Razor61

It would be a project car with a view to keeping it if successful or selling on and make a few quid maybe. I admit the ECU hanging out doesn't look good but I've had a long chat with the owner and the sequence of events and work done after the O2 sensor was disconnected by a cardboard box all makes sense. I was intrigued by how a cardboard box could rip off an O2 sensor, motorway speed and unable to avoid a large cardboard box which went underneath the car and ripped the electrical connection off is basically what happened. When travelling at enough speed softer pieces of material can cause some surprising damage i.e. the piece of foam on the space shuttle to give an extreme example. The ECU needs sorting out, replacing the caps etc, and maybe a new ECU temp sensor which I think will go a long way to resolving the engine running issues, then take it from there.....................if I end up buying it of course. It's 240 miles from me and will need transporting which will cost around £300 - £350. I could arrange a friend to pick it up on his transporter but once you work out the cost of fuel, £200 +, and the time for both of us (and he is flat out working all hours with his business) £300 - £350 for someone else to pick up and deliver is the best option all round.

Colour and trim for the car are below. Framecolor 6N0 Moonstone Pearl and I've not seen many in that colour Trimcolor LE61 Agate or Cypress which is a light green and the same as the last LS400 I had

Sorry to hear about your buddy. I'll keep in mind about the doors if I get it. Not sure what colour it is, in the pictures it looks metallic grey. On the MOT checker is says it's Grey but on the Road Tax checker it says it is Green. I've asked for the VIN so I can check if the spare ECU I have is compatible and the paint code so I know for sure what colour it is.

I have……………..tonight as it happens but in a roundabout way. I was heard on the phone to the seller tonight and the boss is sure I’ve bought it or will buy it no matter what I say. I’m not the most popular person at moment😬 but what the heck……life is for living and not for living under the thumb😎

If the price it right I’ll give it a go, I’ve been in touch with the seller and got a lot of information so I’m reasonably happy about what I’ll getting and what I’m letting myself in for😬 plus I still have a nearly complete OEM set of suspension stuff that will fit, an ECU, a set of standard wheels, service kit and lots of other stuff. I just need to break the news to the ‘boss’ if I get it…………

Hi, there is a 1997 LS400 on eBay that looks decent (link below). Does anyone know anything about the car or looked at it maybe or maybe even bidding on it? I have put a bid in for it but I think it will go for more than I want to pay. 1997 Lexus LS 400 - lovely, runs & drives but needs work/tuning https://ebay.us/XR9pWl

Have you tried this guy on ebay? https://ebay.us/SCItTz

I don't think there is a cover on the Mk3, I don't remember one when I replaced the ECU Temp Sensor and nothing is listed on the parts diagram or the workshop manual for the MK3 but the cover is listed for the previous versions (MK1/2). The MK3 has the large plastic engine v bank cover and that covers the ignition wires iirc. Pic below is from a how to guide I put together for replacing the ECU Temp Sensor on a MK3.

There is a significant difference between the two tyre sizes. Maybe the DHP wheels where made for a different car or a few different cars in Japan using 235/45/17 tyres (hence the size on the box) and Lexus decided to fit them to the LS400 with 245/50/ZR17 tyres instead, just a thought..............

The rod and bushings at a strange angle doesn't sound right. As you say, the front strut camber bolts should be tightened with the cars load/weight on the wheel and bolts for the arb/other suspension bushes plus drop links I would say. There is a guide I had on how to install the strut bushings but I can't find it, iirc there is a larger yellow tab that needs to be at the top and 90 degrees to the horizontal strut bar, or something like that. Looking at the picture I found below it sounds about right. The strut bushes on my car were not falling to bits, as I've seen with other bushes on other makes of car, but they were split all round as in the picture below and under sharp braking there was a heavy clunk. If the camber bolts were not tightened under load then I've been told the stress on the new bushes is so great that they don't last long at all. The arb on my car could be moved laterally very very easily with a prybar so I replaced the arb bushes and it was fine after.

I had one replaced by Lexus Bolton without removing the hub and bearing etc. There is a way/method of doing it but I wasn’t privy to it. I would guess that maybe the lower thinner bit was cut and bent enough to get it in place, bent back and bolted up or a section cut out. The hardest bit would be getting the rusted bolts out without snapping them, plenty of penetrating fluid, time and a lot of patience is needed.

I've been looking, on and off, for another LS400 and I saw the one below on Facebook. I'm pretty sure I've seen it for sale before and wondered if anyone on here knows anything about the car? Previous owner or had a look at the car in the past maybe? Any information would be appreciated.

Have a look and read of the topic below, it may help.

I think it is worth the risk based on what I found on the mk3 I had before but I’ll need to have a good think about it and find somewhere to put it while I work on it.

Ha ha, probably not just the car🤣 believe me it would cause issues if I decided to go ahead. Maybe I need to be economical with the truth for a while but travelling 350 miles there and back to pick it up.................may not be easy to hide🤔

Thanks for all your input and in answer to it I’ve got all new OEM suspension parts front and rear including front UCA’s, apart from the rear UCA’s which I sold a few months ago. VSC light on is a concern but I’ll sort it one way or another. Electrics all work and I’d do a cambelt and water pump change, which I think is a given anyway, plus new tyres. Wheels are in good condition. From what I saw it was just the wings and one is a lot worse than the other. The drivers side has small bubbles that’s all, if I proceed I’d buy both wings off eBay, rust treat, paint the inside and fit. All the rest is pretty good and I’ve seen pictures of the underside as well. I’ve no reason to doubt the seller at all and he was very honest about everything, he has had the car on a ramp and inspected by a mechanic as he is in the automotive trade but on the commercial side. I’m undecided at the moment but if I do go ahead I will have to keep it somewhere away from the house and not on the drive for months on end as that will keep reminding the Mrs of something she really really does not want😚

Car is actually a late 98 not a 97

I never thought I would but I’ve got the itch to buy another LS400, not one for ££££’s but rather a project car to work on and bring back to a good drivable condition. I still have lots of new parts so I might as well put them to good use😀 I looked at a 97 LS400 last Sunday morning. It is a 1997 LS400 mk4 DHP, Alpine Silver, 118k, grey interior, new alternator fitted and overall condition is pretty good considering it has been stood for a few years on a paved driveway with only the front wings and the boot showing rot and rust that I could see. But there are issues, exhaust at the cats is knackered, big holes in the boot wells either side but easily fixable, VSC light and brake light on iirc, brakes need attention with at least new discs needed, passenger front wing has large rust bubbles and drivers side starting, steering fluid cooling pipe rotted, front bumper needs repair and painting, it needs a thorough clean everywhere to remove the moss and dirt to see what needs to be done. But apart from the boot and wings it’s very very good, also no sign of any rust on the top of the windscreen. The rear arches are pretty good with surface rust at the bottom so will be ok after treating etc. Suspension is ok I’m told and it passed it’s MOT recently in March. There are 2 wings for sale on eBay in the correct colour and in good condition so that would sort the wings issue, holes in the boot can be welded, rear arches etc treated as they are not rotted and the rest is mechanical stuff but I need somewhere to do the work. Plus the car will need transporting because of the exhaust and brakes, car is 175miles away. Price is now £1300 (was £2000 then £1500) and I’ve thought about how much I’m prepared to pay to make it worth my while. I concluded it’s worth £750 to me but I could go to £900, do you that is a fair price considering all the work that needs doing plus anything else I come across? And also, am I mad even thinking about doing it..........

Yep, that's all too common. I have done this in the past using a trolley jack that's why I bought a jacking pad for the trolley jack, solid rubber with a slot and not had an issue. In fact I 'manufactured' a jacking pad using 2 wooden blocks, it did the job for a while but started to split so I bought the proper one mentioned above. If the correct rubber pads are used on a four post ramp it shouldn't damage them though. From memory when doing an MOT the car is placed on a full ramp, then a jacking beam is used to raise the rear or front wheels off the ramp to check suspension stuff without the weight of the car on the wheels. For your MOT/s maybe they didn't have the correct rubber pads on the jacking beam and used the sill 'support' points.

I've only used mine on the sill jacking points. I'm pretty sure it would fit under the engine but a long reach trolley jack would be a lot better than the one I got. My method is, loosen wheel nuts, jack up one side of the car using the trolley jack/sill jacking point, put an axle stand in place, lower the car onto it and repeat on the other side while watching that the first side is ok and doesn't move or tilt. Then when happy everything is stable remove the wheels. Good quality axle stands with a wide base help stability. To lower the car back again it's just the reverse. You can jack up the whole front end then lower onto axle stands but I've always been a bit wary of doing this. I have thought about a jacking beam though which would be easier. Below are the jacking points for a LS400 which I presume are the same or very similar for a LS430.

I bought the one below but the place is just down the road from where I work so I picked it up. It's a good jack, low profile and 3.5 ton so beefy enough for a LS400. I also bought a 'Slotted Jack Rubber Pad Adapter For Pinch Weld' from eBay so not to damage the jacking points. The SGS long reach 3 ton trolley jack looks better though and it's free delivery...... Jack: http://www.cjautos.eu:80/LOW_PROFILE_3_5_TON_TROLLEY_JACK_p/gt01c.htm Jacking pad:

That is correct and you have to be careful that all your order is supplied from Amayama or UAE, otherwise you will have 2 lots of shipping costs. I made that mistake when some nuts or bolts came from the UAE and the rest from Amayama, the nuts/bolts ended up being expensive.............

If the cost excluding shipping is under a certain amount you don't pay charges. https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

I would also add to get a decent quality one and better still an adjustable type. I did the front lower ball joints on my IS200 yesterday and I needed to disconnect the track rod ends. I already had a ‘fork’ type splitter which does the job but normally destroys the rubber boot, not an issue if the ball joint is being replaced but in my case I didn’t want to destroy the track rod end rubber boots. So last week I invested in a good quality adjustable ball joint separator which wasn’t cheap by any means but it’s a cracking bit of kit and the way the adjustable bit works is excellent. Link to the one I bought is below, there was an older model second hand one on eBay a few weeks ago but it sold for over £40 iirc. I decided to buy a new one. https://www.sykes-pickavant.com/products/suspension-tools/ball-joint-removal/463

No problem Steve, I suspect the picture is a generic one and maybe some sets have the bolts included and some don't. Have you replaced brake hoses before? If you have then I'll be telling you how to suck eggs with the next bit, but if not then it may help you. Disconnecting brake hoses from the calliper isn't normally a problem but disconnecting the union at the other end which connects to the solid/hard brake lines may be an issue due to rust and corrosion. Wire brush and then plenty of PlusGas (or equivalent) left to soak in and do it's job is my advice. Even then they can be a pig to disconnect, there is normally a metal retaining clip that is rusted to hell and maybe the metal bracket as well. Maybe different on an LS400 but just wanted to mention that, I chopped through the flexible hose once thinking it would be easy to disconnect at the brake pipe end and I was totally wrong..............I couldn't then put everything back together and had to continue struggling. I didn't make that mistake again😉