the part and it didn't want to come out showing the cable. Not sure why but yes a modding job I suspect.

Then again the 400 light is a red reflector to warn cars at night of an open door. Perhaps the 430 has puddle lights down under the door as well as the Red Reflectors?

Phil Acre, They won't fit the LS400. Not seen any that will.

Phil, I checked mine the other day and not working but current flowing. LOC.com thread said check the door switch and sure enough when pressing it in and out the light did come on intermittantly. Replacement part from USA reduced from $68 to $20 but I found this on ebay and so it may need a bit of modification or it may fit without modding. Cost £2 from China. Lexus part cost ??? wouldn't like to guess. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163515809814

I don't get any sound from this Speaker. Assume that to turn base knob far left or right is what controls it. Don't have Radio manual. No noise suggesting damaged cone - just nothing. Not particularly unhappy as the sound from all other pseakers work and its great to my ears. However, I can't let things not working, lie.. - unless it calls for removal of seat cushion and back in which case - forget it! What could be the cause? Perhaps nothing to do with the Speaker itself? I can see pinch plastic parts which suggests that the above cover can be removed and then the bolts should be undoable. Tricky but possible. Wires seem to be connected OK but perhaps the solder need freshening? Ideas - experience?

Yesterday having checked OBD 1 during previous week and found different Engine fault codes, I followed a guide to re-setting codes and came out with no faults on Engine or Transmission. SMILES stupidly! Since having my ECU Caps replaced I still had the occasional misfire under load or very rarely when doing 40mph in traffic. Never any idle or starting problem. On order, an OEM Toyota TPS which for $45 is a steal. So, what did I do to get to this glorious position? Other than taking off the negative terminal and allowing a few minutes, I re-connected and let the car idle for five minutes before going to get some petrol. Car didn't feel right - sort of sluggish. Not at all what I was hoping for. Ran it in 2nd to 40mph for a minute. However, on leaving the petrol station the car had so much more zip which astonished me. So, Weak mixture code 25 seemed to have gone. Only other thing I did was put back a bolt I'd fogotten to put back when replacing the Alternator and power steering pump last year or the year before?? The bolt was to secure the Airbox behind the Throttle Cables. As this box is a sealed unit I don't see how it could make any difference, but ...???? Perhaps the Caps had not fully charged and this is the reason? LSCowboy said leave ignition on for 20 seconds before starting. Nothing about idling. Yet to see if I can finally drive the Car beyond the 80mph when it would misfire rather than go into Overdrive which made me drop the throttle back. Next trip abroad, perhaps.

I can't recall ever seeing this subject mentioned on this forum, so I've cribbed someone's thread (with thanks to CL) from the US forum and am wondering if any member can recall needing to replace /repair the pipe. I can just see the top of it at the back of the engine. Not a place easy to get at, but this thread is interesting. It does beg the question why would you have a problem with an engine which supports umpteen Champers glasses which barely a flicker. So why would it rupture? Posted in 2004 the Car a '91 was only 13 years old. My own is twice that. Posted January 19, 2004 I've seen alot of posts regarding broken EGR pipes so I thought I'd just make a seperat post. I was able to remove mine, braze it and reinstall it in under 3 hrs total. Alot of that time was some thinking, a trip to home depot for a small oxygen tank, brazing and testing for leaks. Here is how you do it: Take a 12mm open/closed faced wrench and tie a 3'-4'string or wire to it. Trust me. Just do it. After you drop the wrench for the 4th time you will know why. You will have to do this blindly. with your hand follow the EGR pipe down until you feel the bracket that connects it to the engine. There is one screw. there is VERY little room and you'll have to reall squeeze to get there. now you know where it is. Now take the wrench to it. put the closed end of the wrench over the bolt and carefully remove your hand leaving the wrench over the bolt. You'll neeed some leverage to break it loose initially. I used another wrench to put the open end of one into the closed end of the other to get more leverage. once you break it loose it's just patience. This bolt alone will run about 30-45 minutes. Once it is off, disconnect the two ends and pull it out the top of the engine. Once out, I cleaned and preped the TWO LARGE cracks for welding/brazing. I had bought a small Mapp gas and Oxygen set from Home Depot for about $50.00 some months ago and now it was time to get my money's worth from it. If you don't have one of these things, they are very cool and inexpensive. They get VERY HOT You can actually weld with them. I used a Flux coated Bronze rod and brazed the cracks. I put it into water closed off one end with my hand and blew into it to check for leaks. There were none so I reinstalled. I would NOT recommend using JB Weld. It is great for hi-temp but not for vibration. The only issue is that I have been unable to reconnect the center bolt. I thought that might happen. I'll try again later but I really don't think it is that big of a deal. I have also heard that you can reach the bolt from the bottom of the car as well. Now that I have done it, it would probibly only take about an hour to do. How did it work, you might ask. G R E A T! My car is back to sounding like a Lexus rather than a 1973 Ford LTD. It feels good to finally make a worth while contribution to this great site. Enjoy, CL

Same thing at Calais a week ago (must be heat related as had driven 420 miles) but also my Speedometer stopped working briefly during the trip to France. Started again after about two miles but a bit more worrying as I recall it not working just before the last MOT. Got until August to worry about it failing again - just at the wrong time! Not going to dash the dash, however. Resisting that.

and of course there's the Million mile Lexus if you want to check it out on vutube. (prior owner of 230TE, 500SEC, 500SEL, 320 W140 but after that,Merc seemed to go downhill in terms of reliability and likely repair costs, though I still feel they have the edge in design style) IMHO

Ooops missed that - didn't see any flashing light in the Mirror so hopefully.... Watch out for speed camera on downhill slope into Rouen if going in that direction. I used silver Duct Tape for my headlamps cut to shape which but may lose some of the lighting power? Do deflectors actually work? Sticky is a problem for plastic H/L's I imagine. Had to tuck in between two Camions going up the Amberzac Hills as a deluge of Rain the like of which I've never before experienced, not only took away my ability to see the road but also had me frightened it woud turn to Hail. Could just see the Lorry rear lights. That was the only France worry.

Photo copy of your Driving licence and MOT cert, plus print out of your DVLA Licence check with code. Snow chains. (plastic) Just back from France early hours of yesterday morning - 450 miles in France a doddle - M20 and Dartford Tunnel (diversion) total nightmare! Added extra hour and a half and the failing to find route back to the Tunnel went to Blackwall Tunnel instead. Paid the emissions charge yesterday. Didn't see a single LS400 or 430. At a Serice Station somewhere beyond Orleon a guy siddled up to the Car and I thought hello hello begging ? but on talking to him - Pavel of Belaruse told me he had two LS400's and loved the Car. Showed me countless photo's on his Phone,f one which was roadworthy and the other a wreck. The wreck he had virtually on its side to do work on the underside. Also showed me a clip of his Dad doing Doughnuts in the better Car - on sand he hastely pointed out. Its nice to own something that is admired and not just the run of the mill Cars. Have a great trip Phil.

Makes you wonder if that Car was in the floods of a few years back . Condensation causes those bolt heads to rust. Surpised that a little black paint hasn't been added but definately need to look underside. Can't understand why the Reg doesn't come up on DVLA. Talking of imports, those two for sale by Abdul N don't seme to be shifting and reasonably priced. Wonder why that could be?

If you a are seriously looking for one John, perhaps this one in Malaga is worth a punt? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRONZE-LEXUS-LS-430-2004-GREAT-CONDITION-IN-SPAIN-RUNS-LIKE-A-DREAM-AND-SPOTLESS/153409381894?hash=item23b7e96606:g:pWUAAOSwzMlchCDa

Apols for having no idea but I wonder if they could be Hazzard warning lights - perhaps the Japs use clear fronts and red rears?

Not wanting to put you off as many satisfied owners, but you may care to read this thread by a perfectionist if buying at the cheap end. (Mercs also suffered from the Radiator problem from memory)

Rather an old thread revived. You could try these people https://www.lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/contact-us-genuine-lexus-parts/

Malc, my memory failed me. In the past they have not given me a Test Result sheet. However I did get one in July 18 and can't really understand what counts for pass and what for fail. The results are Fast Idle - FAIL Engine speed 2500-3000 not checked. CO Limit 0.30 and Actual 2.09 FAIL HC Limit 200 Actual 209 FAIL ^ LIMIT 1.03 Actual 0.959 FAIL (Don't understand this) ? Second Fast Idle: Speed not checked - PASS all within range Natural idle Test - Speed not checked CO Limit 0.50 Actual 0.19 PASS OVERALL EMISSIONS TEST - PASSED So is it the best out of three or what??

Difficulty is, that if the Car fails its MOT its not supposed to be driven. Or does this only apply to mechanical failure? Uninsured if driving after a fail is risky, but necessary to clean the engine. Couple of MOT's ago, the Garage told me that they had to drive the car all morning to get the emissions down. Don't know the truth of that, but since I've made sure I use Injector cleaner and do a five miles drive to the Garage for its testing. My Garage doesn't give me the results of the Exhaust test, and to be honest if they say its passed I just want to scram before they change their mind. Old Filters used to be mesh didn't they? Got a Mesh filter in my Mercedes Penta boat engine that dates back to the fifities for both Air and oil. Have substituted a more modern Air filter.

When did you last put in injector cleaner? I always use some and drive a good distance the week before going to a test centre. Then only turn up when Car has had a run round the block five miles. Too late now for you, but maybe if you put some in as per instructions and run the car up to temp without going any distance then you may clear any clogging. Of course this may not be a recommended course of action as it states in the Manual not to warm the engine before moving off. Difficult.