LS - 1st and 2nd Gen (1990-2000) Discussion topics related to the 1990 - 2000 Lexus LS400

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Old 06-10-18, 11:42 AM
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Kram
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ls400 1990 starter work fine last fall then 7months later I went to start the car and the starter would not even make a noise and I did put in a fully charged battery anyone else have this problem
Old 06-10-18, 02:25 PM
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dicer
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It could be a ground engine to battery, a bad connection some place, a bad ignition switch in the start position, a fuse, the starter solenoid, and since you don't hear a noise
its likely the circuit to the solenoid, you can find that wire and send 12volts to it and see if it makes noise.
Old 06-10-18, 05:22 PM
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spuds
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Run the shifter around good.Could just be a buggy neutral safety switch.
Old 06-11-18, 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by spuds
Run the shifter around good.Could just be a buggy neutral safety switch.
Funny I forgot that one, I've had calls from people, and drove out just to put it in park to start it, they sure feel stupid after that.
Old 06-11-18, 07:18 PM
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Kram
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Thanks for your time I would be happy if one of your Fixs worked so I will try them in the next few days and give you an update. Also for more info I purchased this car as a parts car for my 1990 LS400 for only 500.00 because the car came with only one key. At the time I bought the car I would have driven it from Lake Tahoe cal to New York and not even opened the hood so in the very near future there will be a lot of great parts to be gotten, but first i need to start the car after It has not been started for 7 months and at the time I put it away the starter worked like new so now you have all the info so let’s keep in touch. Parts are coming soon.
Old 06-11-18, 09:01 PM
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PhilipMidd
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I still cant believe the starter is in the motor on these things.I guess its well protected there but its a bugger to change out. I thought my old Merc starter was a PITA, but this one takes the cake and wont give it back without a fight!!!
Old 06-12-18, 02:37 AM
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Originally Posted by PhilipMidd
I still cant believe the starter is in the motor on these things.I guess its well protected there but its a bugger to change out. I thought my old Merc starter was a PITA, but this one takes the cake and wont give it back without a fight!!!
Yup, 'What were they thinking?'
Old 06-12-18, 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by spuds
Yup, 'What were they thinking?'
Job openings in the service departments, ya think?
Old 06-12-18, 02:39 PM
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deanshark
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Originally Posted by spuds
Yup, 'What were they thinking?'
I feel that it was alot of thinking went into that position.Granted, it is in a bad spot but you don't hear of too many failures. MOST of my other cars throughout my life I needed to change the starter. Some cars multiple times.
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Old 06-13-18, 07:48 AM
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Stereorob
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i only have one piece of advice for anyone with a bad starter in your ls400. as an ls400 driver its the one part of your car that you dont ever want to see.

-prepare your anus.
Old 06-13-18, 12:33 PM
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deanshark
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Originally Posted by Stereorob
i only have one piece of advice for anyone with a bad starter in your ls400. as an ls400 driver its the one part of your car that you dont ever want to see.

-prepare your anus.
Funny. I think I'd rather change the starter then my heater core, again.
But, to each his own.
Old 06-13-18, 12:56 PM
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oldskewel
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For debugging, you can check voltage at the starter relay (left side of engine bay, by the coolant overflow tank), and even jumper across it to start the car. There was one point in my '91's life when I had to do that - turn ignition to ON, pop the hood and then go and use a paperclip to jumper across the starter relay to start the car.

Hey, the search function here let me find that post with a little more detail:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post9328902

In my case back then, it was a weird thing - the starter relay itself was actually OK. I suspected the neutral start switch (the thing that detects shifter position and will only let you start when in P or N). But it ended up being a blown 7.5A fuse (labeled "ST" for starter) down by the driver's left foot. I swapped that fuse and never had any problems ever again. It was also weird in my case because the problem was intermittent for a while and then at one point became permanent. Maybe the fuse was slowly failing for some reason.

This post has a circuit of the starter circuit for my '91:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...l#post10080994

It shows that 7.5A fuse in the upper right, and the NSS to the right, and the starter relay nearby as well. By checking voltages when the key is to START, at some point in that circuit, you should be able to find a place that you should be getting 12V but you are not.

Last edited by oldskewel; 06-13-18 at 01:11 PM.
Old 10-06-18, 09:40 PM
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Default 1999 LS400 starter

1999 LS 254k miles, original starter had been giving me problems over last two years ( would not start right away when it’s cold in the winter first time in the morning, consequent starts were ok)
I finally got around to change it after reading all the posts here and getting all parts and tools beforehand.

Heres what I found


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Old 10-06-18, 09:42 PM
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After cleaning out all that my car is couple pounds lighter



Old 10-06-18, 09:51 PM
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Changed manifold gaskets, valve cover gaskets, new injectors and spark plugs.
Spent a LOT of time just cleaning... every tube and every bolt...
The intake ports were pretty black and carboned up, I wrapped a waffle towel ( less lint) around two fingers, sprayed carburetor cleaner on the towel and fingered the ***** out of those ports, vacuuming every few minutes too.




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