89 LS400 - What To Look For

[Muzzie]

Old mans looking at an 89 Lexus LS400 (Toyota Celsior), done around 200km.

Anything in particular we should be looking out for?
Known problems?
Anybody know what it's worth to have a cambelt done on one?
Fuel consumption figures? (have searched on net, and found some varied figures so keen to know what other people have got)

Thanks

[Mr.Phreak]

UCF10 or UCF11??

[Muzzie]

10 I think, havent seen it yet though. Going to view tomorrow.

Ive seen pictures, anything that makes either/or stand out as being one or the other?

1UZ-FE

[Mr.Phreak]

The 11 has the Air suspension

[Si]

Cambelt is about 10 hours labour or so i recall

[Muzzie]

The 11 has the Air suspension

Could be an 11 then. It has 3 switches down beside the trans tunnel but can't see what they say. IIRC those are the suspension switches?

I'll know tomorrow. Regardless of whether it's an 11 or 10, what should be I checking for?

Cambelt is about 10 hours labour or so i recall

Ouch, that could come into the negotations then

[flygt4]

wonder if its anything like the soarers with dodgy dash electrics? may pay to look into.

[Muzzie]

wonder if its anything like the soarers with dodgy dash electrics? may pay to look into.

Anaglogue dash in the Celsiors/LS400, not digital. Its still the same black when not turned on though, but has lit anaglogue instruments.

[Mr.Phreak]

Cambelt is about 10 hours labour or so i recall

Maybe the first time

Unfortunately theres not much that goes wrong with em, so much so that often they're never maintained. The air suspension is always a loaded gun if they're the originals (which means the dampers are probably shot). They have a tendancy to chew out the upper arm bushes, possibly the lowers too given the mileage of it. They have problems with the rev counter sticking and the odo clicking. Both the boot and hood struts loose pressure and don't hold themselves up. Engine and tranny mounts are probably shot if they haven't been replaced. The electic seats and tilt steering can cause problems. The AC lcd bleeds and goes black.

Then theres the usual 1UZ problems, make sure the power steering pump isn't leaking unless you feel like buying a new alternator. If the top tank on the radiator is plastic, make sure theres no visible cracks etc. If you really wanted to be anal it should have Red coolant too. Coil packs give up now and then etc

Basically most things you'll discover checking it like you'd check any other car.

Fuel economy depends a lot on how you drive, and how it's been looked after. But if theres no records, I'd budget for replacing the plugs, leads, caps and rotors etc.

Either way, they're a pretty solid car that most things are relatively easy and cheap to fix. They are a barge though, and kinda underbraked.

[Muzzie]

Cambelt is about 10 hours labour or so i recall

Maybe the first time

Unfortunately theres not much that goes wrong with em, so much so that often they're never maintained. The air suspension is always a loaded gun if they're the originals (which means the dampers are probably shot). They have a tendancy to chew out the upper arm bushes, possibly the lowers too given the mileage of it. They have problems with the rev counter sticking and the odo clicking. Both the boot and hood struts loose pressure and don't hold themselves up. Engine and tranny mounts are probably shot if they haven't been replaced. The electic seats and tilt steering can cause problems. The AC lcd bleeds and goes black.

Then theres the usual 1UZ problems, make sure the power steering pump isn't leaking unless you feel like buying a new alternator. If the top tank on the radiator is plastic, make sure theres no visible cracks etc. If you really wanted to be anal it should have Red coolant too. Coil packs give up now and then etc

Basically most things you'll discover checking it like you'd check any other car.

Fuel economy depends a lot on how you drive, and how it's been looked after. But if theres no records, I'd budget for replacing the plugs, leads, caps and rotors etc.

Either way, they're a pretty solid car that most things are relatively easy and cheap to fix. They are a barge though, and kinda underbraked.

*looks at long list, then prints*

Uhhhhhh huh, glad I know all that now It's been in the country a few years (perhaps longer if has had personalised plates) so hopefully has some form of service history)

Read something somewhere, that the cambelts only need to be done every 90,000 miles (150,000km), is this accurate, or is it the usual 60,000miles (100,000km)?

Thanks heaps Phreak

[Mr.Phreak]

*looks at long list, then prints*

Uhhhhhh huh, glad I know all that now It's been in the country a few years (perhaps longer if has had personalised plates) so hopefully has some form of service history)

Read something somewhere, that the cambelts only need to be done every 90,000 miles (150,000km), is this accurate, or is it the usual 60,000miles (100,000km)?

Thanks heaps Phreak

That list is kinda worst case scenario antics, the cambelt thing seems to be a Toyota/Lexus crossover thing but I'm a paranoid bastard so stick to the 100k, even though the early UZ is non interference, it's still a pain in the ass when a belt brakes.

It's not that bad of a job, but if you're doing it....Get a genuine belt, they're cheaper than most of the aftermarkets and have the timing marks to make life easy.

And I'm guessing it'll be an 11, the three switches should be tems up the top, height in the middle and the ect down the bottom

[rollaholic]

10 hours?! seems like alot. have not done a belt on a 1UZ, but did a 3UZ for the first time a couple of months back and it was well under 10 hours - more like 6 or something.

[Muzzie]

*looks at long list, then prints*

Uhhhhhh huh, glad I know all that now It's been in the country a few years (perhaps longer if has had personalised plates) so hopefully has some form of service history)

Read something somewhere, that the cambelts only need to be done every 90,000 miles (150,000km), is this accurate, or is it the usual 60,000miles (100,000km)?

Thanks heaps Phreak

That list is kinda worst case scenario antics, the cambelt thing seems to be a Toyota/Lexus crossover thing but I'm a paranoid b**tard so stick to the 100k, even though the early UZ is non interference, it's still a pain in the buttocks when a belt brakes.

It's not that bad of a job, but if you're doing it....Get a genuine belt, they're cheaper than most of the aftermarkets and have the timing marks to make life easy.

And I'm guessing it'll be an 11, the three switches should be tems up the top, height in the middle and the ect down the bottom

Cheeers

[Mr Revhead]

i cant recall the exact year toyota changed to 150k belts, but it was like 2000

and funny thing was they did it in the middle of several models production run.....
so say an ae111 corolla, you can have 2 identical ones built 2 months apart... and one has 150k belt schedule! even though they are exactly the same! and yes... the belt is the same part.....

[Muzzie]

i cant recall the exact year toyota changed to 150k belts, but it was like 2000

and funny thing was they did it in the middle of several models production run.....
so say an ae111 corolla, you can have 2 identical ones built 2 months apart... and one has 150k belt schedule! even though they are exactly the same! and yes... the belt is the same part.....

Uhhhhhhhh huh. Way to go Toyota

[Bling]

so were there any other changes with said 150k belt adjustment? or could basically (for example) any ae111 run up 150k before needing its belt done?

not looking at doing this myself as still have 50k under my belt, but just out of interest as to whether they improved reliability or something to make this 100k to 150k change

[Mr Revhead]

i cannot speak for the japanese range....
only the NZ range. doubt they were different though
but NZ never got the 4AGE 20v so iv never seen a schedule for one of those.

bt with the NZ range.. no as i mentioned they just changed it... didnt coincide with a facelift or different parts.
4afes use the same bearings/belts from the early 90s all the way through....
its possible they changed the spec of the belts.... i dont know.
either way
i do my belts around 80k......

[Muzzie]

Ok, we bought it. Was owned by some old guy so looks to have been looked after. It's had the suspension modified or something cause of the air suspension. Has the flash stereo, oils clean. Suspension bushes look fairly new. AC has a problem but dealer has agreed to fix on his cost. Rev counter and odo work mint. Both hood and trunk struts mint, motor doesnt rock, esp when put into and out of gear. Electric seats and steering work, only thing wrong was that the headrest of drivers side doesnt appear to work.

Agreed they are underbraked. Got some go under it though, and it's so damn quiet.


Only thing that worried us is that the dealer is adamant it's cam CHAIN not belt. Can anyone shed some light?

Oh, and it's a Lexus badged Celsior

[JIZRAG]

10hrs for cambelt? Nah can do them in well under that, more like 5-6ish mark

[Mr.Phreak]

Only thing that worried us is that the dealer is adamant it's cam CHAIN not belt. Can anyone shed some light?

The only light I can shed is that the dealer is a muppet.