Nova95LS

Hello all, I just acquired a '95 LS 400 (Previous post describing the car: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...e-edition.html ) and I'm hoping people could point out some parts/areas of the car I should check the condition of? I know I need to take a peak at the timing belt and water pump because I don't know the status of their last swap, but what else has been known to be a problem for these cars? I appreciate the time and advice.

jaaa

I bought a 1996 ls400 last year at 217k miles.
Here is my short list of things I've done/replaced. Hope you get a bit luckier:

Struts(all four corners)
Alternator(twice)
Caps and Rotors
Transmission mount
Fan assembly bearing
Tensioner pulley
Gates timing belt kit
Starter
EGR Pipe
Patched leaking flange on bank one cat
Radiator replaced
Radiator hoses
Hood struts
Replaced entire interior from donor car
If you want some amusement, this is what I've done over the last year. Currently at 228k miles with all problems fixed(except I still haven't got all the door actuators to work which prevents me from getting my remotes to work)
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...new-owner.html

Nova95LS

GOOD GOD
Looks like I'm spending a lot of time on that hot *** driveway this weekend. Thanks for all the excellent info.
BUT PLEASE tell me more about your interior swap, I don't like the brown and beige mine came with and am wondering how difficult a swap would be.

jaaa

the swap is no trouble at all. Finding one in mint condition is. I got lucky and found a pick/pull place that had a 1997 ls400 that had been rear-ended. I think the donor car only had 95k miles on it or so. I took all the seats, middle armrest, shifter, and the wood trim piece for the shifter area. I think I got all that for around $125 or so. As I think about it, I also replaced both motors for the steering wheel movement. My motors would barely move, but they were great from that donor car. There are three pick/pull places in my area, but I haven't seen any 95/97 ls 400's for the last six months come in. Lots of 90-94's though.

Nova95LS

The first thing I thought when I got in the car was "Those steering wheel motors are going to take a crap any day now". That's a pretty good deal for all that, and all mine NEED to be replaced. The problem for me isn't just that the seats are bad because I can handle that, it's that I hate the factory brown/beige interior but changing all that means new dash, door panels and a whole bunch of other stuff. I've found door panels complete for less than 100, is it totally moronic to think that I might be able to switch out a whole dash cover?

96UCF20

I would recommend replacing the engine coolant temperature sensor as well as having the capacitors in your ECU replaced. The coolant temperature sensor is fairly easy and cheap to replace and will likely result in improved performance and fuel efficiency for your LS400.

It is recommended to replace the capacitors in your ECU even if your LS400 is not showing any of the symptoms of leaking capacitors for peace of mind and preventative maintenance. This task can easily be accomplished if you are handy with a soldering iron as the capacitors themselves are very cheap. Check out the links below for more information!

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...capacitor.html

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ange-pics.html

Unclenate7

i got a 95 LS400 almost two years ago when it was at about 221,000 miles. I've had two major repairs done to it since then (i've had more than that actually, including the timing belt, but for several reasons that i won't count them in this list)
#1 is an all-out power steering system leak, which i hear is rather common, although I'm the only one i know of so far who has actually had to have all three main components (pump, air valve and rack) changed.
#2 rear differential failure. At some point i guess the bushings wore out, and because i was (am) young and this is my first car, i didn't know any better and let the issue progress.
Besides that the only other non-contingent failures i had to change was the serpentine belt (idler pulley specifically) and the starter.

If i had to name one category to look out for based on what i've learned and heard i will say your power steering system.

Good luck
-Nate

Losiracer2

my 97 LS400 with 253k miles back in 10/15 needed:

-New lower radiator hose since it was rubbing on the PS pump
-Coolant Temp sensor since it literally crumbled when removing
-Timing belt/WP due to the Crankshaft seal failing and spewing oil over the TB, I also did the Cam seals since those were probably original and cracked too
-Sway bar bushings in front and sway bar endlinks in front since i was getting a clunking noise over bumps
-Front lower balljoints, They had TONS of slop even though the rubber boots were intact
-Plugs and wires due to being from 2005 and probably over 100k on the plugs
-Power steering hose leak, the rubber was petrified and hard as a rock causing a dripping
-Various vacuum lines cracked due to being brittle and hard
-PCV valve was clogged and hose was petrified as well.
-I also had to fix the tilt feature in my steering column. Easy fix, i just put a rubber washer (garden hose section) from Walmart behind the gear to space it foward some and it fixed it.
-EGR Pipe was leaking pretty bad as it had a big crack. I had it welded for 20 bucks and bought new gaskets. But that then caused a P0420 and P0430 codes. I just added spark plug antifoulers to the rear O2 sensors and that turned the light off.