Got the hood cable replaced, and headlights coated.

I was able to look at the P0125 on my test drive and bank 1 sensor 1 had no voltage. The car is in the air again with PB on the O2.



The hood looks even worse now. I’m thinking about buying a painted to match mail order hood. This one is in bad shape. I’m concerned the aftermarket hood won’t fit well though.

 

Victory over the P0125 has finally occurred. It ended up being a broken Ox wire at the H12 connector.


I ordered a replacement connector from Amazon and unpinned one of the wires and replaced the pin in the OEM connector.


It all went well and I have a no dash lights for the first time that I’ve owned the car.

this link helped diagnose but it’s for an LS so PIN numbers are different.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachments/ls-3rd-gen-2001-2006/483512d1649706354-please-help-check-engine-light-is-driving-me-insane-m_di_0050.pdf

I need to do the timing belt and water pump and transmission and diff fluid change. After that it’s on to suspension bushings and coil overs.

 

The next phase of the saga involves the strange window issue where the back windows can roll down even without the key when controlled from the driver door.

So I’ve ordered speakers and a head unit instead of messing with the OEM stuff. The speakers are pretty roaches and the navigation isn’t working.

In prep for that I wanted to fix the windows, fix the door lock actuator and the window regulator in the driver door.



Door panel comes off and I discover a missing bolt in the regulator, and the lower window track is totally missing.




Also, the door harness is hacked.




I tried the new door ECU and that didn’t fix the issue.

I pulled the wire harness and ordered a new one. There were three broken wires, one was not connected, one was spliced into the wrong wire and one was reconnected. All the connections were twisted together and then taped.



I also discovered the screws were in the scuff place because rather than line up the plastic snaps, the plastic got mashed and screws attached. Two of the three didn’t even go into anything. It’s all bizarre.

While I’m waiting on parts I am changing the timing belt. Only a few new items. The evap hose didn’t have a clamp and was probably a vacume leak. I found a broken part of a hose clamp hanging out.

 

I couldn’t get the crank bolt off, so now I’m back in the stereo install.

First parts to show up were the harnesses and the power wire for the amp.

I started the power at the battery…





That’s the main harness and some car audio power wire booger welded onto it for the starter, I assume (I can’t see the starter, but the wire appears to terminate there).

Here is part of the fix.




Then I removed the glovebox. It was missing a screw and a clip. One bolt was a half inch unscrewed. This explains why it didn’t shut well.




Nothing new to report in the back seat and the trunk.

I have noticed the door seals have been dislodged on the door for so long that they have been distorted. Not sure if there is a fix other than replacing them, but I’m trying to mash them flat again like they should be.

The battery tray was missing a bolt and there’s no battery hold down (ordered).

 

I buttoned up the timing belt and water pump.





I’ve abandoned hopes of writing up a Mark Lev audio replacement. I have the factory wiring book. The wire layout doesn’t differentiate between ML and non ML. I had hoped there wouldn’t be some major difference in the wiring of a ML, but alas, it does appear to be more than an extra harness for ML. I just ordered a 4 channel for the trunk instead of using the head unit power the speakers. I’ll cut the amp wires and go from there.

 

Your patience is incredible.

 

this is fun watching someone bring the GS back to OEM instead of throwing on mods when the car doesnt even run properly

 

Timing belt job went well. I got the battery cable stabilized enough to start and do a temp cycle. My first timing belt.

The new battery hold down came in.


I got in the replacement door wiring harness from a 2004 GS300. The speaker cables were different.




I transferred some hold downs to the new harness.




Unfortunately none of the power windows or locks work now. So I’m guessing the hacked harness was addressing some other problem.

 

Here’s a shot of the stabilized battery situation.



To distract myself from the disappointment of the window situation I started changing out the lock actuators.




It seems PO changed the driver actuator and handle. The handle was not painted. My passenger outside handle was broken, so I ordered a new passenger handle and painted both front handles.



I had noticed the inside lock indicator didn’t really work correctly, and it’s because the lock cable was broken. Both front doors needed new lock cables.



Both front doors now have functional painted outside door handles, working lock cables and working actuators.

It was nice to see the passenger door had never been serviced. All the bolts and plastic was where it should be.

I also changed out the Ball joints as a way to procrastinate working on the windows.

So I finally got back in the window situation. I basically assumed there was a broken cowl wire. The hack harness stole 12v from the door power supply to give it to the driver window switch power supply. Normally Body ECU 1 provided power to the switch through the R/Y wire, which runs from along the cowl.

To prove my theory, I removed the door switches from the door card and plugged them in. To my amazement when I tested the driver door switch for power there was 1.98V. On the wiring diagram I noted the same R/Y wire from body ecu 1 also lowers the passenger door lock switch. So I measured it, and it’s the same 1.9V. Next I remove the driver switch and measure the voltage as 4.9V and when I remove the passenger door lock switch it measures 12V.




So I now think it’s a bad body ECU1. I ordered one, and I also ordered a window switch. I know I’m throwing parts at it, but the are cheap used parts and I’m ready to be finished with this.

I decided I would dissect the driver door window switch to mess with and figure out what voltage is needed to power up the LED in the switches.

I depinned the old door harness and I powered up the driver door switch on the R/Y using W/B as ground and the LEDs didn’t really turn in until about 10v.




It takes almost no current to run the LEDs so I’m hoping that it’s the body ecu 1. It’s a deep dig to get there. I hope it’s worth it.

 

I awoke from a restless slumber and stepped into the deep dark jungle of window issues with my newest forged weapon, the body ecu 1, prepared to exact my revenge on the evil spirit that’s possessed a pore innocent GS430.

As I began my assault on the passenger side kick panel, slowly filleting more and more parts I received an urgent call from my wife. It seems the evil spirit had fled the GS for the nearest Lexus it could find, her 05 GX470. The evil manifested itself as TRAC OFF, VSC OFF, Check engine light.

The GX is her true love, and was completely innocent. I had to spring into action to vanquish the demon. I performed an incantation and determined it was P0037, downstream O2 sensor driver side. The high priest O’Reilly brought me a blessed Bosch direct fit and the evil instantly fled back to the GS.

Returning my attention to the initial plan, I sliced open the poor GS and removed the demented body ecu 1 and put in its place a silver bullet.

With love and attention I stitched the sole back together, and when it came time to revive the patient, a breath of fresh air quickly entered all the windows as they lowered in unison. The evil was exercised and all was right with the world.

This is the technical post. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...e-mpx-1-a.html

Unfortunately, the demon has returned. The AC doesn’t work. I might have damaged the wires doing the timing belt, or it could be the new non-nav HVAC controller i installed or slightly possibly that same damn body ecu.

Is the car cursed? Will I persevere? Tune in next time for the latest installment.

 

It seems the AC had only one OZ of coolant. Weird. They didn’t find a leak.

AC works.

Driver door was weird when I got it. The auto up feature would glitch (too much load) and lower, but manual worked.

Part of the lower track was missing and the rubber seal was stuck behind the door latch.

I replaced the track, fixed the switch, and now just replaced the regulator.

It still acts weird. The motor is on order now. The window didn’t seem to bind when I moved it up and down.

I removed the seats to shampoo the carpet. I didn’t expect the car smell to have changed. It wasn’t bad before, but I guess there was a smell.



I’ve also been stripping some FSport wheels



There was three coats on two of the wheels.
FYI For the cost of all the stipper I used I would have saved money taking them to someone.

 

Got the wheels done




I had the car getting some dings fixed. I didn’t take any before and after, but it was an excellent deal at a seasoned place in Springfield Dent Co.

The driver auto up fester has been falsely detecting a jam. I’ve changed the regulator.

The exterior window trim didn’t sit right so I ordered one from eBay. I took the busted and screwed one off.





In this last picture you can see the white clip that should sit into a slot in the sheet metal. This was just mashed and screwed. Just like the door scuff plate. Should be more clips too. Some people are monsters.

The auto up window still tripped with the trim removed. Next I changed the motor. I didn’t get a picture, but the window did auto up. I was afraid to try it again.

I think the window seal is deformed. At some point the door lock was changed. When the lock was placed back the seal was caught between the door latch and the door skin. The track was not put back. The jerk just drove it like that. MONSTERS.

I did receive the Tein Flex. I’ve not had time to install them. There is just so much apart I probably should wrap the stereo before I take the suspension apart.

 

Steady progress on the car.

Got the window trim replaced.
The EBay one didn’t have any clips and clips are not for sale. but the belt molding is still available at the dealer.




I’ve been busy building the stereo.








and fixing things like clips as it put the car back.


I got the windows retinted while it was all apart.

 

The stereo is mostly finished. I still need to put carpet on the amp boards, secure wires, and figure something out on the center speaker. Waiting on the Coilover swap.

 

I’ve had a setback on this. The alternator is charging at 15.5 V when cold and the 4 channel amp won’t turn on above 15 V. So I’ve been trying to track that down.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lex...old-start.html

In the mean time I’m putting the coilovers on. Front went fine.

The rear lower CA inner bolt on both sides are seized. I’m going to leave them for now.

The outer spherical bearing was failed on both sides.

I ordered new front CA #2 and the bearings.

Hoping to get this at least looking better soon.