runsgrateasanut

ooops I tell a lie - you can't get Maxxis from Camskill but I see they are sold elsewhere. £68

I think if they spot something dangerous,I'd rather know about it rather than drive around for six months not knowing!. Absolutely - but if it had failed on emmissions or just slight blow (as mine did earlier this year) it can be a nightmare to discover cause and may be a very costly job to fix. replacement Cats etc. Congratulations on the car passing. I wanted to buy Maxxi tyres for the car but they don't sell them for this wheel size. Had them all round on my S Class and rather liked them. Reasonably priced also

Slightly off topic (with apols) i've just purchased some clear front indicator lights from USA - s/h cost £50 delivered UK. Looking forward to seeing fitted - eventually. Yet to fit my side clear indicators - waiting on the guy selling the same colour LS400 who seems unwilling to break even though advertising as breaking. Would like his front wing. The jobs are piling up! This time of the year no incentive to mess around as not garaged.

Couple of thoughts - is it possible to test that early? If it fails on sometihng they regard as dangerous you will only be able to drive it home or to a garage for repair. (correct me if I'm wrong on these points)

Ridiculous - have paid £1.47 for an illuminated lighter socket with push in burner BRAND NEW and despatched to me from China. Postage included. Not worth fiddling with an old unit. I have however yet to see if it fits. Fingers crossed. Waiting for better weather.

My Daughter said her Suzuki Wagon R suddenly went full throttle on start up. I tried to find out online what could cause this and I read that it could be to do with the faulty earthing of the car causing the throttle cable to act as an earth which overheats the inner lining of the casing causing the cable to stick. Before I got rid of my Toyota MR3 G Limited which had been standing in a garage for six years I had extra earth cables put into the engine bay after seeing photo's of fires caused by faulty earths. Not sure the throttle cable was mentioned in those cases. If your cable seems OK must be something else. S'pose a cable can be tested for current, somehow.

I always ask for the removed parts and the cam belt looked like it had another fifty thou miles, but the water pump was beginning to leak, so strip down job would still have needed to be done and glad I caught it before it caused dainternal damage.. From Lexus Direct Swindon the cam belt alone was £64.20 so I can't see £295 being a realistic price from Lexus for this difficult job. They say 3- 4 hours whereas 10 hours looks more realistic if removing all parts. Are they being paid under the minimum wage I wonder?? LOL

Thats for an Ls200/300. My own exprerience of costs for parts alone is in this thread, so beware as just chaging the belt can easily lead into all other parts. http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/95522-need-help-98-ls-400-parts/#entry893499 ps My very good mechanic friend has yet to bill me for the labour element - thats four months back?? Must be doing well to be able to leave it so long!

Definately an abomination with Tarts underwear interior. Yuck - and I always thought well of the name Allard, synonymous with Alvis. Can't beleive anyone would have really bidded other than the seller bouncing off the wall.

Thats interesting about the gasket. I saw a thread on here asking advice on the gasket sealant issue. Not sure anyone answered. My Mechanic had a difficulty with the sealant as it didn't go off as it should first time which involved removing and cleaning all over again. The US ebay kit item shows a gasket which no doubt if put on together with sealant either side is a belts and braces approach, surely?

I'm assuming the 98 model is much the same as the 93. Bear this in mind. I think its 60k miles or six years for cambelt, the 100k being Kilometres. Frankly if replacing the cambelt its a good idea to replace all associated parts including the water pump which is housed n the same area. Mine was slightly leaking at 113k miles. I paid over £600 for these parts from Lexus direct. The parts came unboxed and didn't include a new bolt, gaskets or O Rings. I was to say the least, disappointed with the service having expected a full kit to be quoted. If you look on ebay.com USA you will find a kit much more reasonably priced and with all parts (excl the bolt which perhaps was unnesessary depending on how difficult it is to remove original - cost £6) OK there will be shipping costs etc but the margin of price variation is staggering. So look around before deciding. Good luck

sorted - they sent me a photo and although looks similar to many bulbs, invariably they differ in some way, so ordered. This bulb is a twist in, with a base cap with two prongs, one each side and suggests its 2volt. Don't really know why it should need a bulb cap as surely the triangle is red plastic? All will be revealed when get time to do the job.

Thought I'd ordered a new warning bulb through Am... and not sure if I incorrectly quoted a number or I left it for them to find, what I got was a "Bulb Cap" and not a bulb! I've not taken the thing apart to examine but wondering if this bulb has this little rubber condom over it and if after 21 years its got brittle and dark and it may not be the bulb at fault, at all?? Anyone know if this is a 1.1v capless (at rear end) bulb similar to Merc bulbs with just two wires poking out, one on opposite sides, or is it in a cap of some sort ? I have numerous small bulbs and don't want to waste another few quid if I've already got one which I can put the pink "protector" over? Too lazy to take it apart in this dismal weather.

you have my sympathy! Hope you find the cause of the vibration and that its not the upper wishbones!

I've found brackets that I see will make the job fairly easy. Only hope they are strong enough. Steel threaded rods welded to brackets - no nuts or washers for other end supplied with them. Got plenty at home. Perhaps Ron this is how your Toroidal is screwed down, if its a full toroidal? (sorry deleted link as image not showing)

Adequate for my needs Mike. I used to have similar in my S Class which was more thirsty than the lexus, on petrol. Just concerned about fitting. Getting correct length extension bars to reach base and how to tighten etc. I also thought that the "box" would be crossways aligned to the rear of the boot, but not in this example? Don't want to learn panel beating! Interested to know if anyone has similar tank installed?

Resurrecting this old thread with a question. I spotted this installation thread on a LS430 and wonder if anyone else has what looks like a full toroidal tank fitted? I bought a new one with 60 litre capacity and size 600 x 250 which should fit, but concerned about the situation vis a vis the spare wheel post removal and bolt down bars. How easy is it to fit, space wise? and the centre convex shape over the remains of the spare wheel post? Will it lie flat? Technically I think this sort of tank is for slinging under a vehicle. I bought it with a new Landirenzo four cylinder front end kit unused, which I sold and so the tank has cost me very little. Its an adequate size for my needs. http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/tutorials/article/126-lpg-installation-on-a-lexus-ls430/

Stuart The seat is removed by unfastening four floor bolts two at the rear have carpet covered plastic shrouds which clip on,they require a fair degree of force ,knock them away from the seat with a pry bar inserted in the top edge .The front bolts are covered by the seat and are exposed when the seat is adjusted into the back position to its full extreme. Many thanks will be more forceful.

This may not help you but I'm also seeking an answer to a seat question? The cushion and seat on my '94 rise and fall together not seperate. Not sure if on later models this is the case? Does it squeek when set to high? I have a problem with the seat not going back one side. Could you have a similar problem causing the noise from the splined tube thats supposed to move both sides at once? If anyone knows how to remove the seat please tell me why I can't solve the simple problem of removing the carpeted cover from the bolts? (scratch head) Have asked twice on another thread but no comment.

Referring to Wishbones, someone says £350 each!. Doubtful (even with service history) spark plugs have been replaced and as emissions issue, need to check. Oh for those bad old days when you could see the spark plugs and just attach a spanner!

Never ever read the comments under youtube videos or feel appalled at the decline of the English language and decency. You make a very valid point Pete, and as one who earlier in the year bought a Lexus and sold my S320 I can tell you that the Merc forums though extremely helpful in resolving the numerous problems of older Mercedes (and in some case younger ones) has far fewer persons waxing lyrical about their cars than here on this forum, though "Meets" are popular and most love their cars -warts an all. Perhaps Lexus sold far fewer LS's than Merc sold S Class with various engine sizes, to the UK? Problems I encountered with my S320 over six years (190k on the clock when bought) included some things prone to most older cars, Boot lock failure(squirt oil occasionally as rare to use a key as needed by Lexus if engine running), Immobiliser issues, annoying habit of not working when you wanted to leave a Garage forecourt, Rusty brake pipes, Key fob failure internal. Radiator failure in the Transmission internal cooler section (fortunately the rusty pipe lirerally fell off external to the Rad and right outside my house on returning home one day) I repaired in the driveway and Trannie not damaged. Air con not working and likely cost of repair prohibitive if diagnosed.( Lovely to experience the Air con in the Lexus which was another reason to purchase) Rust on wings and disintegration under doors (hidden by plastic skirt - no air venting for some reason) Electrical gremlins associated with loom disintegration. Though '96 and later year Cars didn't get the problem entirely. Experimental cabling was still used for electrical in/out door mirrors. Sometimes they wouldn't unfold until maybe a dozen attempts whilst driving. Drain problems, footwell and sunroof. I've said on here I loved the W140 and the video suggesting more room in the Lexus is false where the S Class is the LWB which has acres of room and I find the Lexus rather small internally. Not sure as to their remark on the subject. The Lexus has Superior paint bodywork as my car is 21 years old and only has blistering on one wing, astonishingly. I love the V8 engine having had two V8 S500's before the S320. I miss the soft closure doors but can just live with the Mirrors not retracting. The rides are similarly enjoyable though I have got bumache on a four hundred mile drive in the Lexus. The Lexus is more economic than the S320 on petrol although I had LPG on the Merc. Not sure I'm going to bother with LPG on the Lexus. Still spending loads of dosh on this Lexus which I find a bit annoying with Wishbone expense to come and a list of things yet to do from Seat repair to changing spark plugs, (nightmare but seen the thread) changing hazard warning bulb and fitting new Stereo system with Aux input. ( Tape attachment not recommended in Manual). The Pioneer system in the Merc also didn't have Aux at that time. The Lexus is a lovely car but will I keep it for six years as I did the S320? I think I'll have to after all the expense. The guy I bought the car from said it was known to be a rich mans car. I laughed at this. Now I know what he meant, as its cost me more than I paid for it by x 1.5 and counting. I personally wouldn't buy either a Merc or Lexus after the year 1998 because of the dreaded Suspension issues. £1000 a corner is a common expression on the Merc forum, though spare parts for Mercedes are certainly much cheaper than for Lexus. Difficult comparison to make and although the Star gives you that feeling of "superiority", I find the uniqueness of the Lexus Marque matches that feeling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0PSdpajIqQ

I was told that the wheel bearing on an MR2 that I owned was adjustable so I assumed Lexus might be the same, if that person was talking sense. Perhaps not? What annoys me is that I don't get any clonking though the Upper wishbones are an advisory on the MOT. I'll have to test them as you suggest.

Glad you'r pleased with your new Wheels. Bet you've washed it already!! Not knowing the history of Lexus, I thought with Mercedes that the two tone cars which was started with the early W140's went out of fashion by the time I bought a '96 S class. Presumeably not with Lexus, or perhaps it was still an option if you wanted it?