flashedwards

The ign/door key is falling apart. Black plastic is cracked and screws are stripped. From what I've heard a replacement key at the dlrshp is in the $150+ range. I know you can buy the blanks online for cheap and then have it cut but what is entailed in programming? I don't want to try and open my because I'll end up with a lap full of parts. Could it be as easy as "dip switches"? Any ideas? Thanks amigos....

Easy guys or I'll send both of you to your rooms. I agree that the cluster must be pulled and send to Tannin (or similar) because whacking the dash is working for now but someday it might cease doing the trick. Besides that, it is a violation of Country Club policy to publicly whack your automobile. They might double my green fees or ban me from the cotillion. Anyway, back to reality.....without the input from you two I wouldn't have had a clue to what the problem was or how to fix it (either temporarily with a smack to the dash or permanently by sending it to Tannin). Due to a couple of reasons it might be a while before I can send the cluster in for repair so you might be hearing from me again concerning this problem. Thanks, Flash

So just give it a good whack? That reminds me of the scene in "The Longest Day" where the Bren Gun Carrier is stalled on the beach and the Beach Master gives it a hard rap in it fires right up or maybe in "No Time for Sargeants" when Andy Griffith spits in the back of the aircraft's radio, smacks it hard and it comes to life. I suppose that I can do that because if I pull the instrument cluster to have it repaired the wifey will be less than happy with the car in that condition. Judging from your post this condition will not interfere with the drivability it just is a nuisance? If it doesn't effect anything else then I suppose I can live with it for a while but I won't be real happy. Thanks for the info....it has helped alot, Flash

It happened again....its been working as it should for a couple days and the one evening I started it up and no tach. A day later it started working again. I'm baffled......??????????

Oh, Billy if it was only so simple.....unfortunately these gauges aren't cable driven. If it had been the tach on '56 Chevy with a blueprinted small block or my 40 inch Triumph desert racer then your advice would have been right on. However, this tach is more like a heads-up display than it is a real tachometer. We're dealing with a purely electrical concept. Now here's where it gets strange. Today I was out running errands....drive-park-shut off-start-drive-park-shut off-start-drive......and so on. When I tried to start after the 5th stop I had to crank it a little longer than normal. When it finally started the tach was working again. Having worked for decades diagnosing problems with machinery, I know that trying to find an intermittent problem is a !Removed!. It's tough to find the problem when everything is working. If anybody has an idea.....lemme know. Thanks....Flash

I'm not sure when the trouble started (I'm not the only driver) but last night I noticed that the tach. wasn't working....just sitting on zero. As far as I can tell everything else electrical is 100% functional. All lights, indicators, switches, gauges, warnings and so on all work. Only the tach died. Does anybody have any clues or ideas? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.....I'm stumped. Thanks......Flash Edwards

Sorry....I should have gotten back to you guys several weeks ago.....the problem was simply a burned out bulb. After watching a video that pointed out a few tricks in getting to the bulb it was just a simple replacement. About two weeks later another bulb burned out (this time it was on the passenger side. No questions this time.....badda boom....badda bing. Thanks to all and Merry Christmas, Flash

Balance the engine? As in harmonics or so that it can turn high RPM's without vibrations or balance it's center of gravity so that when you use a hoist to lift it out of the frame it hangs level? A starter motor is something that has a limited life expectancy and to put in under the intake manifold is asinine. I can't think of any other engine manufacturer that places the starter there.

VBdenny...thank you. I'll be under the hood tomorrow and follow your suggestions. Oh, how I miss the days of the '50's and '60's Chevys. You could fix anything and keep it running with a 1/2", 9/16", 5/8" wrenches, a couple of screwdrivers and a matchbook for a feeler gauge. I used to ride old motorcycles.....pretty simple macines......then I bought an '09 H-D Sportster. What a shock....electric start, turn signals, hydraulic disc brakes, fuel injection, electronic gauges, theft alarm and all sorts of things that made my simple mind swim. The point of this is just this.....it sure was easier to keep a car running when you could diagnose things without having to plug it into a NASA mainframe. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

I think that I had something similar happen today to my 1998 LS 400. In the 110,000 miles that I have put on this thing the only problems I've had are one exhaust sensor went bad and I'm on my third starter motor. What moron decided to put the starter in the valley between the heads? IDIOT!!!. OK back to todays problem. First thing today I drove 34 miles to the doctor. After a 30 minute appointment I started to drive home. At the first stop light the engine died....started back up with no problem. At the next light..same thing and so on and so on at every light. After 20 minutes driving at 50+ mph all of a sudden a sound like the recap coming off a cheap tire started. It sounded like it was coming from the passenger side front tire. It lasted maybe 6 or 7 seconds and then it was gone. Kept driving with no problems and then about 10 miles later the same horrendous sounds. This time it lasted 10 or 15 seconds. I pulled over crawled all over the car but didn't find anything. But now the engine doesn't die at idle. Fired it back up, drove the last 5 miles to get home and no problems. I have looked this vehicle over and have found nothing loose, leaking, out of place......nothing!. I disconnected the battery for 30 minutes trying to do a minor reboot on the computer. Not having access to a diagnostic computer I have no idea what code it threw. If anyone has ideas, I would love to hear them......thanks. Flash

As far as I know all of the bulbs are original. That would make them 17 years old (give or take) so it would seem logical that one or more of them would be nearing the end of their useful life. So as you suggested, I'll start by pulling all of the bulbs and try to find the bad one. I'll get back to you when I find something. Thanks for the help.....keep you fingers crossed.

Tonght I started the '98 LS400, dropped it into gear, turned on the headlights and then a little bell chimed and a red warning light came on with the admonition stating "TAILLAMP FAILURE". Got out and looked at all of the rear lights including brake, turn, running, back-up and license plate. They all were fine, nothing wrong. All of the bulbs came on and operated correctly. How does the sensor know that one of the bulbs burnt out or malfunctioning? I would assume that it senses a difference in resistance or a voltage change or something along those lines. Anybody know? Does this happen often?......just turned 100k. Is the computer throwing a bogus code or what else could it be? Nothing seems wrong with the lights. ☆☆☆HELP☆☆☆

A couple of weeks ago the engine light came on. (1998 LS400) A friend of mine has a large body shop in San Francisco and he had one of his guys check to see what codes it was throwing. He found two.....Now if I can read his writing, this is what he found: 1) Code # P0135---Heated O2 sensor bank 1 sensor 1 heater cicuit malfunction. 2) Code # B2796---No communication in immobilizer system. OK...just where is bank 1 and sensor 1 ? If I can get to it, does anybody have an idea what a replacement unit will cost? I spent a great deal of my younger life working on cars but back in the '50's and '60's most repaires could be accomplished with a couple of sockets, a feeler gauge and a 1/2" and 9/16" wrench. My point is...what in the wide world of sports is an "immobilizer system"? Did the vehicle come equipt with a stun gun? Any and all respnses will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Flash Edwards

Outstanding...that's for getting back to me so quickly. So it's a Fred Flinstone communication prewire....got it! Since I have a phone w/Bluetooth I don't think that I have any need for an analog hook-up. Thanks again....Flash