Thanks for the report, 91LS400vgb. So yours have 10 capacitors. As I wrote before there are some variations of the ECU.

Right before LScowboy started the thread, we have talked on the phone about our common ECU problems and the way to fix it simply. I only have informed him the background of the problem and the cause. He was kind enough to list up right capacitors and the availability there in the US. He also has added contents more later on aiming to support members better but still we need to add some more like you posted. Unfortunately, LScowboy is not here any more and I can't ask him to add those to the post #1 since he is the only one who can do so.

Regarding a protective coating, it would be better to apply. It is a must if you live in a place where the humidity reaches 85% or more. Also at places like Alaska where the condensation is common, the surface leak may cause a malfunction of the ECU and it is a must to apply. I don't know the current availability of the coating material on your side, but I used to find it at a local Radio Shack back in 90s when I was working there in the US.

 

Yes, my '91 (with the 9 caps replaced) does NOT have TRAC. Glad to hear one of the two missing ones is explained. I expect there is another good reason for the 11th one and am not concerned.
Thanks for posting.

 

Yw oldskewel. Yamae, I'm sorry to hear that LScowboyLS is no longer here. His contributions to the thread were extremely helpful to so many people. Thanks for your advice on the protective coating. I think I will pick some up as the humidity gets very high here during the summer months. Just to follow up, none of my capacitors showed any signs of leaking and the car seemed to be running okay, but it seemed prudent to replace them after reading through this thread. I purchased the recommended capacitors from digikey as per LScowboy's post. The old ones were:
3x - 47uF 63v SME (Nippon Chemicon) 85 C
1x - 220uF 10v Panasonic (I believe) Japan 85 C
3x - 10uF 50v SM (Nippon Chemicon) 85 C
2x - 15uF 35v Marcon CE-US 105 C
1x - 100uF 10v KM 105 C
I wanted to upload some pictures, but I am getting an error trying to do so - sorry.

 

can anyone recommend an ecu repair service to whom can mail my ecu and that i can trust will use the proper caps?
cowboy had offered to do it last year but i was holding out because i had zero drivability issues. now the ole 95 has begun to exhibit some hard starting and etc and after addressing other possible contributing factors, i need to have this service performed.
thanks in advance.
~kc

 

lexpert@gmail.com

 

Sorry guys been out the loop for a while, regarding the 95-96 ECU the original posts suggest there are just 6 capacitors involved but reading on it then seems there are 8 or 9. Could some one please confirm the correct amount required and their values.
After reading through the 1st 30 pages trying to find this information my eyes are wearing out

 

its on the very first page...lol

 

I know what you mean. I did the same for my '91. First page says 10-11 for mine, so I bought about 20-30 - to be safe, because they cost so little, maybe I'll buy another Lexus one day ...

I then removed the ECU (which by the way is not installed as the diagram shows - I'm not sure what years that covers), and was able to find only 9, which I replaced, discussed around post #966.

A follow-up post shows where a 10th would go, if I had TRAC (I don't). And I don't know about the 11th.

So based on my recent experience, if I were you, I'd go to digikey.com and buy at least the 6 listed for your 95-96 in post #1, plus maybe one extra of each, plus one of each of the other sizes listed for other years. It is all very easy, following the links and info in post #1, and I found all items in stock, unlike much of the out-of-stock discussion throughout much of this thread. The additional cost will be negligible.

Once you get the ECU apart and you're doing the replacement, it will be clear if you got them all. If you photo the boards as I did and post them up here, it may improve the reference for others.

 

Good point - I noticed that too. I think it's for 1995 and later. I managed to find a nice write-up on how to remove the ECMs from the 1990-1994 here:
http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/for...ne-ecu-access/

 

To: kcHotRodLs (for some reason I can't quote you)


I just used Auto Computer Exchange (see link below). Looks like they raised their prices, I paid $225 and the unit is warranted for as long as I own the car. You could try to negotiate the old price, just say your friend just bought one a couple of weeks ago at $225. Basically they send you a unit (plug and play), hardest thing to do is getting to it, but it's not real difficult, then you have to send your old one to them in same envelope (return address label and postage prepaid by them). I suggest, if you go this route, to take fotos of how it looks BEFORE you start taking out screws, it took me a while to figure it all out. It's located on passenger side, below glovebox. You just have to pop some clips by pulling real hard. I took off some screws in the glovebox but don't think it was necessary.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170525585962?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I'm hoping someone can help me out with a question I have about caps needed for my 98 LS400.
In post #548 Cowboy mentions the quantity and type of the 47 and 330 caps have changed but I
can't find in any of the posts about what the change is. Any ideas? thanks in advance!

 

I would assume that post #1 contains the updated information, so just go by that. Cowboy last edited post #1 in Jan 2014, and post #548 was from Nov 2013. So I expect the number/type and links to specific parts in post #1 are as accurate as you will find.

 

[QUOTE=bdazzler;8748559]To: kcHotRodLs (for some reason I can't quote you)

/QUOTE]
thanks bd... that sounds very reasonable and 'for as long as you own' is a good warranty.

i used the following. http://www.foreignecurepair.com/
Spoke to the owner via phone. he was well versed and has been around since before mitsu's ecu horror days.
pulled it, mailed it to him in big sandy texas from LA (thats LA. not L.A.) last thurs. just got it back today. 250.00 includes return shipping and 18 mo warranty. for $39 more he will go lifetime warranty, which i didnt opt for. i am on my back now... well except for peeking in at the diagram on the front of this thread to reaquaint my brain on these lil brackets n etc. my 95 is exactly as it shows in the diagram. keep em crossed, i'll let cha know! im sure she'll have 1200hp now and click off 8.20s in the qtr.
http://www.foreignecurepair.com/
~kc

 

marked improvement in every facet of operation of this car.
this is money well spent,
I just THOUGHT I wasnt having any drivability issues, until the no start condition forced me to do this. I was wrong...
now cranks instantly, settles in to idle nicely, no more overly high idle w a/c comp is running, no low idle after warm up or crazy high idle when cold! pulls strong and smooth throughout rpm band, shifts and down shifts are predictable and accurate and you don't have to force the issue w the pedal as before. it is once again easy to look down and say whoops, doesn't feel like 80mph. I can honestly say I like my car again. my cabin filter will be in to day so I can button up the glove box and call it done. next on the list will be finding some stock headlights to replace these clear depot jokes...

only thing I have noticed is that, as before my speedo would intermittently stick in hot weather, I never had an issue w the tach. well, it has stuck now a few times since ecu reinstall, but will dislodge w the slightest of tap on the cluster cover. grrr...

~kc

 

Glad to hear all is well in La...the Lexus running great,,! ..

Question...when they rebuild the ECU, do they replace all the Caps as stated since the beginning of this thread???