SuperCoupe400

I think one of my front wheel bearings is on it's way out. Getting a constant humming/rubbing noise. Has anyone had this replaced before? Do you remember if the bearing itself was replaced (pulled, then new one re-packed) like with most cars, or was it part of an assembly? I'm trying to find out, because I know if it's part of an assembly, there's at least a chance I can do the work myself. But if it's an individual part I may as well open my wallet and let a professional do it - I don't have the tools for pulling and packing wheel bearings. Thanks.

I just flat out stopped using wheel locks on mine and my wife's car. We keep our cars garaged and the places we work have pretty low crime. Not to mention, I really don't think my stock silver finish wheels are in any danger at all of being lifted. I've had way to many issues trying to get super-tight lugs off both our cars after new wheels were put on at a tire shop or work was done at a stealership - both of which have fellas that like to go absolutely insane with the pneumatic drills to make the lugs so tight they NEVER come off - except at the hands of a freakin' gorilla. Never had a key break, but definately have spent more than 10 minutes on one single wheel lock trying everything from a blow-torch to WD-40 to get it off. Can't stand how those things just keep slipping out of the socket whenever you've got a really tight lug.

I agree. You'll definately be replacing some hydrolic parts often. But from my recollection of "obscure automotive trivia facts" surrounding the many advanced features the SC had when it came out in '91, the special door hinge assembly was not so much for weight as it was for the way in which the door opens. Take a look at a door hinge on any Cadillac, Oldsmobile or Lincoln coupe pre-'80s. They all had doors at least as big and heavy (and bigger) as our SCs. But still only used 2-point hinges. As was explained to me by a sales rep back in '92 when I first test drove one (and also in some article I read on the car way back when), the door hinge is designed to allow the door to open out & away. So that the top of the door actually folds/falls down & away from the shoulder of the occupant as they enter/exit the car. Thus allowing an occupant full access through a door that needs to open out to a far lesser angle than any other car door on the market. Just take a look next time you see somebody else swing open their car door - any car door - as it goes swinging out to about 75 or 80 degrees. While ours only needs to travel some 40 or 45 degrees. (I don't know what the actual angular measurement is, but I just know it's a heck of a lot less than most).

Check out this link for one of my favorite examples of the Lambo doors on an SC. http://www.wickedbodies.net/generic305.html Just recently at the Woodward Dream Cruise, here just outside of Detroit, I saw all kinds of cars with those things - including a Hummer H2. Of course, the best was an original Delorean (buterfly doors - standard equipment)

... my gas milage is only city so its 13 mpg. ... Whoa - 13mpg? Well, I guess driving's a bit tougher on a cars mileage going up and down a lot of slopes like you've got there in San Fran. Mine's a '93 SC4. I was getting around 18mpg (65%highway / 35%city) - 80mph on freeways. Then a couple weeks ago I started keeping my highway speed down to 60 (I know, I know... that's "buick-driving grandma" territory. But, hey - it saves gas) and was shocked to find that i'm now getting 22.5mpg! No new gas cap yet, and still lugging around the 50lb spare + a full-sized hydrolic jack (I prefer the convenience of that to any factory scissor jack when changing a tire on the shoulder of a busy highway at night - plus it's a heck of a lot quicker to use)

Wait a minute. Do all SCs have auto-engaging door locks? Because in the two years I've had my "93SC4 I've never known about this feature. There may have been three or four ocassions when my doors got mysteriously locked "by themselves" - which I would notice when trying to get out of my car, thinking to myself "What the...How in the heck did my doors get locked? No one else is even in the car with me." Can someone tell me if this is a standard feature that we all (should) have? Also, are the locks supposed to unlock once the key is pulled from the ignition? Details please. Because now I'm begining to feel like I'm the only one on the planet who doesn't know the earth is round.

Good to hear. I'm making the switch then. Because a couple of months ago I changed out my pads & rotors all the way around plus did a brake fluid flush and the brake pedal was just as mushy as always - even after the new pads got seated to the rotors. So I'm looking forward to trying the braided brake lines (along with another flush) Thanks.

I don't have performance rotors or pads on my SC or anything, but I'm seriously considering changing my brake lines (the rubber ones hooking right up to the brake pistons) to the braided metal kind in an effort to give my brakes more responsiveness. I'm sure i'm not the only one who can't stand the mushiness of the SC anti-lock brakes. My brother's Honda Civic stops with more accuracy and surefootedness than this log-on-wheels of a luxury-performance car. I know the luxury tuning of the ABS has a lot to do with the mushy feel of the brake pedal. The ABS in my brother's Civic is so sport-tuned that you'd almost swear the car didn't even have ABS. But I was hoping to be able to stiffen up that feel just a little bit by switching to a braided metal brake line (which won't expand upon braking). Has anybody who's made this mod experienced any difference in braking responsiveness?

DITTO THAT! From the products you say you used, rclark23, it sounds like the stuff is plastic. But I thought for certain our trim was REAL wood. What gives?

Hey there!! I had the same question, for the past two weeks I was hearing the same thing..So I took it to a shop just a couple of days ago..From what I was told it was loose bolt from the controler arms and bushings. I though it first it was going to be a shock and sturts, but it turned out to be the bushing and controler arms that were just loose..hope this wil help..but also get a second opinion.. Sounds unlikely, but I'll check out those control arm connections myself this weekend.

I've been getting a constant rubbing noise (seems to be coming from passenger side front) for the last couple weeks at speeds above about 35mph - and getting more noticeable all the time. I've got about 135k and have no record of wheel bearing replacement from the Lexus service records (previous owner). I've experienced bad wheel bearings before, on my previous car, so that's what makes me suspect the bearings this time. What kind of $$$ might I be looking at to get this replaced at an independent service shop? Can I get just the bearing replaced, or does it come as an entire hub assembly? Also, could it be something else besides a wheel bearing? Thanks.

'93 SC4 I've always wondered what was up with the 1/4 & 3/4 full marks being positioned closer to the empty & full marks (respiectively) rather than set dead center between empty & half and half & full. I'd always thought twice about it, but now I'm really starting to wonder - Are these 1/4 & 3/4 marks acurate (indicative of the fuel level actually in the tank)? Or was that Lexus' way of being "creative" with the gauges? It just seems kinda strange that a gauge would have its 1/4 tank mark at the 1/8 tank position.

What symptoms will the car (engine) display when it's time to change the plugs &/or wires. It's not that I've never changed a set of plugs & wires before. Just never in this car ('93 SC4 i've had for 2-years). With my previous car, whenever I experienced any type of mechanical problem that I couldn't trace to anything else, I'd just go ahead and throw-in a new set of plugs, and if the engine bumbling and hesitation still didn't stop I'd swap the wires too. But I'd like to be a bit more scientific with my approach on the Lex. So what are the main symptoms of a car who's plugs &/or wires need changing? Thanks.

Hate to point out the obvious, but you're comparing apples and oranges here. Better yet, apples and fence-posts. I've driven niether the SC430 or the LS430, but these cars are at total opposite ends of the performance/handling spectrum. I'm with dcfish - snatch-up an NSX to tame that need for speed, and get another LS430 for luxury. BTW, has anybody out there test driven a Cadillac XLR yet? I'd really be interested in knowing how that baby handles. If there's ever been a domestic model I'd seriously consider getting it'd be that (in addition to a vette).

My hesitation is at low speed also but I never suspected the alt. I think you have something else in addition to alt. Could be my plugs and wires. THey haven't been changed in the 2-years i've had the car.

I'm experiencing a similar issue with my '93 SC4, but only at very low speeds (usually at take-off or gentle acceleration in 1st or 2nd gear - never at high speeds). I'm thinking this may have something to due with my altenator - seeing as how it's been leaked on by my PS pump and I haven't gotten in there to replace it yet.

Yeah, I'll be replacing my radiator this weekend ($220 aftermarket - Silla - from local import car parts store, versus $700 part+labor @ Lexus stealership) I'm experiencing the exact same type of leak you guys had (at the top of the unit where the alum. cooling fins meet up with the high-temp plastic top that runs across the length of the radiator). But I was really hoping my leak was the delayed result of a minor front-end collision I had a year & a-half ago, and not normal part failure. 134k mi or not, I didn't expect the radiator to go quite this soon. The one on my integra went about 250k before taking a dive - and that was only due to the head gasket leak that kept letting oil into the system gumming up everything in the coolant cycle's path. Oh well, I just hope I can make it from work to the parts store today to pick up the new one, and then home without the thing blowing-up on me like it did lexus082. MJB

I've got the same problem ('93 SC4). And it did turn out to be the sensor. Let me know if you find one somewhere other than the dealer, because i've simply given up trying to find one aftermarket. The sensor is $100 at the stealership. If the light really bothers you, you can just disconect the wire harness to the sensor until you get the replacement one.

Gotta agree with jzz - For only $1,000 go for it. That's only $250 more than what I let my '91 Integra go for two years ago with 273k on it. Check the forum for headlight dis-assembly and cleaning. If you don't find anything here, check planetsoarer.com or soarer.ace.net for info on how to do it. Keep an eye out for leaks in the power steering pump also.

Two questions: 1st - In an attempt to save some $$ ($155 at Lexus dealer) I went out and bought the OEM tranny fluid in preperation to do a flush and filter cleaning. Then in an effort to check my tranny fluid level (with the dipstick on the side of the SC4 engine) I found it absolutely impossbile to get an accurate reading because of excess fluid that keeps smearing all over the dip stick when it slides out of the shaft. Doesn't matter if my engine is hot, warm or cold - Fluid covers half the dipstick keeping me from getting any type of reading. So now i'm deadly afraid to even attempt a fluid drain and refill because I have no way of knowing when I've filled it too full or not full enough. How can I get an accurate reading of the tranny fluid level? 2nd - does the 1st gen SC4 have cabin air filtration/purification? If so, wheres the filter located? thanks.

Just wondering how many of you guys bought your SCs new vs. pre-owned. Mine's a '93 SC4 I picked up pre-owned in '04 with 88k on it. I'm guessing that most of us are probably pre-owned SC drivers, given that most people with enough cash to pick up one of these fine automibles brand spankin' new don't typically sit around posting and chating on online forums.

Nice looking wheels, but all I could think the whole time I was looking at them was ACURA TL. I don't think they inhance the architecture of the SC very well.

soweet! Thanks. I'll try that as soon as I get home.

This past weekend I was using an air compressor powered from my cig. lighter. I didn't have the car running, just with the ignition switched on. I ran the compressor for about 6 or 7 minutes straight before the power to my cig. lighter just completely died. Everything else in and on the car was still fully powered. I checked the lighter fuse in the kick-panel inside the cabin next to the brake pedal. Plus, I even checked to see if something was blown in the main fuse box under the hood - NOTHING. All fuses were good. I know it's not the compressor that's bad, because the lighter doesn't even pop-up anymore from pushing it in to get a light. Then I thought, maybe I just need to run the engine a while and whatever's tripped will reset itself...NOPE! Anybody got any suggestions? Thanks.

Too Funny! I remember when that first ad was out on tv. I hadn't seen the other two. the second one was okay, but the 1st and 3rd were hilarious!