3UZFTE

I would first off by saying hello to fellow CL'ers. I am a current member on the 2nd Gen GS board. Like the rest of us, I recently had been cruising craigslist for a Supra LSD, and as everyone knows there is almost nothing but junk on there. However, I found a LS400 for $700, less than a mile away from me. I clicked on it, and it was a 92' White LS400, Grey interior, nothing special.
The problems are...
It needs a head gasket,
power steering leaks (bad),
an exhaust leak,
pass front window regulator,
and the ODO stopped working at 88k in around 2003-04'.

So I asked him how much he was asking to get for it, and he said he could go as low as $400, otherwise he would sell it for parts. SOOOO, I pulled the trigger. I am a current owner of a UCF11. It is a 1992 Lexus LS400, White with Grey leather. All the basics, sunroof, cd changer, power seats, etc. I did buy it knowing that I would have to replace a good number of parts in it, but come on $400!! Let me know what you think....

My new baby.


Don't look directly into the dent on the bumper, as it might cause severe injury and or death.


The front and rear bumpers are showing their age, but the those can wait.


Interior has some wear, but I'm thinking 430 seats and wheel shall take care of any doubters. And the Power steering fluid FTW !!!

3UZFTE

Dash is a little rough, is this common?

88 Thousand miles.... Just Kidding! He said the ODO stopped workin in 03-04, so maybe 150k+, This just makes it easier to just but a new cluster.

I ****in' hate cigerette smokers.

Did anyone say airbag?

Passanger side is clean...

Some rust, and I hate rust....

The trunk and all of it's goodness, no more hauling car parts in my GS430.

3UZFTE

Funnel was probably for the PS fluid, and a misc. bracket was just laying the trunk.

Misc. Bracket? have something to do with the underneath engine cover, timing belt cover? Who knows, can't be to important.

Someone was messing around I bet...

1UZFE FTW .


Power steering fluid.....FTL...

I started the car to move it, it ran for 30 seconds. The fluid is just drippin off the resv.

PS fluid accumulation

3UZFTE

Smokin'

Instrument cluster is cracked, ODO stopped working, and the temp gauge doesn't work, although all the lights work!!

I knew the LS burned power steering fluid, but damn! There was tons just laying in my intake, I was suprised there was any left in the pump.

Pulled my EGR off, and it looks like oil, but with the amount of PS fluid I saw, it could very well possibly be PS fluid.

Started the breakdown... Started by pulling small parts off the top to expose the greasy and oily underside. After a wash and light degrease.

Pulled the spark plugs to do compression testing. Numbers were between 180-240. Which is right at the 25% difference that is allowed. It is getting an upper rebuild anyways, just wanna make sure rings/shortblock are good.
Spark #1

Spark #2

3UZFTE

Sparky #3

Spark #4

Spark #5


Spark #6

The oily Spark #7

3UZFTE

And the damn 8th spark plug... I couldn't get the damn thing out, my socket was just spinning for days, cleared the oil out, and still nothing. There isn't a nut on the spark plug anymore..!!! WTF?!?!



Thanks for coming to my thread. I am not even clost to being finished. As a matter of fact, I just bought it last night, and couldnt wait to tear it apart. I am going to do both head gaskets, replace other gasket (oil pan, valve cover, intake, TB, etc.), fix power steering pump/leak, fix exhaust leak, the gauge cluster (ODO, temp gauge, crack), passanger side window regulator, oh and DEF suspension, I don't know if there is any left. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have air suspension. In the meantime I am just trying to clean every thing I can, and replace anything that is in need.

I want to put 430 seats and wheels, seen it done. But I want to get this bad machine running like new, first. I also want to plan for forced induction, nothing beats a cheap budget build. But in the mean time, my buddies are chomping at bits to buy it once it gets running, not sure it will last to see FI...

Hope you enjoyed. Comments welcomed. Happy to finally be a have a UCF.

Kruso

You might want to verify that the car actually has a blown head gasket. I picked up a LS4 with the same story but turned out to be a ignitor problem. For some reason it would smoke like a chimney when miss firing. Cant beat the price man... great deal.

Kruso

MEANDAFAKA

so 700 dollars or 400 dollars you pay for? but either price still a good deal. good for you man. oh, i had the same problem with the rust underneath the door like yours, except that i fixed the rust problem on mine.

3UZFTE

The car was listed at $700 obo. So I showed up, and as we all know, cash talks and bull**** walks. I asked him what he wanted for it, he replied 4. I jumped on it, drove it home, registered it in my name, and now have started to work on it. I have owned the car for about 28 hours now, the rust will be fixed along with everything else in due time, I find it hard to pull myself away from it, and all the info that has been provided as well as add the some future ones.

I was skeptical that it needed a head gasket, until I drove it. But man was there smoke on start up, and accel for sure... I floored it, and I think I left a quirt of oil in the air. There just seems to be compiling problems which makes it difficult to tell. That being said, I could a spark plug out, the head will need to come off, that being the case, just put a new gasket on both sides. I can afford for the car to sit around, I still have my GS430. This was just bought it for a project, something to do, and education, and maybe a temp. grocery getter.

MEANDAFAKA

good luck to you man, perfect project for the price you pay for. keep us updated.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

run a chem test on the coolant, if its an head gasket you'll know right away. more than likely iit needs new wires/plugs/distributor caps and rotors, as well as an ICV for the PS pump. also make sure you use normal dexron3/mercon trans fluid in the power steering, NOT POWER STEERING FLUID.

check the hoses leaving the pump for leaks, high pressure hose is a common one to go out.

welcome to the LS forum, given the price you paid it will likely be a bucket, but once you get it going, it will be a reliable bucket that won't die. you can try.

19psi

it might just need that icv to clear the smoking issue.....not an HG.

good find though, lucky bastard!

AzHotLS

iTrader: (1)

Congratulations, I think.

You may already realize it, the wheels are directional, the only one correct is rear passenger side.

python

iTrader: (4)

fix one thing at a time, i hope u can do all this urself, keep us posted on ur progress, when u get this complete u will be proud! good luck

3UZFTE

Thanks for all the helpful advice, and checking out my thread.

I did not know that, but now that it's been addressed they are bugging me. These will be rotated in due time, thanks again.