Gosser

270xxxKM all put on by our family. Two starters, one alternator, a trans rebuild, timing belt, and typical maintenance is all so far. Runs real nice and smooth, everything works. Just put new buns on it and got it aligned.

We just ordered a clean rust free complete rear subframe, since it needs bushings, arms, and the subframe is actually cracked at the rear sway bar bracket. I cannot wait to make a video of this!

We will never sell it, the ride in these things is bar none.

Yri

Chances are, after such a big job, you're going to need to get it aligned again. Swapping a subframe is no simple task, especially when you're in the rust belt. Bolts just rust away and crack off, they get frozen on or they just broke by themselves.

Also, it is ALWAYS a good idea to put on a coat of rust primer and another coat of black paint before you put it on. Chances are, with the subframe you ordered, they just sprayed black paint on (like what they did from factory.) I recommend Rustoleum rusty metal primer, then some coat of rustoleum paint (if you wanna get creative, pick a more... offbeat sort of color).

Gosser

Thank you for the input. We were definitely going to get aligned after the subframe swap. The recent alignment revealed that the two toe adjusters were seized, all the bushings in the knuckles are loose and the upper arm on one side is blown. To do those items, we'd be dropping the subframe anyways, since the upper arms and toe adjusters have some some bolts hidden by the subframe and look like ***** of rust. Then to get the knuckles out to press out the old and new bushings means everything would be unbolted, and just a fight to do. It should be pretty easy to swap, drop the exhaust, drive shaft, brake lines, then four bolts, and bolt the new one back in. The new frame has a rear steer so we'll have to delete that, but no big deal.

Here is how clean it looks:


Doesnt seem to have evidence of repainting, but who knows, it looks a million times better than the one on the car, I'll definitely get a side by side pic. Overall this is about twice the price of just doing arms/bushings, bolts etc. but much less fight, and an end product that is unmatched. Working on it in the future will be easier as well seeing how the car doesnt see the winter any more. I'd love to be able to drop in a LSD into this, but it might not be in the cards at the moment. I should really start a new project thread for the GS. Always nice having a thread of what has been done to it.

Yri

Nice to see, it really is a clean subframe. Seized toe links and loose bushings alone are actually quite startling really.

I'd say, if you want to put an LSD in it, do it now (or at least before you have it in the car) that way you have free room to work on, without having to fight around the rest of the car. If that means you might have to wait awhile, I would think it would be worth the extra wait (unless you need the car ready SUPER soon).

I hope to see this project completed sometime soon (it might get more recognition if you make your own thread, as long as you update it fairly quickly after each change is made, people don't like waiting a year and a half to hear an update that should have been posted a year and a half ago )

DMPesso

Nothing compares to 90s Toyota Lexus. Nothing. They made cars to change the game. No expense was spared on making the most reliable comfortable cars ever made. That 1UZ is something special. I don’t think any car company put as much effort into making a car as did Toyota when they made the LS400. Project F1. The story behind it is truly amazing. God bless them for putting that engine in the GS because the LS really is ugly and looks outdated now. The GS design is timeless. I think it would cost close to 100k in today’s money for a car like the GS to be built today. They just don’t make them like they used to, this car was truly over engineered and built to last 300k miles EASILY. if I’m not mistaken the 1UZ was tested to run a million miles. Car companies are just not putting in that type of effort now and days, they made these cars to steal the game from the Germans back in the day.

Even when I drive my friends 2 year old bmw 750 or Audi A8, when I get back into my GS400 besides the tech and handling not as crisp, it feels just as solid and tank like as a 100k German car in today’s money. That’s saying something. Any other 20 year old car after driving a BMW 750 or Audi A8 you should feel a huge difference. Not with a GS400!

Gosser

There is certainly no rush to get the new subframe in. I definitely want to do it while its out, but I just have no idea what LSD to order to be honest. I have a hard time committing to Lexus aftermarket parts, I am way more familiar with Audi stuff and what works and what doesnt.

Once this subframe arrives, I am going to want it out from my garage! So its definitely going in this year!

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

I’m located in Oklahoma. If I keep my trips short, it doesn’t give me any trouble. At first it only did it every once in a while, but it happens much more often. My dealership is doing free multipoint inspections this month so I plan on bringing all three of my cars by to get them looked at.

There is a thread that talks about this issue and I saw a post that mentioned a large number of late 90’s to late 00’s Toyota and Lexus are capable of the issue. I heard of it on an IS300 before but never seen anything else on it. I worked at my local dealership and I’d never seen it on any older cars that I dealt with.

LaZeR

The dealer I went to said it's a small part that gets replaced in around the accelerator pedal, but i can't remember xctly. Can you let us know their Analysis/Diagnosis &/or if it's the same as mine?

What does one search on to find this thread - do ya have the link?

kr777

1998 GS300 at 160,000kms (100K miles)
I have had it since January and have done the following
- Fuel pump + some kind of wiring which broke the car down in the first week I had it
- Replaced brake master cyl with an Aristo one, much better
- Need to service the transmission, shift solenoids are broken
- Valve cover gaskets need to be done this week, its leaking a bit
- Given it a full service, replacing right front wheel bearing
- Replaced a door actuator
- Some dash lights are dead and VSC will not disable
- Flushed coolant twice with Toyota OEM
- New tail lights just installed yesterday!

I want to get an exhaust, tints, paint correction+detail, VIP interior and eventually lower it with some nice wheels

It is my first car and it feels amazing to drive. Also my daily driver and gives about 12L/100km stop-start city driving on Premium 98 which is pretty good.

Ddk912

Totally renewed the brakes. Rotors, calipers, pads. Currently has a cel lit so that’s next. I’m hoping for the best, but I’m not that lucky. We’ll see, what are the most common offenders at 167k miles?

DMPesso

you have to get the check engine light read so you know the code. It could be anything

DMPesso

Wow 98 octane. In New York the most I’ve ever seen is 93 octane. What country are you in?

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

I haven’t gotten that inspection yet. My sister called my dealership and they weren’t doing them anymore. It was weird since they sent me a card in the mail about it. I’ll see if they can check it out when I go to get my oil changed in a few weeks.

That part near the gas pedal sounds interesting. I’ve heard about that but never looked into it.

I’ll have to find a link to that thread. I had it bookmarked somewhere.

Gosser

Nice, are those OEM outer tail lights? Sell them to me.

Ddk912

I know I needed the code, I was just being lazy so I dropped it at the mechanic. He says there are two, I didn’t write them down, but one was for evap system and the other a tranny solenoid. He’s short handed so it’s just sitting there waiting until he gets to me. Anyone have similar codes ?