Ben01

Amen fot this. But life is brutal and cut our dreams, and I have no space nor money for 6 cars. At the moment. But (Arnold voice mode) "I'll be back". Maybe we should start another topic "what cars did you plan to keep forever but you were poor and stupid and let them go?"

To bright the scary day, I would share my more funny than scary version of the problem above (scary one was big ford revs and vigorously flied into middle of busy T-crossing...). Funny version was: early '90 I had very crappy small fiat with broken fuel gauge. One day I miscalculated the fuel and car stalled in the middle of small home town. I used couple of heavy words, as it was like a mile walk to fuel station, so I looked around and have seen familiar automotive "jack-of-all-trades" shop. Quick jumped into, "Hi, hello, gimmie bigger bottle of common paint thinner", jump out, filled the tank a bit. Some stranger passed by and looked what the hell I was doing with glass bottle, he turned head so much he tripped badly over the pav and hit the street. Bad for him. In mean time, I was such a smart boy! I though like - "this is very light fuel, half a litre or so means nothing, is this enough to fill pump, carburetor and stuff? and for a mile to petrol station? maybe I put more". I return to the shop, "Hi again, gimmie one more bottle of thinner" - lady at register (owner and my neighbour) "Whats up? Did you break it?" - "Nay, I just filled my thirsty fiat, but I think maybe it is not enough". All customers, ladyowner, and her husband in back of shop were like choir "WHAT THE HELL?!". But who cares, I grabbed bottle, paid, jump out, fill the tank again, I have seen like five or six people watching me from wide windows of the shop. Wave on them, started the fiat with no trouble, and flied away with noise and power of small ferrari. I flied thru town like mad bat, worrying if the two cylinder beast withstand this sudden power tide (and if air coolin enough), with fabulous sound. Quick to the station, to the pump, ignition off, and WHAT THE HELL this stupid tiny engine revs vigorously like normal... I jump out, open bonnet, in panic disconnect the main harness, engine of course does not care, revs pretty fine. The guys - clerks at the station (they knew my briefly, small town, only two stations) in awe carefully approached me and fiat, like hunters to the prey or doctors to the mental patient. In mean time I found the solution - rip out the plastic inlet on the top (looks sort of like beetle's one), and cover inlet by hand, engine sucked, choked and stalled. "WHAT WAS THAT?" the guy was "Last time I've seen anything like this with overheated diesel, but how is it possible with this gasoline crappy fiat??!!" - I was calm and cool "For me? Easy peasy thinner breezy, lets fuel this monster"...

IMHO it is not normal. Like, it is common excuse of so called "LPG specialists" ("it is always like this") and if somebody put LPG very "lean" (so O2 errors) and in "a low cost" version, but still - far away from normal. Eg. my current and previous blue GSes got LPG systems and there were/are no any errors on ECU for this reason. BTW former blue I6 had one of the best system in the world probably, so easy one, current silver V8 has very common LPG system and still it's possible to set up this properly.

Never kill ignition in the heat of the action! BTDT. Sudden lack of brakes servo and power steering would kill you either, even if you pumped up by pure adrenaline... Only put tranny into neutral, it does not matter auto or stick, brake normally and safe landing on the shoulder etc. and next kill the ignition. Don't bother with red-lined engine, even if it will blow up it's much easier to find another engine than new leg or head or life...

It is boring, but if somebody freakin about 0-60 is better than nothing and could be informative but IMHO ONLY if the stop-watch is real next to speedo, not picture-in-picture...

From Steve's diagram above, oring type 1 (named BROCK JOINT, funny japanese translation of "block" 😉) probably. (If this is a liquid side, I am not familiar with you setup). But could be some crack either, one way or another you or your garage has to unscrew this pipe and block, and you will see. And if I am right, you need at hand oringS type 2 too, for this pipe sealing, both ends - they will not survive disassemble and mount back this pipe, probably.

Sitrep after some road tests: I have set up gasoline kick lower, at 4200revs, and it looks very nice. Translation: "do ya see my ugly happy face in da back? DO YA??". In fact, I accidentaly fired VSC today, first time in this GS, flied thru some "two dimensional corner". Scotland, you know.

I think to achieve 23l/100 (about 10mpg) LS needs much more than neglected maintenance, old plugs or sticky caliper or two, especialy if Jay said " looked good no issues". I expect hefty errors/failures, like MAF, O2 probes, throttle body, ignition, etc (and disconnected "check engine" and other warning lamps). Second thought - I imagine one item from "neglected maintenance" could kills consumption like above, 100yr old air filter full of goo and unexperienced owner thinking 4000rev in the city ride is normal for V8.

Could be condenser, connection block, pipe itself even, any damaged seal or hair-crack. Unfortunately AC oil is light and under high pressure, it easy flies like thin mist, especially in turbulent air under the bonnet. Very often is SNAFU like your situation, there is an oily surface around condenser, dryer or compressor, but where is the source, it's difficult to guess. Common practice is to replace orings first, next pipes and connections as John suggested above. It is always reasonable and cheaper way in doubts, better than start with expensive condenser (or compressor, evaporator, etc next time)

23 LITRES per 100km is unexpected vs. 13l/100km, indeed. Or lets say 16/100km in my mind for 4.3 or 4.6 in real ukrainian city on ukrainian petrol, not EPA ideas. Jay, find any decent garage with OBD2 diagnostics capabilities (any brand, audi, merc toyota specialists), they could read the errors (codes) from engine control system, next back with this list of errors here, next we will braining.

Ebay's "Buyer Protection" was always only words on the screen, Paypal is a bit more interested in honest customer service. But on the other hand, from some signs, how many "hacked" accounts ebay have now, and some info from people much deeper in serious IT (I am sort of pro, but far away from web, databases and their security), it looks like something happened last months - a) ebay had serious security breach/leak "on they own" or b) any serious hackers targeted ebay or c) some dumb scammers put their hands on serious hacking tools. BTW keep in mind approx. last two years the invisible cyberwar is upon us (ok, some battles were spectacularly visible, NHS...). Behind every corner of internet there are (BTW even I witnessed them in my niche) attacks and hacks I did not believe in even 5 years ago. It came in waves, IMHO it looks like current wave has hit ebay harder. I heard and read many theories who, why, what, but IMVHO it looks like nobody knows for real what is going on, every scammer suddenly have an advanced and automated "tools" and resources to use them, and everybody hacks everybody. Or they pretend to be scammers... From what I see in logs and servers under my rock at the bottom of internet sometimes I don't get why fat targets, like google, big IT players, governments, banks etc. are still online, how they defend themself under permanent attack. Welcome to the future, some say.

Welcome back and you have won my internet this week. We (especially my wife) have soft spot for new jags, but you told in funny and light way the very very important story. It is remember me one comment when I bought my first decent car decades ago, all coworkers and family were "he is retarded to buy old ford germany barge in his 20ies, his wife and children are doomed and they will live in poverty, etc". But one elder coleague was different, he started "o'boy, you screwed" I was "R., I am tired with all this [censored] about consumption and cost of german parts for exotic car" he was "nonono, not this - you are in deep ****, because you NEVER EVER back to worse car, you jump over too wide gap, from crappy fiat to real and comfy car". Mister R. you were totally right, for every "gap" I jumped over in my automotive life.

Phil, thanks (and I could not find any your photo too). Honestly, I never think about this place and it looks not so bad. I focused on driver's surrounding and drivers "corner" where I had LEDs for aftermarket parking sensors in many cars (current GS too) and missed passenger "corner" opportunity totaly. And I thought even on ashtray (too much diggin and ashtray is useful) and sunvisor (I don't like the idea and some problems with cabling etc. too). Food for thought.

I think it is common sense and advisable in any car? It is not a first time, hybrids' design suprised me (like feed the cooling of battery from the cabin 🤨 for me it is like feed the beetle's air cooled engine from the cabin, why not), I feel old now.

BTW even if I DIY everything it is my common practice to ask dealer first for parts, especialy for elder cars (not near new and not super-old, you mean). I have not yet any score at lexus/toyota but I got this on fords or americans every second time; sometimes you ask and next laughin on the floor, like £200 for tiny strip over windscreen or £600 for common alternator, but another time you walk away with halfshaft or mechanical parts or headlight in solid OEM quality with very normal price tag (because discount, clearing old warehouse, not updated price, etc. - the best story was headlight for elder ford, regular dealer's price was plain ridiculous, I shrugged, clerk shrugged in retort, but manager was listening over the desk and asked how long this lamp for 1991 ford stays in stock. After some funny answer like 12 years, and small disussion, we discounted and have dealt like "used mint lamp plus some change"). In case of our first GS I reviewed some parts at local Toyota dealer, there were no big scores, but always worth to try. BTW BTW I needed a very few parts for 3 GSes last 4 years, compare to other old boats, indeed.

Exactly, and still could be no rocket science, only time consuming. And keep in mind all this code readers and on-board diagnostics are about to make manufacturing and maintenance faster and cheaper, but not exactly better or to replace oldschool basics. Last example: I have spent like 4 hours to review all accesible complex vacuum pipes and hoses in current GS, just looking for general harshness and issues, there were no any codes or error for MAF, throttle body, air ratio, etc. at ECU. It was the same job like 1990. I found three faults, engine is much happier now. If anybody think any "modern" garage spent half a day chasing something "invisible" (because no codes on ECU) IMHO it's naive view, and it is does not matter if it's previous owner's of my GS trusted pakistani 30/hr garage or Lexus highly trained and equipped 120/hr garage. This is reason for last 15 years or so my motto is "if you want a thing done well, do it yourself". But for people with no skills nor will to dig into used cars extended warranty could be a good substitute.

I use to rev camera in previous company car, and as you said I immediately bought nice piece from ebay for GS, but I could not find any place on dash to put this screen and not to ruin the dash (and I don't like idea to put it into sunvisor either). So I stay with oldschool sonic sensors now. Have you any photo of your mount and dash?

Keyword "should", I don't know your places, but there are no ancient zen masters from Tahara at Lexus Glasgow, rather boys with some training and practice. And half of the car, even advanced hybrid etc. is still a pretty normal, like: pads and discs are not rocket science exactly. And you could still DIY on the modern car, especially in high-street garage style ("semi-randomly replace any pieces until customer will be happy") and sometimes better than high-street garage (because I trade off lack of Lexus tools and equipment for "I could investigate any problem 5 times longer and deeper than any busy garage with £120/hr tag"). But all this is of course irrelevant for prices of labour at premium garage or extended warranty, for sure.

Welcome, and nice ride you have!

Maybe, or "maintenance bandage for designers faults" maybe 😉 nobody is perfect, even Lexus/Toyota, and in other models/brands are different "good practice" advices. In lexus '90-'00 probably there are "re-grease callipers' pins and check upper arms yearly or every 5000 miles, what comes first"... in fords "replace stabilizers and lower arms rubbers yearly", in french cars "re-grease designated half of electronics yearly", in italians, I dont know, probably it was small book. Yearly.

😜 I got about 200k miles on many 20+yr cars and never had new callipers AND never re-greased or dismantle them yearly, only when pads/discs changed. Only lexuses in my scope (and toyotas too, I presume). So maybe this advice it very good here, but not common. We are not in 1958 (even 1995 was not in 1958), when commonly you had to grease ten points around the wheel, steering and suspension every 3000 miles 😝

John, thanks for suggestion. My current GS was squelling beast, I put some copper grease and it is better but not perfect yet, maybe I should follow your advice. Or, maybe I would try my old idea, never tested, cut some "pads" from copper or bronze foil to replace steel anti-vibration "pads" behind pads. In theory it could quiet anything and everything, I presume. But I am lazy dude, not inventor.

No problem. And press them to non-acid silicone, or maybe other option in the garage is any polyurethane agent (like this black glue for windscreens, it is good sticky stuff but "heavy", messy and risky next to camera len). In all cases like above, never use popular silicones (smell vinegar = acid = electronics next to this corrode) or acrylic agents (they are not good at all as outdoor sealants).

FYI I prefer cars worth less than four expensive ABS sensors, and I am deeply sad my current GS is worth slightly more, so I am not a target for any warranty, normal or extended, at all. Because I like peace of mind (and hate depreciation, but this is another story) and if anything is seriously wrong I like to scrap the barge and to buy another one. But as I said above: if you like peace of mind and have enough money, why not to extend warranty, it could be very smart bet, especially on expensive cars. And even if I think £100-120 per work hour at Lexus sucks (plus as above comments, don't forget expensive parts and modern cars are not designed for maintenance), I never think it's rip off or robbery, I simple never ever use Lexus garage or plan to use them.

With plastic ABS sensor (like GSes in my scope) is no better, typically they design hole for sensor pretty tight, and after couple of years corrosion etc. on body/hole could "lock" the plastic and it is impossible to move. And it does not help the old plastic in "outdoor" condition is quite brittle. Sometimes I have to drill them out. In all my cars when I had to touch the ABS sensors, only in some americans it was easy job. BTW not every ABS sensor is "sub £50 item" - for my GS genuine sensor costs rather 150 than 50 like for newer versions, with socket on sensor.