Top Speed.... 118 Mph

[CanadaCraig]

Hi Guys!! :)

I hope everyone is OK.

My 1993 LS400 is back at the dealers. They are still trying to figure out what the problem is. They acknowledge that the car often stumbles and hesitates and when they tried to see how fast it could go - the car wouldn't go above 118 MPH. [it should have a top speed much closer to 150 MPH]

Oh well...

I'm now driving [as a courtesy car] a 1995 Toyota 4Runner with a V8. It's nice. Lot of power. But like every other 4Runner I've ever driven - it's awkwardly designed inside. The power window switches [for example] are below the doors armrest. You have to twist your arm to reach them. There is very little headroom and the center console digs into my leg. Still.... it's not costing me anything other than gas - so I'm not complaining. Sometimes I think a dealer should give out horrible cars for courtesy cars. Then maybe when customers got their own cars back - they would be happy!! I'm always disappointed whenever I get my car back!!

Craig!! :)

[OmarG]

Have you had your car dyno'ed?

[CanadaCraig]

Hi OmarG!! :)

I emailed the dealer about having my car 'dyno'ed' and the response was that there isn't a 'dyno' thing anywhere near where I live. So I guess that's out. I would love to know just how much power the engine is making though. Oh well... enjoying the 'courtesy' 4Runner while I have it.

Good suggestion, though. So thanks.

Craig!! :)

[sweetls]

What kind of dealer sends someone out in a customers car to see how fast it will go? If I found out the dealer was out driving my car to see how fast it would go, I would flip. What if this person blew a tire or hit and killed someone? I know I will probably get flamed for this post but I see no benefit from a mechanic who know's what he or she is doing to take a customers car out to see how fast it goes. I would think that if this is a Lexus dealer situation the service manager would have this guy's head on a platter. Why.............lawyers lawyers lawyers lawyers!

[CanadaCraig]

What kind of dealer sends someone out in a customers car to see how fast it will go? If I found out the dealer was out driving my car to see how fast it would go, I would flip. What if this person blew a tire or hit and killed someone? I know I will probably get flamed for this post but I see no benefit from a mechanic who know's what he or she is doing to take a customers car out to see how fast it goes. I would think that if this is a Lexus dealer situation the service manager would have this guy's head on a platter. Why.............lawyers lawyers lawyers lawyers!

Hi sweetls!! :)

I appreciate the concern you would have - but it certainly didn't bother me. In fact - it WAS the service manager who drove the car that fast. WITH my full permission. Besides - where he drove it put no other persons life at risk. [Other than his own - I suppose - but that was his decision to take that risk]

Craig!! :)

[swordfish]

hi craig

hey have to tell u have made slight progress down here...

had another expert look at power problem... he was about to ring and say "come and get car, cannot find anything wrong", when he slightly moved the left coil lead whilst putting cover back on left bank, and huge spark jumped across from the lead to the dipstick tube. ( engine was running) The coil lead was intermittently short -circuiting just enough to cause loss of spark to the left bank. (I have non - genuine spark plug leads I fitted when timing bellt was changed,) have changed the coil lead only, and and power is better, loss of power is now at 5500 rpm, and car runs much smoother. Will change whole set of leads soon and see if improves further.

Note, leads will not throw codes, and these engines are so smooth you cannot notice the slight loss of spark till highest loads occur at high rpms.

check your leads..... this guy recommended checking car running in darkness, covers removed from top of engine, and check for leads arcing and/ or showing aura. Obviously the right bank requires the air cleaner and inlet piping to be removed and replaced after removing the lead cover, to see leads with engine running.

Sounds basic i know, but there it is.

Hope this helps.

[OmarG]

what are leads? my car has a craig's exact problem, just to a lesser degree.

[LScott400]

Ignition leads or high tension leads = spark plug/coil wires.

[CanadaCraig]

Hi swordfish!! :)

I hope you're OK.

Thanks for the info. I hope you don't mind - but I copied your message and emailed it to my dealer. [Leaving out ANYTHING that might identify you - of course] It would be interesting if that was the problem all along!! How SWEET it would be if it was. They have had my car now for 1 week. I wonder if they've done anything to it. The extended warranty that I bought expires on October 13th - so I'm a bit anxious.

I'll let you know what happens!!

Thanks again,

Craig!! :)

[OmarG]

i was wondering about how you were paying for all that work! What warranty did you buy?

[GRAND_LS 4]

Note: 95 4Runners didnt come with a V8. Do you mean 2005?

[swordfish]

hi craig

thats fine, anything that helps.

I have ordered a set of GENUINE ignition leads from foreigncarpartsonline.com in Groton,CT,

should be here in about 2 weeks.. cant wait to fit em up and go for a blast... if it fixes all my woes youll here me

hollering from down here! If anyones interested, price was US$129+ $23 shipping, my local lexus dealer was$460.AUD = US $350. am I allowed to say that??

cheers

swordfish

[OmarG]

hi craig

thats fine, anything that helps.

I have ordered a set of GENUINE ignition leads from foreigncarpartsonline.com in Groton,CT,

should be here in about 2 weeks.. cant wait to fit em up and go for a blast... if it fixes all my woes youll here me

hollering from down here! If anyones interested, price was US$129+ $23 shipping, my local lexus dealer was$460.AUD = US $350. am I allowed to say that??

cheers

swordfish

Dude post as soon as you install em!

[swordfish]

dude....... where's my leads?

[CanadaCraig]

i was wondering about how you were paying for all that work! What warranty did you buy?

Hi OmarG!! :)

When I bought my car on October 14th, 2003 - I paid an additional $2,100 for an extensive 3 year/60,000 kilometer warranty. I've never done that before - but I figured that parts would be expensive for an LS, etc. Turns out - it was a smart move. There has been more than $2,000 worth of warranty work done on the car so far [not including whatever they're doing to it this time around] and I pay $100 per 'claim'. But the dealer has done it's best to limit that $100 by holding off on work orders so a couple of them end up as just one 'claim'. For instance - I had new lower ball joints installed. Well - they just added THAT work order to the new power steering pump so I only has to pay $100 and not $200. [The ball joints and the PS pump were dealt with within a couple of weeks of each other] The warranty is called the Millennium Warranty. It might be a Canadian-Only thing. I'm not sure!!

I hope that makes sense!!

Craig!! :)

Note: 95 4Runners didnt come with a V8. Do you mean 2005?

Hi GRAND_LS 4!! :)

LOL - Thanks a lot!! Now don't I feel OLD!! lol I used to make fun of my grandparents for lopping off decades!! [i.e. Saying something happened in 1955 instead of 1975] Now I'm doing it!! YES!! I'm driving a 2005 4Runner!! :D

Craig!! :)

PS Thanks swordfish!! I look forward to hearing how the new 'leads' work out!! :)

[swordfish]

hi to all

new spark plug wires (leads) arrived ...fitted them up, definately runs smoother, but low power problem persists. Full throttle from start gives ok acceleration till 5000rpm then seems very flat, not a miss, just flat, and then changes up at 5500rpm, not 6000rpm. Am disappointed but dont know what to do next.. maybe its an ecu problem.

swordfish :( :( :(

[VBdenny]

You are using the regular key and not the valet key.

[swordfish]

wots this about keys??

[GSsoldier]

has anyone taken their car to full speeds? i havent broken the 140 record for a coupl years now tho i have flirted with that line but im wondering if anyone whos reading this taken thier ls or any lexus over this speed or am i the only idiot here haha

haha sorry for the tangent off your thread... sorry to hear about all these problems with car craig its been plagued hasnt it?

[93LSOwner]

has anyone taken their car to full speeds? i havent broken the 140 record for a coupl years now tho i have flirted with that line but im wondering if anyone whos reading this taken thier ls or any lexus over this speed or am i the only idiot here haha

haha sorry for the tangent off your thread... sorry to hear about all these problems with car craig its been plagued hasnt it?

I guess you haven't been here in the past few weeks huh?

You missed it (lol):

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=32910

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=21323

[GSsoldier]

hahaha oh man thats crazy i could never take pictures while i hit pass 130 i'd rather watch for cops

[psycho]

Hi Guys!! :)

I hope everyone is OK.

My 1993 LS400 is back at the dealers. They are still trying to figure out what the problem is. They acknowledge that the car often stumbles and hesitates and when they tried to see how fast it could go - the car wouldn't go above 118 MPH. [it should have a top speed much closer to 150 MPH]

Oh well...

I'm now driving [as a courtesy car] a 1995 Toyota 4Runner with a V8. It's nice. Lot of power. But like every other 4Runner I've ever driven - it's awkwardly designed inside. The power window switches [for example] are below the doors armrest. You have to twist your arm to reach them. There is very little headroom and the center console digs into my leg. Still.... it's not costing me anything other than gas - so I'm not complaining. Sometimes I think a dealer should give out horrible cars for courtesy cars. Then maybe when customers got their own cars back - they would be happy!! I'm always disappointed whenever I get my car back!!

Craig!! :)

it's resticted to 118 mph at the factory , probably a jap import model . i have just bought a 1994 Celisior and that only has 180kph on the clock