Adopting a 1991 LS400
08-15-16, 08:35 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Adopting a 1991 LS400
Well hello. I just procured a very nice 1991 Ls400. 155K on the clock. First owner had it until 3 years ago. Second owner treated it well. It's not without a few glitches. I'm sorting them. I am a dyed in the wool Toyota guy. Since my first 1976 Celica GT liftback. Ah the RA29. Had four of those cars. Just passed down a 1999 Avalon to my son in the Marine Corp, Oorah! Marines will get it. I wanted something as big or more than the Avalon. But didn't want to resort to a truck. It needed to be a Toyota so the LS400 was the only option. The ES300 is practically identical to the Avalon, but just a bit smaller wheelbase. Back seat passengers suffer the most loss of space. I prefer rear wheel drive in almost any circumstance beside maybe deep snow. So the LS was looking better and better. So I closed the deal. Brought it home.
I'm stunned. This car is nice. 90 percent of modern car features exist on this last century, 25 year old car. And work. Knock wood. It reminds me of my first car. A 1972 Lincoln Continental. It was large and heavy 5000 pounds heavy. Empty. The only thing that made it interesting was a 460 cubic inch v8 engine. It moved it's weight and bulk around faster than most cars could. It was quiet, and soft and consumed fuel like a refinery fire. My brother joked that you had to shut off the engine if you ever wanted to fill the fuel tank.
While this LS400 feels like that car it is 80 percent as massive. has 20 percent more power. Twice the brakes. And a suspension that rivals the best of some new cars. It doesn't steer like a cow like the Lincoln, but it is still devoid of road feel, but that's on purpose. This is not a sports car. However it will actually navigate its way around turns quite competently, for a 4 door full sized luxury sedan. It is so weirdly quiet inside. The doors close like a refrigerator.
I always wanted to pluck an engine out of one of these for my old rear wheel drive Celica. It's been done. But I won't ruin this car. It's too good the way it is.
I'm stunned. This car is nice. 90 percent of modern car features exist on this last century, 25 year old car. And work. Knock wood. It reminds me of my first car. A 1972 Lincoln Continental. It was large and heavy 5000 pounds heavy. Empty. The only thing that made it interesting was a 460 cubic inch v8 engine. It moved it's weight and bulk around faster than most cars could. It was quiet, and soft and consumed fuel like a refinery fire. My brother joked that you had to shut off the engine if you ever wanted to fill the fuel tank.
While this LS400 feels like that car it is 80 percent as massive. has 20 percent more power. Twice the brakes. And a suspension that rivals the best of some new cars. It doesn't steer like a cow like the Lincoln, but it is still devoid of road feel, but that's on purpose. This is not a sports car. However it will actually navigate its way around turns quite competently, for a 4 door full sized luxury sedan. It is so weirdly quiet inside. The doors close like a refrigerator.
I always wanted to pluck an engine out of one of these for my old rear wheel drive Celica. It's been done. But I won't ruin this car. It's too good the way it is.
08-15-16, 09:11 PM
#2
Welcome, TheDoctor!
Congrats on your purchase; you definitely will not regret owning an LS 400! I also thought about an ES 300, Camry, or an Avalon when I was looking for a car. All of them are great Toyota models, but I do not regret getting my 1991 instead. There is definitely a noticeable difference in its design with regards to leg room, styling, and the additional power provided by the 1UZ-FE.
In terms of the minor glitches you are fixing, I'm sure you are already familiar with many of the resources offered here, such as LexLS.com. If you have any questions, members here are more than happy to help out, as they have done countless times for me and many others.
For your Celica, you definitely don't have to mess with your LS to perform the swap. There are plenty of engines that are sold online.
Again, welcome!
Congrats on your purchase; you definitely will not regret owning an LS 400! I also thought about an ES 300, Camry, or an Avalon when I was looking for a car. All of them are great Toyota models, but I do not regret getting my 1991 instead. There is definitely a noticeable difference in its design with regards to leg room, styling, and the additional power provided by the 1UZ-FE.
In terms of the minor glitches you are fixing, I'm sure you are already familiar with many of the resources offered here, such as LexLS.com. If you have any questions, members here are more than happy to help out, as they have done countless times for me and many others.
For your Celica, you definitely don't have to mess with your LS to perform the swap. There are plenty of engines that are sold online.
Again, welcome!
08-16-16, 04:53 PM
#4
My son has a '92 and it has been pretty good. Little fiddly things are aggravating but at least they have been easy so far. Funny you mention the Celica. I bought him a 76 coupe (ra24) in March as a reward for his excellent grades his first year of high school. He has made a mention of the 1uze in the engine bay of the Celica. I told him the only way that engine goes in that car is if the car gets wrecked. And if that wreck is your fault then I have a 76 Celica project car. Enjoy it, they are very technically advanced cars for their time and the technology has stood the test of time even in a lot of cars that were mistreated.
08-16-16, 07:17 PM
#5
How about a picture? Yeah nice cars, but too many of them haven't been taken care of. Parts can be expensive, and they do have their normal little problems that crop up.
If you do auto mechanics then an old LS will be fine, if not maybe the newer ones around 98 to 2000 are better.
How is the powersteering ? and front suspension?
What color out and in is it? Oh and what options does it have?
If you do auto mechanics then an old LS will be fine, if not maybe the newer ones around 98 to 2000 are better.
How is the powersteering ? and front suspension?
What color out and in is it? Oh and what options does it have?
10-01-16, 07:27 AM
#6
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Here's my new old car. It's in remarkably good shape for it's age. It is a 1991. As you can see it is Gold in color, with tan leather interior. It has about 150K on the odometer. I believe it has every available option for the model year. The power steering works fine, but the upper control arms make horrible popping noises sometimes. I found NAPA has replacements for around 130 per side. The trunk mounted disk player no longer powers up, but all my music is on my phone these days. All the door speakers were blown, so I put some 4 inch jbl's with a slightly higher wattage rating in their place. The transmission sets codes for one of the shift solenoids after about ten miles of driving, so I ordered replacements yesterday. The HVAC display is blacked out but the system works good. I have seen a replacement display and have sufficient soldering skills, so I might attempt to repair it. Is it worth it for a clock and temp display? Not sure. It had the famous broken wires at the trunk hinge. Fixed that the week I bought it. The darkening rear view mirror darkens by it self in the summer heat if the sun shines on it much. Lately, with cool weather coming, it has been fine.
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10-01-16, 10:05 AM
#8
Once again, very nice LS! Welcome to the 1991 club. 
I do recommend performing the HVAC display replacement. I did that on mine, and seeing the clock and temperature readout is well worth the effort.
On a side note, if your car has the air suspension, I would recommend purchasing the conversion kit for struts if the air bags fail. Until then, enjoy the plush ride.
I do recommend performing the HVAC display replacement. I did that on mine, and seeing the clock and temperature readout is well worth the effort.
On a side note, if your car has the air suspension, I would recommend purchasing the conversion kit for struts if the air bags fail. Until then, enjoy the plush ride.
Last edited by CELSI0R; 10-01-16 at 01:28 PM.
10-01-16, 11:43 AM
#9
Yeah nice ORINGINAL shape, what brand is the windshield? There was no gold color on those gen 1's, its sandstone beige metallic 4K9.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post1581983
And something really strange it looks like they did not use that color in 91?????????? Please check your paint code for me. And the manufacture date on the driver door sticker its all there. If it is a 91 it maybe a rare car.
I have a window sticker for a 91 the price is $46,108. And delivery $46,243. I think the other papers said the monthly payments were $900. ish with $4000. down or trade in. Way out of my league back then.
46,108
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post1581983
And something really strange it looks like they did not use that color in 91?????????? Please check your paint code for me. And the manufacture date on the driver door sticker its all there. If it is a 91 it maybe a rare car.
I have a window sticker for a 91 the price is $46,108. And delivery $46,243. I think the other papers said the monthly payments were $900. ish with $4000. down or trade in. Way out of my league back then.
46,108
Last edited by dicer; 10-01-16 at 11:50 AM.
10-01-16, 01:41 PM
#10
Sandstone beige metallic may have been offered in at least early or late 1991. I don't think ToyotaReference is fully accurate, because it is basing that off of one brochure which is missing the color, even though gold painted LS 400s appear in it anyway. That could have been anything from a print error, to a minor discontinuation of the color for some technical reason.
Don't get too hung up on the color. It's a very nice car.
Don't get too hung up on the color. It's a very nice car.
10-01-16, 05:28 PM
#12
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
The paint code is 4K9 and date of manufacture is 5/91. It's a very late production 91 model. Never know when they started using the color. So it's Sandstone Beige Metallic. Gold is easier to say. It's amazing how good the paint still looks after 25 years.
10-01-16, 08:51 PM
#13
Very cool, and yes, you have found a very nice example!
Just forget about the whole paint deal. If and when different colors were used is of no real significance.
I agree with you though, the color might as well be called Gold. After all, Toyota said owning an LS 400 is like putting "money in the bank" in this commercial, which I think you might enjoy.
To get back on topic though, keep us up to date on how the shift solenoid job goes, as well as if you fix the HVAC display.
Here is a tutorial on the Climate Control display, to help you out.
Also, here is another tutorial for the upper control arms.
Just forget about the whole paint deal. If and when different colors were used is of no real significance.
I agree with you though, the color might as well be called Gold. After all, Toyota said owning an LS 400 is like putting "money in the bank" in this commercial, which I think you might enjoy.
To get back on topic though, keep us up to date on how the shift solenoid job goes, as well as if you fix the HVAC display.
Here is a tutorial on the Climate Control display, to help you out.
Also, here is another tutorial for the upper control arms.
Last edited by CELSI0R; 10-01-16 at 08:54 PM.
10-02-16, 12:00 AM
#14
Yes its nice to find a good example like that. I'd like to have a nice body and paint one, zero defects. Your car is what everyone should strive for not messing them up.
The windows are tinted from the factory. Ever so slightly, there are no clear windows listed in the parts books. Yeah looks like someone took good care of it. Get some good wax or polish on it. Don't let anyone behind you texting run into it. Where the picture was taken is the safest place for it. The heater control display is not an easy deal to do. I've so far done 3 of them. Get the lights for them too.
The windows are tinted from the factory. Ever so slightly, there are no clear windows listed in the parts books. Yeah looks like someone took good care of it. Get some good wax or polish on it. Don't let anyone behind you texting run into it. Where the picture was taken is the safest place for it. The heater control display is not an easy deal to do. I've so far done 3 of them. Get the lights for them too.
10-29-16, 11:19 AM
#15
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Success! A pair of new shift solenoids seems to have fixed the transmission. A new filter and synthetic fluid exchange should help keep things functioning normally. So far, no more codes, and no more 1-3 shift. New front upper control arms are the next project. The upper ball joints make horrible popping noises yet don't seem to have any discernible play in them. Sad they don't have a grease joint. If they did, and were periodically greased, they probably would last three times as long.
