runsgrateasanut

Thats an interesting Posting time you are using Steve? Is it behind or ahead?

It was the colour first attracted me to the Lexus. I'd had several Mercs in Burnt Silver and the paint work was pretty good but the Smarage Schwarz colour of my last S320 left me cold. Of course Merc experimented with some sort of eco paint around that time which was not a great success. Smarage although seemingly Black was not Black and in some lights looked green and in some blue. Couldn't stand the colour though kept the car for six years. On the Lexus I only have a little flaking of the Lacquer on the front bumper, otherwise its a full gloss metallic shine - Wonderful - Love it!

Lovely job and I like the wheels. I washed mine Friday evening, first time since owning the car in Janaury, and will be getting my replacement wheels fitted later this week. My originals are ingrained with dirt and spoil the beauty of the paintwork which others have said comes up a treat with a bucket of water thrown over it even though its seen its key of the door year.

Quite surprising the number of cars on SORN. It seems that owners are reluctant to get rid of their cars for whatever reason - Barn finds of the future perhaps?

Put that roll of tape down NOW - I hear you say. Promise no more photos after the below.

Well Folks the Child has yet to die in me! You either love it or hate the idea of go faster tape, but I thought I'd see how they look.

Has anyone EVER seen a Four Track driver driving at 20mph when this junk is on the road? They think its sport to spray the oncoming drivers. Should be cameras at every 20mph zone whilst this stuff is thrown onto the pavement to no advantage to the road. (Never thought I'd say that) Whereabouts in Essex please? Is this the £10m promised that they are wasting rather than doing the job properly like the French do?

Unclear what is being said here - are we all snobs? Our cars can go for as low as £200. Not exactly the sort of thing you'd spout about with yuppies in a pub. I just paid £200 for my car - its a Lexus don't ya know! Ha ha ha. I admit to the fact that having always felt a wee bit superior when looking through the "Star" (despite its age), its perhaps because of the V8 engine and image of the Lexus, reminder of the early days of the Goffrey video that I have spent so much money (not by standards of depreciation of a new car) since having bought it and not gone back to the "Star". Son, pointed out last night "Shed of the Week" on Pistonheads a V8 500 W140 S Class and I barely glanced at it. This Lexus thing and the nice people on the Owners Club is a bit of a magnet. Guess I've been dragged in by the metal strips in my Wallet.

you lost me on that acronym Rupert - Supersymmetric Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouinis the interpretation. Having in January joined the "one in three" Men, I think I can guess what you are alluding to!

If I'd had OCD as to the cleanliness of the TB i'd have removed the disc and immersed it in 3 parts Ammonia, 2 parts water and a squirt of washing liquid, left it for half an hour and then rinsed off with petrol thereafter touching it only with cloth to get it bright as clock parts I once used to waste my time on. Life is too short (I've discovered!) The Manifold was pretty coked up and I noted that it didn't have some sticky up post like the one on the Lexls photo's? Didn't sound quite right the TPS setting and running at 1100rpm. Slight adjustment and now cold 1100 but warm idle 600rpm. Probably nailed it but may (another day) test with a multimeter to see all AOK

I am not understanding this? How many 1993 Cars ?

be interested to see correct figures.

Thats good news. Is that the price plus fitting or just the part? Springs are nasty things to put in. The rears on my last Mercedes had a slight angle when inserted and my mechanic wasn't keen to do the job, so got a guy specialising in Mercs to do it. I've just put everything back together and going to eat before I start her up. Don't want to spoil my digestion. In the end I stayed with the Water pipe system to the TB but replaced the end part and used jubilee clips. I do have a couple of worries and would welcome your thoughts. The advance /retard unit on the TB I can't be certain I put it back exactly where it was. Put some tippex on it but not in the right place! Idiot! I lost some fluid but tried to fill the pipe with A/F before linking that blighter of a pipe RHS. Not sure if an air bubble could get into the head? Any simple way of purging the system? ps. The guy I bought the TB from was going to use it plus engine in a boat and clearly stripped and gave it a spray of paint to stop corrosion. By the time I'd cleaned the TB using my good old flexible friend (they come in useful for something) I toyed with the idea of doing a complete job (being on the sea front salt air predominent) but the wife wants me to take her to the Dentist tomorrow so.........

Got it off around Tea time. The back of the legs aching like mad and feel cream crackered - off to bed! Removal of top studs essential. Will replace connecting tube with plastic elbow and use jubilee clips to secure all pipework facing where easy to unscrew. Photo of removed TB - need to get it as nice as the one I'm selling on t'bay. Left to soak overnight with Carb cleaner and oil mix. Hopefully tomorrow morning it won't be too difficult to remove the 1mm of soot. Will use a green kitchen scourer or wire wool (gently) if stuff won't shift. Also put up photo of removed plugs which may be the Denso originals . The burn looked OK.

Thanks Rupert. In between downpours I've just managed to undo the pipe at the TB. As I had to chew it up rather with my pliars to get it off, I'm thinking I will dispense with the inbetween tube and get a piece of tubing that runs from the TB around the Fuel rail and into the whatever. It won't need a protective wrap but I may have to get a piece with a right angle so it doesn't collapse. Nuisance that, but don't want a leaking pipe Just found after half an hour a couple of nuts so will remove the studs to make getting the other tubes off that much easier, assuming they do unscrew. When it stops raining.....

Beginning to wish I hadn't started this job. Anyone, give me the logic of why Lexus should attach the throttle body at the bottom with long removable bolts, but at the top with studs which have nuts on, making movement of the part impossible until you can withdraw it from the studs? Bottom water pipe set in clips. S'pose I need lever this out. Breather pipe nearby also not keen to move. Would have been easy if TB could have been drawn away. Spring clips are a nightmare. Yet to see a tool, which can cope with them and very awkard to get to. Must invent something. Have seen something based on a screw turning device to draw the clip together but presupposes you are not restricted by other parts. Always seem to be put on at the worst angle to get at. Doh! Oh well, will have to persevere. The write up with photo's is useful but doesn't tell how the bottom two pipes are removed when you can't flex the Throttle body. Squeeze and yank I s'pose?

Here Here! and despite it being a might expensive at times (wo is me) there is a certain exclusivity about the product as there seems to be so few (?) around. Its rather like the days of my youth when if dear old Patar saw an oncoming AA man on a Motorcycle he would get a salute as we had the "Badge" on our Car - and we kids would wave back. Only once was I able to wave on "le continent" to a blue Lexus LS400 passing through Chabanais - difficult corner so not reciprocated but, nevertheless... and the only one I've seen in my several trips.

Quite so, but lets asume Steve was not in the process of actually removing the ECU at the time of taking the photo's. Thing is, a vanity light is only on for the briefest of time and so wheres the heat that could cause this? Even if the bulb was somehow left up in the footwell panel (easily done) it's only on for a very brief time (minute or until engine started?) unless the door is left open for a longer period. Steve - you on holiday Sir? Help us out on this? Explanation svp

the connector above the light - the wires (white especially) looks quite scorched.

As I had to take off the Air box to get to the Spark plug cover to replcce missing Bolts, and a rubber strip my wife spotted under the Car - (my fault and not the mechanics) I thought I'd examine the MAF. I have no issue with the running other than perhaps a higher than normal idle, perhaps a bit rich, and a smell of petrol when starting the Car. Possibly replacing the Caps as you experienced Rupert may solve these matters. I didn't touch the MAF part but did clean the flat surface on the main runway and also the slight "Well" into which it almost sits. No significant dirt but to ensure the vortex flow is as good as possible. Took for 22 mile run this evening and seems OK..

Reviving an old topic. Having removed my MAF I was expecting to be able to clean it but it doesn't look quite how I expected. No thin wire. Just cribbed this part of a thread on the US forum which suggests it can't be cleaned. In which case back it goes. Quote " I went to my Lexus dealer today to asked them to clean my MAF. I was told that MY CAR doesn't HAVE an MAF. It has - instead - a Karman Vortex Airflow Meter. [i think that's what they said] NEVER EVER have I heard ANYONE here at LOC mention that the 1st generation LS doesn't have an MAF. Why didn't any of you say something?! Or am I confused? Apparently the Karman Vortex thing can NOT be cleaned" Unquote. Interesting. - any views on this?

Ps Sorry I should have checked and pointd out attributable to Steve - great job. On further thought was this the result of that little footwell bulb?

I was looking at this very old but useful removal thread and been given great help as to replacing my Caps, when I spotted something that must have worried the author, at the time. Just below the Wiring harness for the ECU is a connector with what looks like some very unhealthy wiring. Anyone know what this wiring connects to out of curiosity? http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/tutorials/article/214-1990-1994-engine-ecu-access/

Doc Martin has one!

Must happen a lot and very sad to hear the story. Makes you think about getting one of those Cameras in the Windscreen. Do they work when the car i stationary? Can they be programmed to work?