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Yea buddy it sounds like a plan. I almost pulled the trigger on a rust free 93 SC400 and planned to do the same type of thing. Then I saw the gas mileage of the SC400 and got scared. If I can find a 94 LS400 in mint condition I will probably go for it because I can get the Classic insurance and use it as my summer and run my current beast in the winter. My engine, my A/C, brakes, radio all work so well so I love my car, she's a trooper.
Id double check if you could get classic insurance on any old lexus. Ive called hagerty on multiple occasions asking about 25yrs old + lexus LS or SC and they denied either car for classic insurance. ive had the same plans of buying a second old lexus for cheap insurance but seems like a no go for some reason...
My 99....slowly over 1 year I've replaced so much, just needs an alternator, clean right headlight, right fender and bumper. Cosmetics take a back seat tho.
I like it Sin. Similar color to my 97. Looks like it has an eye patch with the cataracts on the one side.
The P0420 code means the ECU isn't seeing a major difference in voltage between the O2 sensor before the catalytic converter and the O2 sensor after the catalytic converter. It could be that someone "punched out" the catalytic converters or the platinum/ceramic isn't effective anymore. A bad O2 sensor can cause a P0420, but you'll generally get a code for the particular sensor before hand. BTW, congrats on picking up your LS400. They are wonderful cars!
Thank you, still has not come back yet. I plan to patch some more holes if I can find them so I bet it will return.
Id double check if you could get classic insurance on any old lexus. Ive called hagerty on multiple occasions asking about 25yrs old + lexus LS or SC and they denied either car for classic insurance. ive had the same plans of buying a second old lexus for cheap insurance but seems like a no go for some reason...
Canada..... I mean if the criteria is 25 years then why not? So many scams and rackets in the country. I will blow this mother ****er up if I don't get my classic insurance in a couple years. (the insurance place not the LS)
The hole I patched up the other week. I had to remove that aluminum shield to get to it. Can't get it back on now... would some type of paint help protect the underside of the car?
So, in trying to figure out the Parking Brake situation on my 1998, I have realized that the Parking Brake on my 1997 does not work at all. When In N and the parking brake engaged the car Rolls freely down the driveway. I thought that sometimes it didn't engage but I never actually tested it in N. Since my driveway is an incline it is something I should have figured out ages ago.
Perhaps I will get lucky and the parking break needs adjusting. The foot pedal seems to work, it does release a little bit slowly and the light stays on for a little bit after it is released.
Edit: After more testing it holds the car from going forwards. I will just use it that way, correctly from now on.
I recently patching up the muffler some more. My car is now so quite I can't believe it. When I bought it I was told it was so loud because it only has 2 of 4 mufflers but I think that was total BS now.
Also, it was raining pretty good today and I have noticed that my windshield is leaking. This LS is destined for lesser things I am afraid. Like some of you guys said in the past, cars in this condition are not worth putting the money in. If I can find a cheap DIY fix then its all good. But spending money on it seems unreasonable. I gotta drive it as long as possible to squeeze every cent out of it. And if it ever becomes un drive able then I probably will try to do something with the motor.
We can consider this my 8 month update on my first Lexus. I have been driving it a while now, I still smile every time I start the car up. Often still a whoo-hoo so smiles per gallons are quite high... Considering the condition of this old girl I wonder how a Boss one would make me react. This is what I have learned.
1. Something is for sure wrong with the parking break. When I use the parking break it does not always stop the car. Since my driveway is a slope I like to use the parking break. I learned it never will hold the car from rolling backwards, but sometimes it will stop the car from rolling forward. So I was backing up into my driveway and engaging the parking break, letting the car roll forward a bit in N until the parking break stopped her. Once I began this parking procedure the car would often shudder once driven again. For the first minute or two the car would drive normally, then often it would begin to shudder. A lot, you can feel the vibrations in the cab and its loud. Doesn't seem to do much in holding the car back as far as going down the road but it can be very violent shuddering. Eventually it stops and the car drives fine as if nothing ever was happening.... This was probably a month or more ago, I have since stopped parking that way and just try to park and let the P hold the car which sometimes it does. I know that's not ideal either but pick your poison here. So I said for sure its the parking break. I supposed at least I assume it is parking break related....
2. I get water in my trunk. I don't know where it comes from. It gets in the lowest area of the trunk... the liner gets soaked and the spare gets wet. It looks to me like my trunk liners are working fine... Some leaves were in there but not much. Maybe I am missing a liner and do not realize.
3. In the winter when it is real cold I get a layer of frost on the inside on my windshield. It is easy enough to scrape off. My weather stripping is all there but its probably just to old and no longer does its job as it should.
This car is a Champion. This splash guard rusted off. Was rattling around in my wheel for a couple days. Wasn't to cold today so I got it out of there. This is good really, could have been something worse. This was one of my wheels from my 98 that I had in the trunk of my 97 because I put the spare from my 97 on the 98. Why did I do that you ask? Because I'm an idiot, are you happy now? I had a reason at the time that I can't remember... oh wait because it was so wet in there and I wanted to take it out. Anyways it was stupid because I then put the nicer 98 wheel in there and it got wet. Anyways it was ok wasn't sitting in the water to long. Ice in the trunk Looks at all this ice....
After having this beast for 8 months I can say I am happy with the purchase. She may be a little rough but had never given me an issue on the road. Has not needed any repairs. This old girl must have been something back in the day. I know I said I would repair this car but I found it to be a lot of work. I enjoy the fact that it was cheap and is reliable as much as anything else. At first I wanted to change the look but now I enjoy the patina. I would like to get the MPG to sticker but I know many other guys are in the same boat. Thats all for now.
Depends on if you want to get it spotless . At some point the effort is not worth it I think.
My 1995 LS400 for winter use is there. Will not fix small parking dings and rust spots .
just put some rust preventing stuff on it.
2. I get water in my trunk. I don't know where it comes from. It gets in the lowest area of the trunk... the liner gets soaked and the spare gets wet. It looks to me like my trunk liners are working fine... Some leaves were in there but not much. Maybe I am missing a liner and do not realize. Looks at all this ice....
After having this beast for 8 months I can say I am happy with the purchase. She may be a little rough but had never given me an issue on the road. Has not needed any repairs. This old girl must have been something back in the day. I know I said I would repair this car but I found it to be a lot of work. I enjoy the fact that it was cheap and is reliable as much as anything else. At first I wanted to change the look but now I enjoy the patina. I would like to get the MPG to sticker but I know many other guys are in the same boat. Thats all for now.
The trunk seal has probably compressed and is the cause of this much water entering.
Depends on if you want to get it spotless . At some point the effort is not worth it I think.
My 1995 LS400 for winter use is there. Will not fix small parking dings and rust spots .
just put some rust preventing stuff on it.
My 96 was just starting to show some clear coat cancer on the back roof when i bought it. It has progressed and would take an awful lot of effort to effect a cure. So I have learned to just enjoy the ride and keep up all maintenance that keeps the ride excellent.
A tip that has worked for some is that there typically from sun roofs is drain tubing that is supposed to drain out water that ingressses through the sunroof seal. Those are seldom perfect after a long time and grime. The problem is that leaves or dust can gather in these tubes. Then the water seems to eventually end up in the trunk instead.
Cleaning them is a good idea. No first hand expereince though. So I do not know where the tubes go. I would guess one on each side down to left and right side inside the trunk out. Try blowing grime out.
The trunk seal has probably compressed and is the cause of this much water entering.
This is a very good point! This reminds me of another thread related to water intrusion in the trunk.
I highly recommend removing the rubber weatherstrip seal and checking the metal lip that it sits on for rust. Owners have had water intrusion issues because of the metal rusting beneath the trunk seal: https://us.lexusownersclub.com/forum...comment=500932
OP, you could also try using silicone between the seal and the metal to fix it, if the rubber weatherstrip itself is still good.
Let me tell you a tale. A tale of a 97 LS400 who steering wheel only went up and down. The telescopic function did not work. One day the owner of this LS400 started her up and went for a drive. On this particular occasion the steering wheel made a different noise on start-up, a seemingly "bad" noise. The sound of an electric motor struggling, and long time parts moving which had not moved. The owner chalked it up to the rest of adjustable functions ceasing to work and forgot about it. Then another time in the car the owner decided to play around with the adjustment control of the steering wheel. She stuttered when going down, made some different noises. The driver kept playing with it and then she came back to life. After the initial stuttering the steering wheel went up and down with ease, plus the TELESCOPIC function had returned! The steering wheel went all the way in/out, up/down. As she was telescoping you could hear the plastic breaking free from maybe a decade of being stuck. And she still starts and drives like a dream. This car deserves something better as she is a champion.
Since I removed the lining from my trunk it seems like less water is collecting in there. The other day when it was not so cold I noticed water dripping down the trunk "arms" and down into the trunk. Perhaps this is the excess water from the blocked moonroof channels.
Maybe water is collecting somewhere underneath the lid of the trunk itself.
Eventually I will take off the upper trunk covering and see whats up.
09-22-19, 06:48 PM
Update
