Redefined

pressures removed from the back and made 30 (back) and 31 front. Pic on left being the 'post pressure removal' one. Had to take two lots as the collage wouldnt create wide enough.

Checked tyres. Fronts they'd left at 30 (well, 32 and 30 on the r side) and rears they'd pit to 36 - but can't blame em as they probably don't own a Topeak mountain bike tyre pressure checker 😊). Must've been when I asked gaffer to check the backs and it probably got a bit skew-wiff... different pump or person doing the back pressures!! I'd have thought the other way round would cause lights to face up but...

@BigBoomer oh no... I wouldn't wanna spend money trying to stop glare into opposite sides traffic eyes. On a positive note (aside from when they flash me) visibility has been excellent of late 😆

Hmmm. I'll bet the garage put it up to 35psi after they redid the front with some part worns (Bridgestone Alpins I think with about 5 or 6mm tread... £35 each 😊). I'll check and get back down to 32psi before going to fins a flat spot.

What tyre pressures do you lot run on these beasts. I try for about 32 all round but will take my pressure gauge & pump with me to get to an exact/appropriate psi.

Thanks you lot. I'll go do this after prayers atthe masjid and dodging the wife from wanting me to lay the loft (renovation storage build) insulation. Finding a flat space might be tricky but I think Asda ight do the trick...

Is there only the one levelling link Pete (on the 400). The levelling seems to be working cos when I turn the lights on they still do the auto adjust thing. Here's what they look like from the drivers view. Do seem ever so slightly high, though the camber where I'm start isn't great (it's sloping to the right by a few degrees). Pic taken with phine held in the clock bay.

Let me just add this to the jobs list (aside from sorting out the brake shake... again!!). Thats a bit of that knee wrap tape as a temporary fix. Maybe my lights are not self levelling properly anymore as for a few days I've been getting people flashing me. Today trucks have started doing it and one just put his beams on coming straight opposite me. Hopefully this band-aid might help the lights not to shine as high.... Though, if I stand far from the car it doesn't seem excessively high nor shining in my eyes! Another problem could be that after I had the lenses cleaned I didn't add any extra laquer! I guess I'll find out in the coming days as this needs sorting.

Had some work done at Lex Tek. Timing belt finally sorted with this current one being in since 2012 (32003 miles). It was also a genuine Toyota and hardly looks worn. Looking good (got Dave to keep it for me for pics), pics below. Ignore the price of the brake discs, I think he did me a favour on them as they had to crack it (was seized on, maybe last fitter didn't use sufficient anti seize) and didn't charge labour. Another enjoyable exp (aside from the bill, but you get what you pay for and alot cheaper/better than MDs I'm sure). Work completed: Timing belt and water pump with genuine parts. Wheel bearing which I assume is an NSK or similar as he only tries to use original parts. ATF renewed as gear changes could be felt slightly. Discs/coolant. Next job, once he sends me a rough estimate is the engine cam covers as they're leaking onto the exhaust manifolds slightly. Causing a but of a pong in the cabin!

Aux belt done thankfully. Thw Milwaukee bendy ratchet I had bought to work on the Subaru H6 (horizontally opposed, 6 cylinder, space in the engine bay is very very tight) came in very handy. What came off was a Gates belt (so assumingly not the original from 20 years ago) and it's a Dayco off ebay that went back on. Had to ensure everything went back on in the correct orientation but it wasn't too hard. Main thing was figuring out which pulley I needed to rotate sideways to release the pressure/stretch on the belt (a little help from youtube). One pulley/bearing removed for good measure. Might order a few and get em done in advance!

Lol. Didn't know that but not surprised. They do a teendency to sometimes get the top folks building their gear. Thanks for the info and out of interst... Does that mean Halfords batteries are made in Japan too!?

I wouldn't say it's any poor fortune on your behalf and nor is it the fault of Yuasa. But I will say that I always buy Yuasa and love em. But on the previous Subaru (or the one before that) the Yuasa battery seemed to be dying prematurely. During servicing if car wasn't left on for as long as possible when using any of the electrics, by the end of the service everything would be half dead. Showed it to Halfords twice and both times the battery checked out as healthy (the green indicator on top was also still green). But after the replacement that problem sorted itself out. Probably just a slightly faulty batch or similar. Still, the only batteries I ever buy (for past 10 or 15 years) are Yuasa as they easily outlast the 5 year warranty (which only comes on yhe higher spec grey models I believe).

A quick call this morning to Dave at LexTec and car booked in for 16th Jan. Timing belt & waterpump. Then jacked the lovely tonne of metal up and did the oil and filter. Caught it before it went too far beyond 7000 miles (since last service in August) but as I'd expected the oil coming out looked nice and clean. Not sure if it's placebo though, but it definitely felt smoother on the test drive after. Whilst on the tripods I managed to assess for a wheel bearing noise which I've been getting intermittently on certain motorway selections. Was hoping it was just loud tyre noise but (equally as) thankfully it was too hard to confirm it's the front offside that's worn. Quick call to LexTec and that's added to the list. Also, ordered a new Dayco aux belt and a Mahle oul filter (for the next change, they come about so quickly!!).

Sorry... but I just burst into another tiny fit of giggles at work. Just driven down 120 miles to Birmingham for a night shift. Put in about £50 of V power before departure but had to drive at 70. So might need a touch more on the way back home. Such lovely little beasts 😍 and thanks again for all the input on here a year (or more) before I actually bought mine. Absolutely love it!

Ooh, nice1 Razor. That'll be the one then. I'll order em all (or a couple). @Malc1 yes I do agree with it being economical indeed but I suppose I'm comparing to the last 5 years of Subaru Legacy ownership and before that a Honda 2.4 Accord with 2 Nissan Primera GT LE for the 12 years or so before that. Ooh, and a Toyota Carina E (2 I think) which was my foes tproepr car after the Citroën AX I had after passing my driving test. So I'm playing to a pretty high bar of reliability. None of them were 8 cylinder 4.2L though. Oh dear, if only someone was listening in (from, 'the other') and hearing us talking about a 4L car being economical. They'll never 'get it'.

Thanks @Spacewagon52 yes, I've already had that radiator upgrade done where the oil warmer is now separate and doesn't go through the rad. Had/asked Lex-Tec to comment on the radiator condition when I last went down (front suspension arm rear bushes). He said it was fine. But, even when it does go it won't take the whole gearbox with it. Just been looking around and prices for the pulleys are really expensive (and maybe won't even have the original/genuine NTN bearings pressed in unless I go for original equipment). So looks like bearing replacement (with NTN or similar bearings) will be the most economical/robust option.

Just thinking out loud.... Coming to think of it, might be an idea to remove a pulley and take a look at the bearing. Order one or 2 of the same and the serpentine belt. Swap em out and hopefully job done 🤗 Trying to run a v80 LS on a Nissan Primera budget. Some would class this as a social experiment.

Hi all. I'm getting that slight smell of when a bearing is about to sieze. I've a good guess its from the aux belt tensioner bearings. But money is a bit tight and I'd like to try and work through and hopefully find the exact one that's seizing up. Anyone got any experience of which bearings end up going first as I'll start there. Can't afford to take it to the mechanics just now either and I have all the tools (usually a straightforward job of swapping pulleys/bearings around the aux belt) and the serpentine belt needs replacing anyway. Any input greatly appreciated, ta... It's a model year 2000 LS430.

Thanks @Boomer54 indeed it is. Still remains a month later, just as sharp. It's something that I'd always walk back from the masjid to and see the dullness of them lights. Now though, it's super sharp and crisp looking. Kept looking at em the first few days but I reckon the novelties worn off now 😅

Sorry, forgot to update this. I had them done and the results are ace. Clear cote was applied by the restorer and price was £45 for both outside my door (he came about 10 miles). Looked like he really loves his job and told me the reason for the cheaper price was cos he wasn't using the coat that could last 3 or 5 years. One, to save costs to the consumer and secondly in case he applies the coat and it doesn't last the expected 4 years. It's by 3m and comes as 2 wipes. Not done it yet, but plan to. The chap had such good peoples skills and seemed to love his job so much I'll be using him again when needed (hopefully for another car). Took over an hour!

Thanks Steve for this. Mine is also a bit rusty near the rear number plate. So you reckon I could get it draining better and save myself a load of hassle later down the line. Any suggestions on a rust inhibitor that won't then need colour matching/painting over. Great thread btw @hockeyedwards

Hi Barry. I remember watching the vid from Car Care Nut about 'all things Toyota/Lexus brake/brake fluid'. I don't have a hybrid myself but I remember him mentioning 'do not open the doors (or maybe just drivers side door)'. Sounds like you're already in the know, but if it might be of any help I can dig out that vid for you. He's very thorough in most things Lexus/Toyota.

Ditto to what Lex said. Also keen to see what/how it needs welding as Malc mentioned. Hopefully it's something or nothing (sorry, the quote I forget, but you know what I mean 😊).

@BigBoomer So better off just going with 17 x 7j for which spacers wouldn't be needed? Them wheels (the SC430 came without centre caps anyway and the bolts for the centre caps are seized in - so giving em a miss). @lex - eleven you're wheels look rather nice. Yes, something like that which isn't too loud but also ever so slightly different from our originals. Miney being the main factor though as I may eventually sell the originals at a slight loss too.

I agree. That is truly atrocious. Isn't it under warranty and didn't they themselves feel that this was/is premature wear! Rediculous TBH but having always tried to byt quality items (in other avenues including cars) I can confirm that the qaulity of most things has gone downhill. Still... Wouldn't have expected it from 'we are quality' Lexus. Shocking (sorry).