QuestionWife mentioned it would not start which it has done over last ten years due to battery being weak from remote key and sitting. Charged it over night and upon attempting to start the next day there was not even a sound; lights and radio worked but did not dim when turning key so I am assuming starter or solenoid is bad; But before I pay to have it towed and repaired, is there something simple I can check to save all the aggravation and expense of having it towed? I even thought about replacing starter as I did this in my younger days on other vehicles but the LS400 is so well protected and tightly packed into engine that I figure it is not an easy task. Any advice? Thanks...
Answer<laughing> Younger days...
It's really not that difficult to replace anything on the engine, you just have to move the covers & accept the fact that you don't get cubic feet worth of dead space in any modern car. Blame the Japanese for mastering using small spaces, but it's not like *anybody* doesn't do it at this point. I swear there's more room in your LS400 once you take the pretty engine cover off than I have in this F150 with a 4.6L v8!!!
Honestly, I think it's the battery. Especially with the season change & your wife not driving on a consistant basis. As the starter brushes get old from use & worn out, they also take alot more current to turn - which will accellerate battery wear when it is cranked. You always get the same two things when it turns colder. Low tire pressure & troubled (but working) batterys suddenly let go.
I digress. Buy a multi-meter & check the battery. There's directions for chekcing one here:
http://www.repairfaq.org/ELE/F_Car_Battery.html
Just be mindful where it says, "If the temperature of the electrolyte is below 70*F, then add .012v per degree below 70*F to the reading."
Simple! Just keep in mind that's a very rough guide. You can have your good volts sitting, but if you put a laod on it, it could drop like the proverbial rock. If it's a descent multi-meter, you can see what kind of current draw the car has sitting still. Eh, change the battery. ;)
People never want to hear about spending money, but I can save you *alot* of trouble if you're willing. And honestly money in the long run too...
Go buy one of those sealed, gel cell batteries. Like an Optima Battery. They're expencive, but you should honestly get 10 years out of one regardless of what you're using it for aslong as it's big enough. They're phenominal.
I can't tell you the exact model off-hand (Optima's are non-standard sizes, but all the newer ones sold have little plastic adjuster trays so they fit perfect.), but just whatever the replacement is.
Red-tops are normal, Yellow tops are deep discharge, Blue tops are for marine use.
If you can afford a yellow top... Buy the damn thing. I promise, last battery you'll buy. I *think* people are using 34/78's on your LS400.
I don't know current optima pricing off-hand. They use to be around $200 for a yellow-top. I think they're down around $130-150 now depending on the size. In know red-tops are aright around $100-130.
My best friend bought an early model red-top in 1997 (NOT a deep discharge). Drove it around 3 years until he wrecked that car. He swapped it to his wife's car for 2 noticed, nothing is worse on a lead-acid car battery than sittingyears, then he put it in his damn boat b/c he could't afford a marine Optima. It's been in the boat for 4 years now. It's still 95% good. (You've probably !) I digress, if you've got another $25-40 bucks to spend here's what you do. Buy one of those top-off chargers that won't charge a battery, but just keep it topped off. (MAKE SURE it shuts off on it's own so you don't fry the battery!). THEN plug it into one of those automatic timer switches. have it turn on one hour a day. Say after midnight.
You'll never have a flat battery again.
