LS400 Fender Removal and Hood Hinge Replacement + Radiator Support

I am ready to fix the issue with The Chariot's (my LS400) hood alignment. Sadly, I am currently at a hotel so because I don't want to make you guys wait for pictures of my own work, I figured I would write up a tutorial on the removal of the fender and replacement of the hood hinge mechanism. The latter requires you to take off the fender. Also because my car requires a radiator support change in the future and because that also requires fender removal, I added instructions for that aswell.

This job really intimidated me at first simply because it's bodywork and not mechanical work. I'm talking about removing the fender. This would be my first time messing with anything than a hood when it comes to bodywork so I had no idea what to expect. For some reason, I thought it would be very difficult. Luckily it's not.

If you have access to a Pull-n-Pay type of junkyard, I would recommend that you take off the fender of an LS400 there so you can learn. Yes, you will be doing the job twice in a way but to me, being confident before you begin is extremely important.

This is what I did initially. I simply went to the yard with my tools and started taking it apart using mainly common sense although I had read a tutorial already. It is pretty simple.

I ran out of time before I was done but I simply started with the bolts on top with the hood open, moved to the bolts/nuts hidden behind the headlights, continued by removing the lining on the bottom, above the wheel. There was also a bolt behind the door and you have to remove the little trim-type piece by the door at the bottom. It's the small piece of bodywork that is separated by the line running across the whole of the car. I ran out of time at this point but I believe that comes off with a Phillips-head screwdriver. There you should find the last bolts. I think they are all 10mm and come off easy.

You can now take the fender off. I mean, if that's not easy, I don't know what is. Maybe I was thinking there would be some welds but apparently most cars are like this where the fender is just secured to the car all the way around with bolts. I marked the areas where they are in this picture below.

I also want to talk about my Lexus for a minute.

Since I got the car, it technically needs the radiator support changed out because it's bent up even though it works fine. The thing is - I have the new part but the one on the car itself is spot-welded to the body. To change this out, you have to remove both fenders and somehow break through the spot welds so you can slide the radiator support off of the structure. Initially I wasn't sure how I would remove this part if it's welded but I got a good tip from a Youtube video. Just drill the stuff off! You could probably cut it off with a grinder or metal saw too. I'm pretty happy knowing that very soon, this car won't even have body damage anymore. I achieved this being broke as a joke and you can too! That's what this whole thing is about. It's an inspirational thing for yourself - to see something you essentially created.

Personal and ACV Update + Do you write?

My dearest readers of whom I may have five by now - I am sorry for the hiatus of sorts. I promised an ACV fix and, well, it didn't work out as planned YET - the bolt part was somehow stripped to where a 17mm will slide and a 5/8 doesn't even fit which is weirder.  However, I do have some info about it to post soon. As for me...

Like the hood ornament? (What about my "hood latch"?)

It fits the car. Godly theme - because I am faithful which I won't spread on here and it's also a metaphor.

I am moving and unexpectedly too. I am staying in hotels until I move in somewhere but my life is going to be hectic for the next month BUT I will regularly start posting articles again. Up until I woke up this morning, it has been very hectic like I said. Not only did I have to find an apartment in three days but I have to wait a month in a hotel.

The good thing is that I have quite a few parts with which I will keep working on the car.

What do you guys actually think about the hood ornament? I think it's straight up gangster (or maybe I should say yakuza).

A little more about the ACV that is part of the power steering system. It is probably the part most prone to leaking. The jist of what you have to do, which - again - I will post an article about.

1. Disconnect the two hoses that connect to the air intake and throttle body. (I will have pictures - they connect to the ACV - pretty obvious stuff)
1b. Plug the two holes that are left or simply rig a vacuum hose to go from the intake nozzle to the throttle nozzle (the two places where the hoses connect to the engine parts other than the ACV).

2. Use a 17mm wrench to slowly remove the ACV after you have it disconnected from the hoses. Important: I would drain what's in the reservoir first because when you start taking off the ACV, power steering fluid is going to leak out. Make SURE you cover the alternator with a shirt or something, go slowly, and make sure you catch everything that will drip out. (Getting PS fluid on your alternator can kill it. If your pump is leaking, it will happen, but I noticed the ACV leaks in the perfect spot where it misses the alternator.)

3. There's two options here. From the information I can gather, the thread on the ACV should be M14x1.5 or M12x1.75 with the latter only being mentioned a couple times. I picked up both just incase. I found a perfect drain plug with a built in gasket that is also the perfect length for the M14x1.5. You see, whatever you plug the hole with cannot go deeper than maybe an inch or less because there is a part in there it will hit. You don't want to damage that. As for the M12x1.75, I had trouble finding anything until I got a pretty short bolt with that thread at a home improvement store although some of them don't have it. Go to a few if you need to. Also, if you can't find a short one, I have seen someone use a long bolt which they left poking out which still seemed to work.

The second option - and this is what I would do if I could get another ACV from the junkyard just so I don't break mine. Honestly, it may be better to go this route.

What you're going to have to do is break off the plastic piece and take the valve out of the ACV. That will leave you with a bolt-like piece that is actually meant to go in that spot. This piece has a hole going all the way through it so instead of plugging the place where the ACV actually goes, you will be plugging what is left of it. What you need to do is find a bolt that fits the end of the ACV. I believe it's a 1/4 inch bolt and the thread may be 20 but I'm not sure. Just pick up a few different ones - they're cheap. You are literally gonna screw the bolt into the hole. From what I understand, you will basically be tapping it. Make SURE that the bolt is short enough to where there is about half an inch or a little less clearance from the side that will go back in the pump. The reason, again, is because there is a part inside that will block you from fully screwing in the bolt if you don't do this. (Tip: Use a metal saw to cut the bolts. You can get one for probably ten bucks. Yes, ten fully grown male deer.) Some people finish it off with some JB Weld around the edges of the bolt on the outside so it DEFINITELY doesn't leak.

This is called an "ACV Delete." You're essentially removing a system that is pretty much just a hindrance.

Don't think about plugging the plastic part. It just won't handle the pressure.

Also, these are the problems you should have if you have the same problem. See, on my car, the vacuum hose that goes to the throttle body is still connected to the ACV. It slows down the leak but in the morning, when I start the car, it will suck in that little bit of PS fluid and it's going to come out of your exhaust. It burns up just like oil thankfully and I figure I can clean the throttle body later if need be but I'm not having performance issues if anyone is wondering. For a long time I thought the motor was burning oil until I realized what it actually is. The smoke is the same blueish color but the smell is slightly different.

There are no side effects to doing the delete. Don't worry about messing anything up. It's a better way to go than replacing it with a new one. They start leaking at around 70k miles.

I hope that helps somebody until I can fix my own problem and document it with pictures. At the time I didn't realize but I may have luck putting a layer of sandpaper on the bolt part of the ACV so the wrench can get more grip. It will close the gap (I don't understand how a 17mm on this one is literally a little too big like part of the original metal was stripped down... somehow) and it won't slip because it's abrasive.


Call to writers!
Are you a writer? Do you write about cars and want to get some stuff out? You can always make your own blog but I want to add writers in the future with their own projects and all so we can work together to provide a variety of information. I don't make any money from this but if I ever do, you will get some too if you are writing for this blog.

5 Awesome Cars You Can Buy Now for $1-3k

I thought I would give you guys something different today. Are you looking for a new daily driver or project car? Well if you need a nice, quick car but you're on a budget, this is the list for you. You should be able to pick up any car on this list for less than $3,000 - most likely, $1-2,000. Car prices are at a low right now so now is the best time. Please realize that nice cars like this start to go up in value once they hit rock bottom so you're really making an investment.

I present to you five cars that are bad a**. Why get a beater when you can get one of these? Seriously, answer me!!

Got a little excited there.

Let me preface by saying that these five cars are what came to mind initially. There's other great cars that are cheap aswell. I will, however, continue these articles. In this one, I included fast cars. I might do something like a list of just luxury cars or just trucks or something like that.

I ranked these cars in order based on what I personally think is the best buy when you consider everything - power, the interior, RELIABILITY, and the general quality of the car. However, these cars are all very close in comparison. I would rock any one for sure.

1. 1997 Volvo T5R
2.3l 5-cylinder turbo engine
243hp @ 5600 rpm
300lb-ft torque

You guys know the base model was my first car but it's not my bias that puts this car at numero uno. First of all, it has a high compression engine that NEEDS premium fuel (it drives like crap if you put anything but) and produces a huge 300lb-ft of torque. For 1997, my friends, that is a lot.

I don't typically get into 0-60 because for old cars, it's just a guideline. They lose some power over time. But I will say that this car is truly fast. I don't know if it's the transmission that delivers power to the wheels very good or what but my 160hp base model was doing burnouts.

The car also has an economy and sports mode if it's automatic although I think most, if not all, T5Rs are manual. In an automatic car, sports mode makes the car shift closer to redline to allow you to get some extra RPMs out of the engine.

If you can't find a T5R, the other turbo 850 is good too. I think it's just called the T5? It makes less power but still plenty.

Another thing about this car is that if you get a turbo version and throw a straightpipe on it, it will sound like a BEAST! The 5 cylinders really make a unique noise especially through a straightpipe (not good for NA - these engines need backpressure if they aren't boosting).

2. 1998 (4th gen) Chevy Camaro
5.7l V8
320hp @ 5200 rpm

I've wanted this car for a long time. It might even be my next project. If you want bang for your buck, you got it. Just please don't buy a 6 cylinder! The weight of the car makes it slow even though it still has a decent 200hp (decent but not for that weight).

This is a perfect red light racer... That is, I mean, if you participate in such illegal activities!

With this car it's burnouts all day long baby. 300hp is a nice sweet spot. You don't feel like your car wants to kill you every time you floor it but it definitely puts a smile on your face.

If you're considering buying one, just do it. You're not gonna regret it - especially at $2,000.

3. 1995 (or same gen) Lexus SC400
4.0l V8
250hp @ 5600 rpm
3.0l V8
225hp @ 5600 rpm

I listed two engine options. I'm not familiar with the 3.0l engine in these cars but losing 25hp to gain mileage may appeal to some people. The 4.0l is the 1uz found in the LS400 so you know you're getting an indestructible engine if you go that route. 

The engine is beautiful to me. Especially how clean this one is.

You may have noticed that even though the cars share the same engine, the LS400 has a little more horsepower. This was done on purpose. I believe the one they put in the LS400 is more durable. Might have a stronger crankshaft? Somebody please comment if you know the difference.

Tip: If your SC400 engine blows (God forbid), consider taking an engine out of a 98-00 LS400. Those have 290hp.

4. 1990 (1st gen) Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
2.0l I4
195hp @ 6000 rpm
203lb-ft torque @ 3000 rpm

This car would be higher up on the list if it wasn't so hard to work on the turbo system. My pops rallied one that was boosting 16 pounds on stock internals no problem but getting the car to run right took a long time. I'm sure that a more experienced mechanic could handle it better.

This car is great all around. There's something to be said about a car that will do just as good on dirt as it will on asphalt. It is AWD so it suits rally style driving really well.

This is also a car that I wouldn't mind stripping for weight savings and have a little rocket for $2-3k. My pops bought his running for $500. I highly recommend this car if you are a mechanic. It's not really unreliable but if the miles are high, you might start having turbo problems.

Tip: This car was also sold as an Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser so search for those aswell. They're all the same except badging.

5. 1992 Ford Thunderbird
5.0l V8
210hp @ 4000rpm

Fox body mustang? No, screw that. Let's go with the Ford Thunderbird.

I can't put my finger on WHY but I'm coming to love these cars. They have a foxbody which is rare. And this is probably the cheapest car on the list. Go buy one for a grand and tear some Honda Civic a new a**hole!

Look at the interior on this thing! Why don't we see that anymore? I love the 90s blue interior.

Goodbye for now friends. I am fixing the ACV thing SOON - maybe today. Keep an eye out for that article.

Review: '97 Volvo 850

My very first car that was given to me by my father was a green 1997 Volvo 850 with the odometer stuck at 220,000. He bought it when I was really young. It was 2000 and at the time, this was one of the better Luxury cars on the road. I could attribute my love for luxury sedans to this car.

As a 17-year-old I thought this car was FAST. I would hit it every chance I got... I was doing neutral drops... Bad stuff.

The car has a 5 cylinder engine. Whenever I mention that to people that don't know about Volvos, the reaction is usually "Naw... It has to be 4 or 6... There's no 5 cylinder engines!" My reply would always be "You wanna bet?"

This engine is a great engine. It has a very high compression ratio. It only makes 160hp on the base model but when you put a turbo on it, it becomes a beast. Try to get an R model or at least any turbo one. Not only do these engines last a long time (300k is normal) but they will last just as long with the turbo unless you start messing with it.

However, if you mess with it... You have a frickin front wheel drive BEAST. By the way, I think the car looks great too. Anyway, you bump the boost up and you have 300hp for about $2-3,000. That's right in our budget. I believe you can buy a decent T5 for less than $2,000 and it will destroy these ricer civics (you know the type... exhaust sounds like a leak, doesn't go anywhere - boy racers [I am absolutely not ripping on Hondas because they're good cars. I'm ripping on these street racers racing economy cars]).

Check out the engine. I'm telling you - these people that don't know are so confused why there is 5 cylinders when I would lift the hood up.

This is a very reliable engine like I mentioned. Keep it at 300hp and you should be okay without upgrading internals. My favorite thing about it - and many agree - is the amazing sound this thing makes. I mean it has five frickin cylinders... It's gonna sound different. It has a roar to it. Very nice with a good exhaust system (don't do straightpipe on an NA - it needs backpressure to run right).

What are the cons? There isn't many. First of all, it's a cheap car, easy to work on, and parts are very accessible. And incase you're wondering, there is very little aftermarket support for these cars.

The 850 is a great sleeper car. First of all, even if you have dual exhaust or something, the car looks like what your grandma drives to the average person (I love the way it looks but it certainly doesn't look fast). If you're into sleepers, definitely look into this car.

I learned a lot about maintaining cars from my Volvo. Like I said, I would floor it for no reason... rarely check fluids... it was bad. It died when I had no more coolant in it (that should tell you where my mind was at) and it blew a head gasket. At this point, however, sometimes it would decide to run on four cylinders... Lost a lot of power... Long story short, we junked it.

I made sure to TAKE CARE OF MY CARS after that. Learn from me if you're buying your first car.

Onto the interior. Obviously this one is boosting... Nice. Anyway - this is certainly a luxury car. My LS400 has more seat adjustments but the 850 is close. As far as the seats themselves, they are extremely comfortable and slightly hug you because they're smaller than the huge LS400 seats. As far as amenities, well, you have all the standard 1997 luxury sedan stuff. You got your CD player (I had a 2001 Volvo S40 [turbo] that only had a cassette player!), AC that constantly dies (it's a problem with these cars), and an ergonomically designed interior. Very comfortable like I said. Depending on personal preference, you might like it more than the LS400. The car itself is more compact, weighs less, etc. The only other car I've owned that possibly has a more ergonomic interior is a 1996 Saab 900SE (turbo...).

Volvo did well racing the car aswell. The cars also have outstanding safety. Volvo has been the leader in safety for a long time if I'm not mistaken. I think one of their commercials said that their new car's safety features are so good that they pretty much guarantee that you won't die. Please correct me because I saw this commercial once and if they didn't say anything about a guarantee they still said you won't die. Pretty impressive.

This car gets probably 22mpg city and a little more highway (the base model). It's reliable, you can get the fast version, and you might become a Volvo fanatic. I almost did. I love turbo Volvo 240s. The stock engine on those cars, a 4-cylinder, is said to be able to handle 16-20 PSI of boost no problem. You can literally get one for a grand, crank up the boost, and have at it. They're rear wheel drive and a car that I definitely want to get in the future.

Thank you so much for reading. Guys, I have been busy but I should have time soon to fix the power steering leak from the ACV and also paint my rims flat black. Look out for those tutorials to come out soon. Much love.

Beautiful or ugly? Comment below. There is no wrong answer except one.

Appliance Paint for Touchups and VIP Curtains

You probably already know I bought my LS400 crashed (mildly) and while I've replaced pretty much everything, the bumper is scratched up from the crash so my pops recommended something I can use to paint the gaps.

Before I get to that, scroll to the bottom if you just want to read about installing VIP curtains.

Appliance paint. You find it at home improvement stores. It's cheap and it's nice if you just want to cover some scratches before you get it fixed legitimately. It comes in a small bottle with a tiny paint brush attached to the cap.

That's it right there. See how scratched the bumper is? This product will make it look good again from far away but up close it looks a little ghetto but this is, ofcourse, temporary.

You need to get a small piece of 400-600 grit sandpaper (I think I used 400). Just quickly sand down the edges of the paint that's coming off. You know - the chips that are coming off, break them, smooth down the edges, and you're ready to paint. Run your hand or a clean towel over the area you sanded to get the dust off.

This is a 'before' picture of the bumper from far away so you can see the difference after.

This is how you're gonna paint. It's somewhat time consuming but not a big deal. Just start dipping the brush in the bottle and have at it. I found that the fastest way to cover as much area as possible is to first go around the edges and then you can fill in the middle quickly. The edges slow you down. Also I have a tip if you're not getting enough paint on that tiny brush. Pour out a few drops onto what you're painting, spaced an inch or two apart. That way you have a bunch of paint all at once that you can quickly apply everywhere. Now here is the car after from far away.

Can you see that it has been touched up? From far, not really. I prefer this to having a scratched up bumper and maybe you do too.

Onto the frickin curtains! When I first saw a VIP car with curtains, I thought that was such a great idea. I think the reason it started is because you weren't (still aren't?) allowed to tint your front windows so clever folks said "Okay, I will install curtains instead officer."

Not only is this a budget thing but I think it makes the car unique when you create your own things as opposed to buying the kit online and just installing that.

I had this curtain rail laying around at home so that's free and so is the curtain - make it yourself.

I will be posting a picture tutorial of how to take a long curtain rail like I have and modify it so it will work on the car. I will also explains how to create your own curtains.

Thank you for reading. Guys, if you enjoy my stuff, PLEASE share it. I have less readers than articles and I just want to share with people. Have a great one!

BONUS:
I have finally come to my decision as to what color to paint my boring stock OEM rims. Well, they're not that boring but I think they will look absolutely sick when I am done with this project and it should be next after the curtains.

I'm at the park where I get a lot of my inspiration and it came to me. I already decided to do flat black a couple days ago but as I was looking at the wheels, I was originally thinking of leaving the Lexus logo the original color so it pops out. One problem is that they're all scratched and different colors. So then it hit me.

In another one of my articles I mentioned that I wanted to paint my brake calipers. So the two joined in my head. Flat black with purple 'L' Lexus logo with matching purple calipers!

I have been trying forever to figure out how to add a small dash of purple, tastefully, to the exterior and this is my solution.

Thank you so much for reading and feel free to tell me how stupid I am or that I'm a genius or whatever really.