fsuguy

Hi,

As CuriousB says, check the battery thoroughly first - all other bets are off if your battery is going south, since the electronics and electrical circuitry are dependent upon the correct voltages.

Hi,

Glad your problem is resolved. To answer your question about the tach (RPM needle) - according to the circuitry diagram, it is driven by one of the igniters.

Hi,

If it is a white plug, and if it is suspiciously close to the driver side ignition coil (and it looks like it is!), I would hazard a guess that it bolts onto a bracket very near the coil. I did a writeup somewhere here on replacing the driver side ignition coil - if you can find it, it will explain where the plug goes and how to put it there.

Hope this helps.

Hi,

the first generation LS400, I believe is from '90 through '94, so the manuals should have some overlap. The following link posted by some kind soul earlier is for the '92, and in the absence of anything else, will probably be some help, although I cannot say how much.

www.ls400.ru/lexus-89-2000/RepairManual1992.html

Hope it helps.

Hi,

I believe that some of the autoparts chains sometimes have a remote key checker in their stores; you may be able to test your transmitter there. Alternatively, the manual has a test procedure that requires turning the key off and on several times and doing some observation.

Hope this helps.

It would be helpful to post the year, since earlier models have a different programming routine!

Hi,

If I am reading you post correctly, sometimes the engine does not even crank when you turn the key - does this mean it does not turn over, or it turns over but does not start (?) I would suggest you start at the battery and eliminate a bad connection first. Often, these terminals are hidden under covers and the acid destroys much of the connector, limiting or cutting off the current altogether. If the terminal/connector shows a lot of corrosion, you may want to consider a new connector. I had run into a similar issue and while the engine turned over, would not start. Once I replaced the connector ($20), it was like a different beast... surprised the heck out of me!

If it is not the battery terminal, then check the wiring, including ground wires - look for green in and around the wires and connections to the body - it sure sounds like an electrical problem to me, although it may also be what SRK suggests. My inclination is toward an intermittent electrical connection indicated by the on/off behavior of the gauges, the sometimes start, sometimes not, etc.

Let us know what you find, and good luck!

Landar,

Do you think you could find it in your heart to post a how-to to replace the shifter bushing? I have the same problem and even though I have the manual, it is not clear at all how to do this!!

thanks

Just a thought here ...

If while he is driving, the alternator is still providing enough voltage (>13.2V) and the engine begins missing - "...but after 45 minutes of driving the car begins to sputter and dies..." doesn't that rule out a battery problem?? The voltage from the alternator may not be enough to charge up the battery, but it should be enough to keep the engine running, and then the battery would not be charged up enough to turn over the engine!(?)

Sounds to me like a loose wire making intermittent contact and shorting out the fuel system somewhere.

Hi,

Have you checked both coils? It sounds like you have already identified a potential source for the problem. There is an easy enough check for the range of resistances within which both coils should be. You may want to check them before looking further.

Hi,

If you are referring to the "D","N","R","1","2" - these are the gear indicators, and yes, usually they light up if the key is in the ignition and turned on. If your indicator lights are not, then it is possible the bulbs are burned out, although not likely they would all fail at the same time!!

It is more likely that you have some kind of break in the wiring, or some other type of problem with your wirint or switching in the neutral start switch.

Hope this helps.

Hi lukyscc,

I'd be very interested in knowing what is causing your problem since I experienced this also. Replaced my TPS (with one from Sewell) since it appeared to have failed (the problem was fixed by this change; for those who are wondering my cruise control stopped working and it was the TPS!).

Did not clean the TB or put anything down any of the openings, but after the change, at around 1500 RPM if I depressed the gas pedal, the engine would want to bog down. If I gradually depressed, it would get up to 1800 RPM, then stumble down to about 600 like it was about to die, then pick up, get to about 1800, and do the same thing. Not sure what the heck caused it or why the problem disappeared, but I don't have that issue any longer (knock on wood!!).

Hi,

This may be out of line with your coolant light coming on (in your original post), but have you had occasion to check your fuel pump resistor? If that thing is on the blink or acting up when it gets hot, it may be affecting your fuel pump/fuel supply after some time of being active and could be causing the symptoms you described, especially since you have replaced the coils and ECU. If you have a set up to test your fuel pressure after the engine is warmed up, you should be able to rule the possibility out at any rate. If you don't have the pressure testing equipment, I believe there is some way you can bypass the resistor temporarily to test the fuel supply circuit. My understanding (and that is subject to correction by the much more knowledgeable crowd on this forum) is that the resistor is active during normal driving and bypassed during higher demand conditions, but it may be the other way around!!

HTH

Oops, just saw this second page, so you can safely ignore the above...

this is a long shot, but how are your battery terminals? I had been having power issues with my '92 and when I looked under the terminal cover, the positive terminal was all but corroded off. After replacing it, everything was back to nice and sweet!!

Hi,

You could do a test on your TP sensor. Landar has given you good advice, and I think some of the symptoms sound like TPS failure.

By the way, If you can post some instructions on how to post a diagram on this site, I would be able to upload a picture of the correct diagram from my repair manual (mine is a '92 as well).

hope this helps.

"BEWARE" is exactly what he should be saying to us on this forum, and I for one am very grateful to billydpowell and anyone else, for that matter,who understands why we are in this forum in the first place and cares enough to pass on any experience he/she considers valuable to those of us.

While I am sympathetic to manufacturers and producers, and all those captains of industry for bringing their products to market, their bottom line is of interest to only them, their stock holders and board members. I think billydpowell was fair to them by even posting their communication together with his cautionary bit to us so we could reach our own conclusions. Therefore, I don't see how your comment can be of any value to us.

My choice is the Michelin Primacy MXV4, "V" series, 205/65/15. It is an excellent tire and I can say it is a hell of a lot better than the tires that came with the car from the showroom - Goodyear Eagles!! The "V" series are a performance rated tire (150+ mph), compared to the "H" which the shop may put on the car if you are not discerning! The price difference is only about $15.00.

Just my 2 cents!!

Do other indicator lights such as radiator, oil, battery, etc., also come on? I had an issue where all these indicators lit up when my alternator bit the dust. Replaced the alternator and all was well again. Of course, if the issue with the left trunk lid hinge wiring is the problem, you will experience a host of odd problems since it appears that some signals associated with the ECT and shifting are linked to the wiring going to the brakes.

HTH

waf102,

Have you checked out Sewelllexus in Texas? If you are a memeber on LOC, then you may get a discount on parts from them... and they are cheaper than many other suppliers of OEM parts.

How is your fuel pump/fuel pressure??

I have a '92 as well, and had the same problem - the trip meter, temp, speed, fuel gauges and all lights worked. However, the tach and odo did not. Replaced the tach with a new one and it was fine, which implied a non-electrical problem local to the tach itself. Replaced the odometer with a used one and it works. My opinion is that the gearing in the odometer breaks down over time and extreme temperatures, since the motor still works. By the way, dealers probably will not sell you the odo by itself.

Hope this helps.

For cluster removal see the most excellent site by lexls: http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/

willskoda,

I am sorry I don't have a link for you, but sometime back someone on here did a complete seat cover replacement himself, and posted pictures and methods. I am sure if you do a search, you will find it. Will take a look-see in my records and post anything I find.