Leadfoot

The overflow drain for the emissions charcoal canister is under the radiator, $10 says thats where the fuel is coming out. The EVAP system is only supposed to suck fumes from the gas tank. I am not sure whether a line connected in the wrong place on the fuel filter would allow the pump to push fuel through to the canister??? My 98 only has a feedline and a vacuum line to the top of the tank, not sure about the 97 but my 92 has a fuel return line to the tank. If these got crossed up it could possibly cause such a malfunction.

The picture shows an OBD 1 terminal (ot TDCL), so you will be able to get the error codes using the code reading tutorial at www.lexls.com post the results back here.

All the electronics in the car are going to need a stable voltage to work properly. When you are jumping from the other vehicle have you checked you are getting 13.5 - 14.5 volts on the battery terminals?

You could also swap over the relay thats next to it, I think its the horn relay, the starter relay is also the same wiring config but I am not sure if that one fits. If your horn works before the swap over and not after then you might have a culprit.

The cap is essential for holding the vacuum in the tank. Vacuum in the tank ensures the evaporative emissions from gas in the tank is collected in the charcoal canister (free hydrocarbons love carbon!) and when the car is next run the canister is purged by the intake vacuum. If you refill when the tank is very empty (i.e after a big run), you should hear a big intake hiss when the cap is popped (the air goes in not out). Looking forward to hearing which cap is a good stock substitute.

Thanks for the response Jim, very informative. I didn't know about the shipping pin. Appreciate the time you spent searching. VMF, I agree, it seems to be electronic. The charging system holds a steady 13.7 volts regardless of RPM (2000-5000). Rang the local Lexus Dealer and they have a company they send the combination meter assembly to for checking. I will update this thread after they holiday season is over and I have gotten a result. Thanks again.

Hehehe Part of the scheduled maintenance for these cars is inspection and replacement of the sealing ring on the gas cap. The EGR system must have a vacuum in the tank to operate correctly (for capturing loose hydrocarbons before they get into the air). Therefore if you don't have the hiss (the inrush of air into the tank) when you remove the gas cap then you have one very easy and cheap fix due.

Relay is in the main fuse box in the engine bay, lift the cover and look underneath, sticker will show you which is which I think. How long have you cranked for? you may need to crank for a 30 second burst, but certainly no more than that or you could overheat the starter windings.

It does sound like a fluid problem, but you could also easily check the diagnostics readout on the transmission. If you use a short piece of wire to connect between the TE1 and E1 terminals of the diagnostics connector (one in engine bay, one in drivers footwell) and turn on the ignition the computer will tell you if there are any troubles with solenoids, clutches etc. Normal code is a steady on/off flashing of the "OD off" light. See www.Lexls.com site for code reading guide. Fault codes will flash out, i.e. 2 flashes, pause, then 3 flashes would be a 23 error code. post any here for decoding.

Bought a 98 a few weeks ago and it was behaving well, until last week when the Fuel, Speedometer, Rev and temp needles all started malfunctioning. I have a good battery and put new terminals onto the leads to grip the battery posts firmly, as they were a little loose. Car is fine in all other respects. No malfunction light is showing, no errors listed in the readout display, which also keeps working when the needles fail. Ambient temp = 72F (22C) Problem = They always work correctly after the vehicle has been turned off for a while. Drive for 10-12 minutes and they will suddenly either drop to no reading, or even stranger they move to half deflection. Stop for a while then they work again. I have done a search but can't find anything similar. Any clues?

It sounds that you have gotten it right, but I don't fully understand your explaination. It is critical that you get it right, these are interference engines and you risk damage if its not right. Step eighteen from my 1998 engine manual states; 18. CHECK VALVE TIMING (a) Temporarily install the crankshaft pulley bolt. ( b ) Slowly turn the crankshaft pulley 2 revolutions from TDC to TDC. NOTE: Always turn the crankshaft pulley clockwise. ( c ) Check that each camshaft pulley aligns with the camshaft timing marks on the camshaft housings. (This is at TDC!) If the timing marks do not align, remove the timing belt and reinstall it. Good luck.

Posted in the wrong forum I think, however we have the answer. Its bolted in, the main fuse blocks have long legs that have bolts retaining them from the side. A little disassembly of the covers will reveal the bolts. Cheers.

Oddly enough this just happened to the gauges on my 1998 LS400 too. I replaced the fuse in the drivers footwell, even though the old one was not blown (checked with meter). However a few miles of driving and the gauges malfunctioned again, dropping to nothing or even worse all going horizontal. I checked the battery voltage and found my terminal leads do not fully tighten on the battery posts. The terminals were loose!! No wonder the thing was getting upset. I also had the VSC lightcome on mysteriously, it was linked to this also. Put some copper wire under the clamp and have not had the problem since. Hope yours is similar.

after doing a bit of research it appears the camshaft will have to come off to replace the outer seal (it sits behind the VVT-i mechanism), therefore I will be inspecting it only at this stage! If it ain't weeping I am going to leave it the hell alone and take my chances! Cheers

What level is the trans fluid showing? Is it still red? You have an OBD 1 system, so plug in a shorting wire between TE1 and E1 then turn on the ignition. The faults codes should show you the problem, watch the OD light flashing. See www.Lexls.com site for code reading guide. Report back what its showing.

Great write up, excellent tips too. Brains, not brawn, win out in the end.

I am about to changeout the timing belt and will be doing the water pump, idler pulleys and tensioner replacement as a matter of course, just because I am in there so its an ideal opportunity. The car did its first 60,000km in Singapore, next 40,000 in New Zealand. Since I am not paying for labour directly I am happy to buy unnecessary parts and put them in just in case (please ignore this post SRK!). I have been told it would be wise to change out the camshaft seals, anyone have experience of this on the '98. I found a brief reference to having to remove the camshafts by Mehullica, but I am still curious. I would ideally like to see a cross-section to show me the detail before I rip into this extra job. My TIS logon expired 2 days ago! thanks.

Also you can download the PDF versions of the workshop manuals in the main section, the maintenance schedule (in the technicians reference section) and the owners manuals (in the owners section) from the TIS, https://techinfo.toyota.com Well worth the $10 fee!

if the pump is wet then its leaking on the outside, so more likely to be the o-rings. The white smoke on start up usually has no visible leaks on the pumps. Is yours blowing smoke on start up?

I have done a little forum searching and the above seems to be generally agreed upon. Shouldn't this info be on a sticky? it comes up so often, I think we should get consensus on the issue and have it sealed away in the reference section, as I agree with Sonyman, it may cost someone an engine. VMF, please check your PM's. Thanks.

I have just finished downloading some of the factory manual's for the 98 LS400 I have just bought, and am amazed at how accurately controlled these vehicles are. I cannot see how tweaking a few basic parameters is a good idea. Toyota have spent millions getting the balance right, I wouldn't see the benefit in changing the factory set up. I wouldn't think the tweaks would add up to any real improvements (please provide some links, I would be very interested!!) I understand that no power level ever seems enough over time, but if you want more power the best bet is to drive with the ECT switch in power mode, as the whole air/fuel ratio is fairly closely controlled by the onboard computers. I understand that best power may be available at richer settings, but holding higher RPM will always give greater effect. Edit: also just been over at the www.lextreme.com website, may be a helpful resource base!!

If you do a search on the forum you will always find some related threads, however it is always recommended to go to Lexls' website for any info on the DIY stuff for the early models. http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/maintenance/drivebelt.html Best bet for parts is toyota, they are not that expensive. Tell them your chassis serial number and they will always be able to supply the correct part. Good luck.

What's the cost of the 2000?

Awesome work ko90ls, keep it up. A truly unique attempt, I wouldn't have thought it possible.

Congrats on the imminent arrival, have always enjoyed your posts and the way you persevered getting that vibration sorted on your LS. Although once the little one arrives you will probably not have much time to join in around here, we will always appreciate your input. May you always be upwind of the diapers. Regards, Leadfoot.