My One Year Plus Experience with the LS400 - It's Been Amazing

As some of you may know, I bought this car crashed with about 220k miles on it. My acquaintance had driven it into something at a slow speed, damaging the grill, radiator, and hood. I gave him $250 for it planning on getting it running and flipping it.

It was no longer until I got it home - five minutes away - that I had fallen in love with the car and decided I was going to keep it. It was rear wheel drive, definitely had enough power for me, and was a beautiful luxury sedan - my personal choice of car.

To give you an idea of the condition it was in, let me put it this way. A month ago, I was driving and lost 85% power. I limped the car home and ended up finding out that the spark plugs were original. Remember, that's 220,000 miles on the same set of spark plugs. It's things like these that make me realize just how reliable this car is if it's been taken care of.

Mine definitely wasn't and I need to change the timing belt and water pump. I did a full tune-up after this last incident - new spark plugs, wires, and distributor rotor caps. The sound of the engine actually changed after this from a quiet V8 to one with a nice rumble! It was so drastic that I wondered at first if something is wrong. Maybe my exhaust? No, that's just how the engine is supposed to sound!

I had to change the original fuel filter aswell. That was actually the cause of my last problem. The engine was starving of fuel. If I gave it medium or more throttle, it would just bog down and barely accelerate. I had to baby it to get enough fuel to the engine.

The point I want to make with this article is just how durable this car is and how reliable it is. I also want to say that some people would think I'm stupid. I have easily spent another $2,000 on all of the parts I replaced since I've had this car. I changed out a good fifteen different things myself except the power steering pump which I paid someone else to install.

As far as I can remember, the following is a list of things I have done to bring life back to the car. This car was going to be junked and now it's being restored completely. It drives better than when I first got it and I am completely in love with it.

I did a lot to the interior aswell which I will show you later in this post.

The List:
-Power Steering Pump
-ACV Delete
-Changed out dry-rotted hoses
-Coolant Temp Sensor
-Engine Temp Sender (sends info to gauge)
-Hood; have to change hood hinge which I have
-Radiator; have to change out the radiator support which I have aswell
-Alternator
-Headlights
-All fluid change except transmission
-Front brake pads; also fixed a sticking caliper - rotors were new
-Rear brake pads and rotors
-Spark Plugs
-Spark Plug Wires; have distributor cap

The car is running good but it is way overdue for a timing belt change which I expect to be able to do soon. The passenger side hood hinge also needs to be changed. This is why the hood sits weird. Tie your hood down if it doesn't latch and you're going to drive! I thought I would be fine driving in the neighborhood just to test the car after I did something to it and a gust of wind caught the hood, sending it flying open to crack my windshield on my side and bend the hinge on the other side. Oh well, you live and you learn. It still makes me mad to this day - if not for a dumb mistake, the car would look okay! The average person looks at it and the first thing they thing is "Oh that car is f***ed up." I digress.

As far as my interior goes, I have it to where I really like it but it's far from what I want. When I first got the car, however, it looked extremely bad. Every seat was torn, the center console was torn, and it was just in bad condition.

The first thing I had to do was buy some seat covers. I went with black which goes real well with the tan interior. Next, I wrapped the original shifter in leather and stitched it myself. There is a tutorial for that on this website.

Next, I used vinyl paint to paint the floor matts black and I used an actual wrap to change the woodgrain in the center to a flat black. It was fading and didn't look right. I left the pop-out in the middle the same and replaced my old, breaking woodgrain panels that hold the power window buttons with new ones. I hung a pair of dice on the mirror with a cross aswell... Have to have the dice.

In today's money, the LS400 would cost $90,000 if it was new. You know the $3000 or so that I've spent on this car? What is that compared to $90k? The way I see this car is a little different from how people look at cars.

To most, a new car is a new car and an old car is on its way out and is probably not reliable. The reliability depends on the vehicle and the maintenance done to it but as far as the car being on its way out...

I'll put it this way. This is the car that I want. If the LS400 was $10k, I would still be working towards it. The fact that I got it so cheap just makes me feel really lucky.

Let me wrap that thought up. I bought a $90,000 car for $250, put another $2-3000 into it, and I'm a couple grand away from how I want it. And the best part? Most if not all of the components that have to be maintained or changed out, will be. This is as close as you can get to a new LS400.

I am keeping this car until I die if I can. I actually want my name engraved into the frame. It's actually a rebuilt title, bringing the value down more, so it's pointless for me to sell it anyway.

Guys and gals, if you have a dream car that sounds like this, set yourself a goal to get it.

One thing I have to talk about is that it was no cake-walk getting the car to this point. The reason was that it became my daily driver almost immediately and until recently, my wife was the only one working.

Intermittently, things would break and we would have to somehow come up with the money while living paycheck to paycheck in a hotel. There was a good 4-5 times that the car was dead (things like alternator, something had gotten in my throttle butterfly one time, etc.) and we would be forced to try to survive in a city where you need a car until we got it fixed. I was able to get it back on the road in less than a week every time.

Every time I had a problem, it was something minor (if you consider an alternator minor - I do, it's cheap to change yourself). There are no serious problems with either the motor or transmission and I'm hoping I get many more miles out of both. I think I will.

The plans for the future make me very excited. I am almost at "stage 1" of repairing the car. I gave myself goals which you should if you buy a car like this.

I want to get it to stage 1 of my build before I move on. What I wanted to do before stage 2, which includes modifying the looks to my tastes, is get the car running completely well. Like I said, it's almost there. Soon I will have the timing belt and water pump changed out and by that time, any other little sensors or anything that I may need to change out, I will.

I've been planning on fixing the hood hinge for months but other things kept popping up (no pun intended). I'm going to do it VERY soon and install hood pins which I think look badass.

A nice example of a VIP-style car, originating in Japan from the Yakuza who liked the big sedans because they were fast and comfortable.

VIP cars are my inspiration for this build. Those are lowered as much as possible and rock nice rims, possibly stanced. The interior looks like something that the CEO of Coca-Cola would hop into. This includes curtains on the windows and tables with cupholders for the passengers. The tables are kind of like the ones you get to use in airplanes.

I want to eventually have my interior black and the color? You will just have to wait and see.

This car will be show car status but daily driven. A new exhaust is in the books and I'm trying to get my hands on a few different things to customize the look aswell. Follow along if you are interested. When I get to stage 2, I will be giving you guys a breakdown of what I'm spending and definitely more tutorials.

I am in a much better position in life now so I am able to afford this stuff. I've also been very busy so I apologize for the late article.

If anyone wants a tutorial on changing the fuel filter on a 1995+ LS400, let me know. The ones I found are for 1990-94 which have the filter in a different position. It is located in front of the rear differential instead of above the splash guard. You need ramps or a good lift for this. Thanks for reading.

Tutorial on Spark Plugs plus LS400 Update

This is a simple procedure but I figured I would post a write-up for anyone that may not know how to do this or be doing it wrong.

I also wanted to update my readers on my car, The Chariot. Recently I ran into some trouble but, again, was able to sort it out quickly. I was driving along just fine when all of a sudden, the car lost what seemed like 85% of its power (causing me to have to limp it home) and also didn't really want to respond to the gas pedal if I went past about half. It would respond but it would take a second for it to actually start accelerating faster so that was weird. See if you can guess what it was.

Everything here applies to all cars that have spark plugs. You need to buy a spark plug tool which is a hollow socket with a magnet inside of it to pull the spark plug out. I had lost the one I bought so I used one without a magnet and came up with a very simple way to fish the old spark plugs out, which can be a pain if they're deep like on this LS400. The trick is simple. I simply grabbed a vacuum hose that I had lying around and tested to see if it would slide onto an old spark plug. In fact, the hole was perfect - big enough but small enough to where the hose is able to hold the spark plug in once you slip the hose on the tip. It's time consuming but just go slow and have patience. Look down into the engine to see where the plug is sitting and do your best to aim the hose hole onto the plug. Press down whenever you feel like you're close. You will probably miss a bunch of times but you should feel your hose slip onto the plug when you get the angle right. Then you can just pull it out.

The first thing you have to do is remove the covers to get access to the spark plug wires. When you disconnect the spark plug wires from each spark plug, you will have access to the spark plug itself.

It is important how hard you tighten the spark plugs when you put them back in. More on that later.

These are the covers on the LS400. It's time consuming if it's your first time but it's not hard. You have to take the air intake and ducting off to get access to the spark plug covers. You also have to take the distributor covers off as well which are the triangular covers. Everything is held on by 10mm bolts and comes out in order from the ram air intake, then the round air intake itself, followed by the MAF sensor and elbow, and then the large ducting which goes to the throttle as well as to some other hoses. How many depends on if you deleted your ACV yet or not (there is a tutorial on this site).

Take your time with the ducting.

Be careful and go slowly when you take the main piece off. You should have the clips for the big connecting hose off. You have to take your time wiggling this large plastic piece off of the throttle and also the big hose. Take your time! Move it side to side and pull. Eventually you can pull upward to take it off the throttle opening. As for the big hose, turn it back and forth as you pull the two pieces apart. Carefully. You should have already disconnected any other hoses there.

Once you get the covers off, you're ready to change the spark plugs one by one. This way you won't get the wires mixed up which is important for the timing on the engine.

Start from the left and go right on the passenger side and right to left on the driver's side. Take the spark plug wires off one at a time. They're held in by little clips so take the wire you're working on out of the plastic clip(s). They just hold the wires in place. When you take the boot off, go slowly because you don't want to damage it if it's dry rotted at all. Depending on how long it's been, its pretty easy to take out each boot or plug of each wire.

Use your hands and not pliers or something. Hold on to the rubber boot at the base, start applying even pressure by starting to pull on it (don't just rip it out - apply strong but not too strong, even force) and attempt to start moving it side to side a little bit. My spark plugs hadn't been touched in 220,000 miles (incredible) and they were pretty easy to take off. They're somewhat stuck so you will feel it when they're free and they should pop out with a little extra pull.

You now have access to the spark plug. Go ahead and take it out. Remember, you're doing one at a time and you should line them up as you do so. The reason is so that if you find one with a serious problem, you know which cylinder it came from. One of the spark plugs I took out had fresh oil on it and even though a little is normal if they haven't been changed in a long time, it was good to know which cylinder it was in.

The type of socket I used to loosen and tighten my spark plugs. This one isn't magnetic.

Putting the new spark plug in is simple but like I mentioned above, there is a proper way to do it so please do it like this.

Go ahead and start tightening it knowing there's a certain point that you have to stop at that you will be able to feel so pay close attention. After you do a few, you will know the exact feeling. They tell you to "hand-tighten" it before you turn the socket a half-turn or 180 degrees. I don't like that term because it implies that once you can't turn it with your hand is when you do it but that's wrong. When the spark plug hits the bottom as you are tightening it, you will feel it. The force needed to turn the socket anymore will increase two or three times. It is at this point that you turn your socket 180 degrees or a half turn. At this point, it should be in good. But you have to stop because over tightening spark plugs can range from being kinda bad to really bad.

Onto the update with my car. Initially I thought that the catalytic converter was clogged simply because of how much power and response the car lost. After a back pressure test and some diagnostics, I was told that my car still has the original timing belt and water pump.

That wasn't the only original parts I found in there. This 220,000 mile supercar was still running on carbon-deposit-and-oil caked original Denso spark plugs.

At that point, neither I nor the mechanic knew what exactly the problem was but eventually a check engine light came on. That's what was messing with me initially - there wasn't even a code!

What happened was that the car regained enough power from the spark plug change to be drivable and the code for a bad oxygen sensor in bank 1 (sensor 1) only comes up if the car senses a bad O2 sensor for a certain continuos amount of time, which is what happened.

Today I got the sensor changed out at Muffler Man, a shop I have come to love. The people are honest and one of the main guys that run it was nice enough to show me their project car and talk to me about cool s*** for a while. Here's a sneak peak. You can expect a small article on this 600 horsepower 1988 Camaro and the shop. They put a lot of work into it and it shows.

Amongst all of this, something happened that I have never experienced, heard of, or even thought was possible. When I changed the old spark plugs out for Denso Iridium ones, the engine sound changed.

It makes sense now that the O2 sensor has been changed out, the ECU is able to set the proper fuel ratios and all of that good stuff, and the engine sounds smooth. However when I first changed the spark plugs and the engine was running weird, I literally thought I had a different problem because the engine note changed from a smooth V8 to a mean V8.

It's such a huge difference that I couldn't believe it wasn't being caused by some issue. The noise, that is. The car sounded like a truck before I fixed the O2 sensor. It just turns out the LS400 sounds mean as hell stock if it's well maintained.

I believe my O2 sensor got clogged by carbon deposits from Seafoaming the car. I'm not saying anything bad about the product because it works well on the right engine but even though it was probably because it wasn't able to burn up fully due to the old spark plugs, the fact is I believe carbon deposits got sent downstream and killed it. That's not to say it wasn't on its way out anyway.

I am saving money to change the timing belt and waterpump as soon as possible. Unfortunately I have to drive it because there isn't even busses where I moved and the wife and I need to work. I believe the timing belt will hold up for another few weeks if its done 200k+ already.

I know some people would say I'm stupid but when I get that done, I think I will have put three grand into this car when a running one costs a thousand.

But here's the thing. Most of the mechanic work I did myself so this vehicle will be completely up to date on anything that would need to be changed. From the top of my head, I already did...

I fixed a few leaks but you can probably see the residue I need to clean.

The power steering pump, ACV delete, radiator, alternator, vacuum hoses, coolant temp sensor, engine temp sender, spark plugs, complete fluid change using Mobil 1 synthetic, front brake pads, rear brake pads and rotors, and upholstery work on the inside. I've been dealing with mechanical things but I do have the hood hinge I need to fix the way my hood sits. I also have the radiator support which is the last casualty, if you will, of the minor accident the car was originally in.

So I've paid three grand and I would pay that much more. Of course, I would be mad as hell if it was right after this. But the car is very special to me. I bought it so I would get better working on cars and I did. At the same time, I always liked LS400s but after driving this car, I knew I was going to keep it. Initially I planned on getting it running and flipping it but it turned out to be the best car I've ever had.

In a way, I'm glad I was able to fix all of this stuff right away. But I have to tell you - it was pretty bad breaking down every couple of months! Luckily me and my wife are getting through it and the Chariot is surviving and getting stronger. Thanks for reading, everybody.

Turbobricks: The Volvo 740 - Speed on a Budget

My first car was a '97 Volvo 850 and I've been a fan of Volvos ever since. I've owned an S40 which had the turbo 4-cylinder aswell. Both were stock and slow compared to what you can do with the turbo motors relatively cheap. The car in question is the older Volvo 740. Even better would be the 240 or 242 but those are rare and will cost you more.

This should be your goal. 

The 740 was made from 1984 to 1992 so you have a wide range of choices. The motor you want is the 2.0-2.3l turbo that is an in line (or slant) 4 cylinder. That engine is what makes the car special. Volvo is known for making reliable cars (at least in the past - I honestly don't know how they are nowadays but I assume they're okay) that would last up to 4-500k miles. The 5-cylinder in the 850 is very reliable aswell but that car is front wheel drive. It, too, has a fast turbo version that I have written about in the past.

But getting back to the 740, that motor, which is called a 'redblock,' can take up to 30 psi of boost on stock components. Yes, you read that right. It can actually support that load. I believe the 2.0l version is better able to handle that boost.

You can buy the car in relatively good condition for a little over a thousand dollars right now but you will need to make sure that everything is up to date and maintained. Make sure the basics like timing belt are done but also look for a car that hasn't been abused too much if you're gonna go high in boost. Remember, it's an old car so you will have to do everything you can to get it in the best condition possible.

Again I say, anything above 16psi or so is going to be rough for the motor and this motor is the one to handle it but it has to be running right.

Once you get it to that point, though, you will have a mean drag machine AND it can cut corners. I never mentioned that the 200s and 740s are rear-wheel drive. You can have 250hp easily on stock components with a do-it-yourself boost controller. You can decide where you want to go from there. A reinforced block, pistons, etc would be best. Anything to make the motor tougher so you can pull more horsepower out of it. Those types of upgrades will also prevent you from blowing your engine.

The stock transmission can handle about 300hp before you have to upgrade it but that number is not bad at all from a 4-cylinder.

I used to be obsessed with this car but somewhere along the way, I got a Lexus. Which is gonna be parked for a couple weeks because I just found out that neither of the two previous owners have ever maintained it besides changing the oil, I guess. This car has about 220,000 miles and it has the original timing belt. Can you believe that? You should change it way before 150k! And I wouldn't be surprised if the spark plugs are originals. I have to basically do the works - water pump too, distributor, wires, etc. That IS a testament to the reliability of the Lexus LS400 however. Before I suddenly lost 90% horsepower, it was driving like new. I'll get it back on the road.

Motivational: Ford GT40 and SIN Cars

I often stop and check out people's cars if I see something really cool and the owner doesn't seem bothered. A few days ago, I saw a completely restored GT40. What the owner told me is what I want to tell you. The owner's name is Turbo (of course) and he builds custom boats in the Central Florida area if anyone needs a one-off boat. Anyway...

I was coming home and this thing was parked at the entrance by the dock. I was bringing my wife home from work and I usually don't stop because she's tired but I said sorry and put the car in park. She wasn't disappointed either.

This man Turbo - who has stories for days if you have time - is quite a character. Never been to school, like me. Restored a GT40, UNLIKE me.

My friend said he was stupid for daily driving a three million dollar car (this isn't a Ford GT if you haven't realized yet). I told him he was stupid for saying that. Although it should probably be in a museum, I'm glad it's on the road.

Next time I'll get a start-up and rev video, if I can.

After explaining what the name of the car was (Vehicular Viagra) and how it got it, he surprised me by opening the door and telling me to hop in. I dropped in because when I went to sit, my butt fell like two feet onto the seat that is 2 inches above the actual ground. You're sitting about 4 inches off the ground, making it very hard to even see over the steering wheel. Time stops as I try to orient myself. There's three pedals all the way on the right... I don't know HOW you drive this thing without your full attention. As for a speedometer or anything like that, forget it. There IS however a bunch of gauges for things like oil and fuel pressure.

This car is actually a 1969 so I guess that's where he got the number... Right...

What I'm trying to say is this. And Turbo said the same thing. Enjoy what you have but keep making it better. That is the secret to life. He started working on cars just like most of us. Messing around at his dad's house. Now he's living the dream, truly. It inspired me. I think there was about 300 Ford GT40s built so Lord knows how he got parts.

Check out that carburator...

All I know is that this is the rarest and most beautiful car I have seen to date. My wife remarked how much it looks like a muscle car. However, ever since finding a place to live a few weeks ago, I've also ran into a Skyline at the gas station and a set of a Formula One car with a SIN car. What is a SIN? It's a Bulgarian GT car that uses an LS motor from the Corvette.

I'm enjoying life much more nowadays because in the past I might appreciate the car but I would not have stopped to look closely. I made friends with Jon, the owner of this car and also the Team Owner of Racer's Edge, a Grand Touring team running this car. I wouldn't get these great experiences simply driving past. After all, when you're old, it's not gonna be your problems that you remember but the interesting things. Those things that are a passion to you. Make them a part of your life. Hell, build your life around it as I am trying right now.

The SIN car was amazing, quality top notch. I imagine it's a great bang for your buck if you're looking for a pure race car considering the fact that it runs an LS motor (I didn't ask if it was an LS1 but I assumed it was). Makes just as much power as its competitors.

The amount of carbon fiber inside was mind-blowing. Everywhere I looked, there it was. This car is a complete 180 from the Ford GT40. The GT40 is raw, powerful. It commands all of your attention. The SIN is elegant and powerful. It's modern and a lot less intimidating to drive. The clutch is where it's supposed to be and you have good visibility. Still wouldn't take it over the GT40, however, but being modern, I guarantee you it's faster - at least on a track.

In place of the passenger seat was a box with switches for oil, fuel, and anything you can imagine. The steering wheel was covered in buttons and the car uses paddle shifters. Overall, a beautiful and fast supercar. I think this company produces road legal cars aswell, with two seats.

The car regularly competes and seems to have just gotten their social media accounts running. Their Instagram page is @racers_edge_motorsports. Give them a follow if you like.

The last vehicle I want to mention right now is also up there in terms of legend. The Nissan Skyline. If I'm not mistaken, this was an R32. Again I was on my way home when I had to pull over for gas and ran into this sight (thankfully not literally with my car).

The R32 had just blown a head gasket. Surprisingly though, I think I was sadder for that than the owner was. It was evident that that wasn't his first or last time. He just looked bored waiting for a flatbed.

If you're wondering, yes it is right-hand drive and is tuned to the teeth. I'm not sure if that's real gold wrap but I wouldn't doubt it.

He said he liked my LS400. Thanks buddy... JDM for life?

I don't know these motors but I suppose the intake is on the right leading to the turbo on the left? Please correct me. The car was boosting 10 PSI at the time it blew the head gasket. I forgot what the man said but I could've sworn something about probably not topping off a fluid... Damn.

So what's the one thing all of these cars have in common? Of course they're all fast as hell but they're also unique. And all of the cars have had a load of effort put in. You are probably seeing more R32s now because they're old enough to import now. This ain't a budget car though, that's for sure. Maybe you can buy just the engine and play with it.

What is my point? Go out and meet people instead of being bored at home. Continue bettering yourself, your situation, and your car. Last but definitely not least, enjoy life because that is the common thread between these three owners.

Everybody starts at the bottom. Just like my LS400 is the car of my life right now, you may have one too and I encourage you to make it the best vehicle it can be. Listen - my car is probably only worth $2,000 but it's priceless to me and still puts a sh**-eating grin on my face whenever I hit the gas. The reason for this is because I literally brought it back to life and really made it my own.

If you have been thinking of getting a project car, I encourage you to do it and take the time to do all the work yourself. It will pay off big time.

Tutorial: LS400 Front Brake Pads plus BONUS What Not to Do to Maintain Your Car

I had somewhat of a frustrating 40 minutes figuring out how to change out the front brake pads on my 1995 Lexus LS400 (UCF20) so I thought I would save people some time. The first 40 minutes was spent trying to get the caliper to come down until I realized those bolts are impossible to get off for a reason.

All you need to change the pads on this car is literally a screwdriver and maybe pliers. I guess I couldn't believe how easy this job is. I was just looking in the wrong place.

Have a nice look. I want you to try to figure out how to change these pads from the picture. I know I pretty much gave it away.

On each side, there's two pins, a spring loaded cross-shaped piece, and also another spring that goes into the pins when they are in place. On the passenger side, there is also a sensor that is also held by this spring-like piece. I think you can see the wire from the sensor going through it in that picture. Here are the steps.

1. Remove the spring piece from the back of the two metal pins that run through the brake pads (they keep the brake pads in place and run right through a hole in the pads themselves). On the passenger side, be careful to not damage the wire running to one brake pad. You just carefully pull that out but don't pull on the wire. The spring-like piece comes out easily - just pull the center off the caliper and pull it out of the two holes in the metal pins.

2. Carefully pull out the bottom pin first. You can tap on it from the back to get it to come out a little bit and from there you can get it out with a screwdriver and pliers. These metal pins - again, the two long metal pieces running across both brake pads - also hold down a spring-loaded cross-shaped piece. When you pull the bottom pin out, this piece is gonna come flying out so be safe and pull the pin out slowly while keeping your face away from that area. It's just gonna fly out and hit the wheel well before landing on the floor.

3. Take out this cross-shaped piece along with the upper pin. Again I remind you - take some time to learn how everything goes together or refer to the picture above when putting everything back together. You do it in reverse. Now the pads will be free.

4. Next you have to push the pistons in the caliper all the way down so your new pads will fit. Have your hood open and watch the level of your brake fluid. Take the cap off. When you press a caliper piston in, the brake fluid will come up in the reservoir. Siphon some off if you see that it's gonna run over. An easy way is to use rolled up paper towels to soak up the fluid and pull it out (dispose properly please).

You will use the old brake pads to push the caliper pistons in. This car has two pistons for each pad on the front. I didn't have much success with a C-clamp but a flathead screwdriver worked perfect. You have to get it in between the rotor and brake pad and that will give you enough leverage to push both pistons down by pulling back on the screwdriver, using a prying motion to force the pad along with the piston down. It's okay to push off of the rotor with your screwdriver, don't worry. Use good force but know that the calipers move down slowly so if they're moving, maintain force. If your rotors and pads are both new, you need to make sure to push the calipers in all the way because there's little space. Also, just a tip, pry the brake pad in different locations so you're giving both pistons equal force to push them down, if that makes sense.

I'm trying to explain this in detail because I couldn't find a detailed explanation on the net.

5. You want to do one pad at a time so once you push the caliper pistons down on one side, take out the old pad and put the new one in the same way. Like I said, space will be limited - just enough to get it in so you will have to play with it. Once you get it between both calipers and the rotor, you can tap it with your pliers to get it in. Tap the top, then bottom, top, etc.

6. Do the same thing on the other side and get your pad in.

7. Now you need to put the springs and pins back together. If you are working on the passenger side, you also need to stick the sensor in that little hole. Start by putting the top pin all the way in.

Set the cross-shaped piece in place, one side going under the top pin. Press the bottom part of this spring piece to get it flush with the pads as you put in the bottom pin. The bottom pin will hold it in place.

The last thing you need to do is put the other spring back in the holes in the metal pins. The holes have to be lined up right - take note of the general direction when you're taking the spring out. You can pull the pins out a little and turn them with pliers to get it right.

Start from the top by inserting the spring in the hole in the top pin. If you're on the passenger side, put the sensor wire in aswell before you put the other end of the spring into the hole in the bottom pin. Then you simply push down and forward to get the center part locked in place behind the caliper.

8. You have to pump your brakes. Go ahead and inspect your work to make sure everything looks right. Important: Put the cap back on the brake fluid reservoir now. Get in the car and press the brake all the way down, let it go, press it all the way down again, let it go, and do this a few more times. The pedal will likely feel loose at first and stiffen as you pump the brakes. You're good to do the other side now so start from step 1 after you put the wheel back on.

Once you're done with the other side, take your car for a test drive. Again, don't forget to put the cap back on the reservoir before you pump your brakes. If the brakes stiffen up, everything should be fine but you still want to take a short drive to make sure everything is working properly.

I just did the pads on my car and the difference is huge. For some reason, the previous owner had changed the rotor out but not the pads so those were both new when I was done. Turns out the old pads had been rubbing on the rotor (I guess?) because my front tires spin freely now whereas before, it took some force. You can imagine it helped performance. I thought the car was smooth before... Now it's a freakin' cloud.

Onto the bonus! I want to tell you how to NOT maintain your car.

That window works, he just leaves it rain or shine. (Or shite)

Here's a Mustang GT worth probably $600. Would you want to buy it? It drives. But that's about it. I just moved - hence the lack of articles - and I thought this story would end up a lot different. This is my new roommate's car.

Initially I thought I would be able to write some tutorials on a Mustang GT but this guy wants no help. Oh well. I was checking his fluids and the coolant is a dense brown color. The water is completely saturated with rust. His ball joint or something (again, he doesn't want me to look) is messed up so his wheel wiggles left to right and the alignment is WAY off.

It made me realize how rugged Mustangs are. He starts it up by blowing into a device that measures his blood alcohol level and peels out. Meanwhile there's a misfire and who knows what else.

Here's a list of rules to follow if you don't want to TRASH your car.

1. Don't drive intoxicated. This is numero uno (that's Spanish for number one) because you would think it's obvious. Not to some people. This guy has already caught a DUI when someone T-boned him (he says it's their fault... sure buddy) so he has a blower in his car. It's a $3,000 device that makes you take a breathalyzer test before you can start the car. There's only one problem... It doesn't detect Xanax. I will say no more.

2. Don't drive with tires that are showing inch-wide wires. Or give your buddy some gas money at least one time in two weeks. Then he might drive you. Listen people, if you see wire coming out of your tire, it's overdue for a new tire. Don't complain if it pops.

3. Don't drive with a major issue even if it still runs. He couldn't explain to me what the actual problem is but he said he's missing four bolts and his front driver side tire wobbles left to right all day long. To go along with the tip above, if your buddy offers to fix it then maybe you should let him do that. If not then don't complain about driving your car that way.

Do I need to say this again? If you jacked his car up, you can move just one wheel side to side... It wobbles... Would you drive like that?

4. Check your fluids. His coolant is brown with rust and no, you can't see through it. No power steering fluid. Oil hasn't been changed. Dang, I could accept this from a 14 year old and that's it.

5. Maintain the damn thing! 200k miles with no spark plug change?

6. (Bonus) Don't trash it. It's not a trash can and I appreciate you not using my car as such aswell.

This is really sad because the car has potential and I wish I could mess with it but it put a bad taste in my mouth. Not driving it again. However, I definitely recommend this generation of Mustang! I think you can get a GT pretty cheap.

I feel like I wouldn't be doing justice to the car to leave this little bonus like this. Look, the Mustang GT is a great car but I wanted to show what happens when you don't fix things. When you buy things you shouldn't buy instead of fixing what you need. You can always get that other stuff later. Your car isn't just an awesome part of your life if you have the one you want but it's also your lifeline. You need it to get to work and survive so treat it good and it will treat you well.

Cars aren't hard to maintain. It just takes a little bit of time and sometimes things come up that are expensive but I wouldn't cut corners. Having a car that you know will start every time lowers your stress significantly.

Still Cheap: First Gen Toyota MR2

If you have ever wanted the first generation MR2 and want to get it for less than three grand, you need to do it now. This awesome mid-engine roadster is bound to go up in price soon as it has been sitting below three grand for a couple years now, at least in the US.

This is a very desirable sports car that is only going to appreciate in value. Lord knows that I looked for one before I bought my Saab 900 turbo and I probably should have kept looking.

The first gen MR2 isn't really fast in its stock, naturally aspirated version. It produces a whopping 112hp from the 4AGE motor sitting in the back. However it is a very balanced car (owing that to it's mid-engine design) that handles very well. Couple that with the fact that you can swap out the engine for some more powerful ones or get the supercharged one and you have a true enthusiast car. Some V6s even fit in the back and although that will definitely raise your investment, it's something you can always do in the future.

This roadster, the first generation being from 1984 to 1989, is fun to drive and reliable. And it's mid engine! Did I mention that? And it usually comes in red. Has anyone noticed that? Why is that? Did Toyota make 90% of their production vehicles red? I digress.

I should add that when I say this car is reliable, well it is, but it's also old so you will be better off if you have some skills as a mechanic. It's just a problem with old cars. Gaskets and other plastic and rubber components get dry-rot over that 20+ year period so the car might develop vacuum leaks, leaks in general, and sensors will start going out. It will mostly be small things which are cheap to repair if you do it yourself. Look for a car with the timing belt done if it's high mileage unless you don't mind changing it out yourself.

The simple truth is that this car is high on the list of desirable cars on pretty much any car enthusiast's list. It has a huge aftermarket, can be kept reliable or made a rocket, and right now it's cheap. It's mid-engine, something that is rare to see to this day in anything other than exotic cars. These are qualities that make the MR2 a fine automobile and are also starting to have an effect on the price. These cars will probably be selling for ten grand in good condition in less than ten years. I can pretty much guarantee you that.

The supercharged version sells for a little more but you can still find a high mileage example for a good price (under our $3,000 budget). Those come with a respectable 145hp considering the car weighs 2,200lbs. They also have more potential and some cars are making 300hp with some investment. In that package, that's a huge amount of power.

Because this is a car from the 80s, you should probably not buy this car if you don't know how to work on cars or are willing to learn like I mentioned before. You can take it to a mechanic every time something comes up but that's going to kill your money. If you are a GOOD mechanic, you can turn this car into a rocket.

That V6 I mentioned comes from the Toyota Camry if I'm not mistaken and makes something like 190hp stock. I'm going off of memory here so I might be wrong. There's one thing this car offers that is hard to come around - the relative ease of swapping different engines into it. Couple that with the mid-engine design and you have something with tons of potential.

I hope it is obvious by now why this car is already going up in price. If you have ever wanted to and are in the market for a sports car, you should definitely consider the first-gen Toyota MR2. It's not only a great car but right now it is an investment opportunity. Of course, you're not going to become rich from it but you should make a healthy six grand profit if you kept it for ten years. I pulled those figures out of my a** but to be honest, I really think this car will hit that price in that time period.

What's interesting is that you can almost get a second-gen MR2 with that money. Some are going for 3-4k. Will the first gen actually become more valuable? That would be interesting to see.

Dear readers, thank you for supporting Driving for Broke by reading the articles. We appreciate you very much, make no money from this, but we encourage you to bookmark this website and come back. We simply want to inspire and teach people what they are actually capable of when they put their minds to something positive like cars. Take it easy, this is Rokas signing off for now.

PS. I should be fixing my hood today and I think I found a way to change the hood hinge without removing the fender. How much time does that save?! I also have to rig a new latch until I fix the radiator support which I have already come up with and I will also be installing hood pins. In other news about my car, I am in the process of re-doing the floor in the back and I am extremely excited to show it to you guys along with a tutorial for both of these things I mentioned.

Temporary "hood latch." (One of two ideas for the latch I have to rig, not counting the hood pins which will be the main thing holding the hood down.)

Tutorial: ACV Delete to Stop Power Steering Leak

This is a very common problem on LS400s that can be confusing if you don't know what it is. You see, on startup in the morning your car will produce blue smoke possibly leading you to think that your engine is burning oil. It can also produce a rough idle and will even kill your alternator given enough time. If not fixed, the Air Control Valve that is a part of the power steering system will slowly leak fluid onto your alternator, eventually killing it.

Fortunately, it is pretty easy to fix although how the system works was definitely confusing to me when I first started working on cars (and this car). What the ACV actually is, is a hollow bolt-like piece with a plastic attachment containing two nozzles. It has a valve inside. It inevitably starts leaking eventually because of the high pressure. Two hoses connect to these nozzles. One goes from the intake to the ACV and the other goes from the ACV to a small intake port in the front of the engine at the top. I believe what this system does is raise your idle by about 200rpm if you turn the wheel idling. Honestly it's useless.

The SC400 and, I believe, a few Toyota trucks have the same power steering pump without an ACV. Instead, it's just plugged which is exactly what you need to do to permanently stop this problem. Everyone who I have talked to that replaced the ACV only had to plug it later when it failed again.

Above is a picture of the ACV next to an M14-1.50 drain bolt which is exactly what you can use to plug the hole the ACV goes into. Below is a picture of where it is on your vehicle taken from below. It is under the PS pump and above the alternator.

To add to your confusion, this picture is tilted to the right (I think). I have no idea how that happened and I do apologize but I guarantee you that you can find it. Look for the two hoses. You're going to take these off first leaving the ACV simply bolted into the block as in the picture above.

It comes off with a 17mm box wrench. The reason you need a wrench is because you have very little room to work with but just take it slow and you will be fine. Two things to keep in mind here. First, watch out for the metal refrigerant (?) lines in the area. You don't want to break one while turning the wrench.

Second, push the wrench on the bolt part of the ACV as far as you can before you untighten it. The reason I mention this is because I accidently stripped two edges by not doing so and if I wasn't able to find another angle for the wrench, I would have been SOL. You're going to need a lot of force to loosen it but you can do it with your hands. Find a good position (you have the car jacked up obviously) for leverage but I don't recommend pushing off of anything except maybe the sway bar.

When you take the ACV out, power steering fluid is gonna come leaking out so be ready. Cover the alternator with a plastic bag because it WILL get leaked on a little bit. I should have mentioned that you should have the cap off your pump.

Go ahead and take the ACV out. Remember, lefty loosie righty tighty. Now you have a couple options. Most people plug the ACV itself by breaking off the plastic parts, taking out the valve, and tapping a bolt into it. If you do this, leave a few millimeters of room in the hollow part on the side that is going back into the block. If possible, it's best to weld this but I'm 99% sure it will be fine if you put the bolt in along with something like JB Weld to completely liquid proof it. Most people take this route because the original part obviously fits. If you do this, I recommend getting an extra ACV from the junkyard as a precaution. I was lucky in that when I went to the yard, the car they had there had an already-plugged ACV. I was good to go. Here is what it looked like.

In this case, someone screwed a bolt into it - tapping it - and cut the head off. They left a little bit of room in the hole on the side going into the block. You can cut the round part off if you want it to look better but it serves no real purpose.

There is, however, an easier option. To be honest, I didn't need to go to the junkyard at all and it probably would've looked nicer BUT the original part is the original part. Anyway, the easier option is an M14x1.5 drain bolt like I mentioned before. I compared the two threads (you can see for yourself) and they are identical. The drain bolt is also short (whatever you use, don't tighten it so much that it goes in too deep - when it starts getting tight, tighten it and leave it) and comes with a rubber gasket.

Now you also have to plug the two intake holes that the hoses originally went to. You don't need the hoses anymore but it's always good to save parts unless they're bad.

The above picture shows the 'coming from' nozzle. Again I apologize because in this picture there is a hose on top of it, but what I did to plug it is simply use a hose that I cut and stuck a bolt into. The bolt screwed in so it worked perfect and I used the original clamp. If you can't see it, look below the 'L', there is a clamp holding an L-shaped piece of hose that is plugged with a bolt.

You can use whatever works.

Case in point - the 'going to' nozzle which has long ago been broken on my fine vehicle. Ignore the tape too - it's temporary for a couple-millimeter sized crack in the rubber. I plugged this hole in the intake with some sort of grooved plastic thing that had a smaller hole into which I stuck some metal thing. Like I said, plug these holes however you can because you don't need them anymore. Some like to screw a bolt into this part. It's plastic so it shouldn't break.

I recommend once you're done that you disconnect the negative battery terminal for ten seconds and put it back on before you start the car up. You want to reset your ECU so it reads the new way the air flows.

In my case, the change was huge. I noticed I had lost some power which came back after I did this procedure. In my case, the 'going to' hose wasn't connected to anything, creating a vacuum leak.

Another thing it did was mess up the idle and throw up a 0170 code. My check engine light went away after I plugged my ACV. My car also doesn't create a huge puff of smoke every time I start it in the morning meaning it's not sucking ATF into the engine. I don't think that will damage your engine but I prefer to keep that out of the engine. The leak stopped aswell and considering I was filling up the reservoir every TWO DAYS, I'm glad for it. And so is my new alternator. In short, delete your damn ACV system! Thanks for reading.