jboldt

I would recomend Newark. Go to http://www.Newark.com and you will find it there. You just want to be sure to get a high temp cap. No matter which one you replace you want to be sure to replace it with a high temp cap that will withstand scorching summer temperatures.

TFord

I replaced capacitors C212, C142, and C147 in my 93 LS400 last night with capacitors from Newark (also took the opportunity to fix my darkened speedometer needle). I assumed the fix was good since I put the instrument cluster back in the car and it worked fine (fuel gauge no longer lazy, all lights on) during a 45 minute test drive, although I wasn't able to confirm it solved the very intermittent problem of the cluster lighting being off in extreme cold because the temp was relatively warm.

Since then, a problem has cropped up. Whenever the car is started cold, the lights work fine. However, it appears that anytime the car is started when warm, the lights don't come on (effectively the exact opposite of the original problem when they didn't come on when cold).

I did remove the cluster again and very carefully re-soldered all the joints just in case there was a problem, but the observed behavior remains the same -- the lights work great when the car is started cold, and they continue to work great while driving when warmed up, but if the engine is stopped and restarted while warm, I get no dash lights (also no radio or climate control backlighting; D, 2, and L don't light up on the dash as I shift through the gears; and not all of the warning lights on the dash come on).

I'm pretty aggravated with myself since the original problem wasn't severe; we live in the south, and the dash lights only failed to come on at startup on the two coldest days over the last two months. Now it seems I've created a more severe problem. Do the symptoms ring any bells for anyone?

Just had a thought before hitting send -- I let myself be convinced to buy tantalum capacitors from Newark. I now notice they aren't rated as high temperature. Would it make any sense that these non-high temp capacitors would fail to operate properly when the car was started warm?

Thanks

TFord

<humbling admission>
I thought about not replying to my post and just letting it die off, but I feel that'd be a disservice to a great user community, and I don't want to unduly concern anybody else planning on performing this DIY repair.

I had been advised that the negative lead on the capacitors would be marked, so I installed them with the indicator on the capacitors on the solder pad marked negative. A co-worker today asked if I was sure I had the polarity right, so I went to the manufacturer website, expecting to show him how smart I was, and instead the diagram clearly showed that, in fact, the positive lead is marked on my capacitors, meaning all of mine are backward.

So, I'll pull my cluster one more time, reverse the capacitors, and re-solder. I do have some concern that they may be damaged at this point, but if I experience any failures, I'll just install the new aluminum electrolytic capacitors I ordered last night. I have a high degree of confidence the problem will be resolved.
</humbling admission>

For anybody else debating whether or not they want to try this as a DIY procedure, I'd suggest proceeding. I've actually never soldered before, but with just a little care, I've had no problem working on the board. Of course, I would recommend double-checking the polarity of your new capacitors.

The good news, if there is any, is that I've become adept at removing, disassembling, re-assembling, and re-installing the instrument cluster, and I can now do it in a total of about 15 minutes (not including solder time). Now excuse me while I go create a new user ID here so I can post in the future without the stigma of being an idiot

broklynlex

had the same problem a month ago i have a board i can sell you that i got from the dealer but it reads 140,000

LS endeva

I did this project myself on a day off on a day off. Start to finish about 3.5 hours. This was because I took the cluster board out three times. (i needed some specific soldering things) I've never soldered before this and just YouTubed some tutorials. I took my time and replaced 2 caps. one on the little and one on the big board. All the information I got from this thread was extremely helpful and also i can't forget to mention the tutorials from lexls.com for the removal of the board. Other than the removal and installation of the cluster board the hardest thing I think was the removal of the 2 caps. I wanted to make sure NOT to damage the board. I guess the other difficult thing was to place the caps on and solder them properly. All together I think I spent bout $30-$40. (soldering kit and caps.) I saved so much money doing this. I really appreciate this whole forum and have gotten answers to a lot of questions I've had about my LS. I took pictures but they were on a camera phone so it sucked, no point to post. I highly suggest doing it your self if you have the time and patience, it was well worth it. Now I know how much gas I have and how fast I'm going! the only issue now with the cluster is the speedo needle has no light. I think I can deal with that for now though.

Kremkauj

Thanks for the pic on knowing where to look.

also thanks to LexLs for the pics on how to rip out the dash

I was able to rip the dash out, change the c212 in 2 hrs. Only spend $12. $10 of that was for a saudering iron.

However, once I got it together, I then realized I needed to replace the other 2 capacitors, c142 & c147 seeing that my fuel gauge is now slow. I just ordered the capacitors today from newark (cost $20) mainly because I bought extras and of course the shipping.

This thread saved me at the very least $250 or worst case scenario $2000 if I had the dealership replace it.

by the way i have never saudered before!

eibling

Does anyone have a do-it-yourself fix for the sticky tach or speedo needles, which do not rise off zero in warmer weather? Lexus 93-94 LS400

CUMan

Yes, a previous poster on this thread diagnosed the problem and posted a fix for it.

The problem involves a lubricant which is on the back side of the speedometer and odometer needles where they rest on a stop. This stop prevents the needles from dropping below zero when at rest. In hot weather, this lubricant apparently liquifies and creates a vaccum which keeps the needles from rising. The usual solution (rapping on the dash above the needles) apparently breaks this vaccum and allows the needles to move.

The fix is to remove the cluster and take apart enough of the cluster to access the needles and the stops. Using a q-tip and some kind of solvent, remove the lubricant.

If you will search back through this thread, you will find this post. It has pictures with it. It may be as much as two years old.

Edit:

I was wrong on which thread the sticking needle fix is discussed. It is in the thread below titled "How to fix your speedo needle...."

The link is as follows:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...ot-work-4.html

See post #59.

LILEVO

iTrader: (1)

Has anyone figured out which caps (c10, c16??) go bad on 1990-1992 clusters?

lexusoarer

my first post also my first DIY project for my cluster techno lights haha

lexusoarer

my first post also my first DIY project for my cluster techno lights for 94 ls400 haha.. i was able to fix my instrument panel by replacing c212 EC like most people i read in this forum used radial 10uf 16v from Radioshack. My fuel gauge C142 on the main board i replaced with 4.7uf 35v also from radioshack. Now my radio backlight works no more techno brown out lights and fuel gauge used to read empty now springs to correct level. my odometer also works without problems. just follow those guys on page 6. this was an easy fix it took me about 2hrs for a first timer to do this and 15 bucks worth of stuff. i used 63/37 rosin solder and its easy to melt and have that nice and shiny look to it.

Bcortez

I just bought my ls400 and I don't think cold weather has any thing to do with it I live in san diego ca. and the car has been here the whole time and I have the same problem but my gas guage reads empty all the time big problem!!1

hai_LS

My 1994 LS400 first had a sluggish fuel gauge about 5 years ago. Then the whole instrument panel went dark 3 years ago. In Oct 2008, I followed instructions from earlier posts in this thread to replace C212 and the instrument panel lit up again. Today I replaced C142 and it fixed the fuel gauge problem.
Thanks to posters who contributed their knowledge, I now have working instrument panel lights and fuel gauge without being hit in the pocket with hundreds of dollars.

UBHSTRY

Thanks guys! Saved me a ton. But, I didnt go get new caps, I just tore apart a few old electronics around here and pulled a 10uf 16v cap out. Cost of repair, FREEEEEEEEBIEEEEEEE! Now thats tough to beat.

Bocatrip

Were the 93/94 LS400s the only years plagued with the bad boards? Were these issues resolved for the 97 and later models?