Builds 2001 LX470 build LEGUSY

[Odyseuss]

I have accumulated an abundance of pin striping scratches along the fine painted surface. Some might call this mountain pin striping, and I got thinking some crazy ideas so I took a quick moment to print up some mountain pin striping on the vinyl cutter and try it on for size. I've thought about doing something along the lines of a horizon silhouette for trees, plateaus, or maybe just mountains. For now this is as far as I got with it. Its easy enough to remove and it seems to be holding up fine so far, but eventually it might get damaged by more pin striping. anyway its there for now.

 

[Odyseuss]

The batteries did not seem to be holding a charge or rather holding up to a draw like they used to, as they are getting older. I took the opportunity to replace them with 2 of the same type (lead acid) instead of having one deep cycle AGM (Optima). This was a bit more affordable and hopefully they work better together as I often leave them connected together. the 27F is the main and a 34 is the Aux.

While I was in there, I replaced the fuse box lid gasket that had deteriorated. I had seen this done here on mud, but I cant remember who to give the credit too. I bought the 3/32 silicone cord with my last purchase from Mcmaster carr #1177N15

 

[Odyseuss]

The leather seat covers have been showing some wear and I have anticipated replacing them, though I have also been thinking about adding seat ventilation to the front seats for some time. I ordered the Lseat covers with the optional perforated center sections and low and behold, they arrived amid the pandemic. Eventually I got the motivation to install them and do some R&D on the seat ventilation system. To be honest, the ventilation is still a bit of a work in progress, though I have roughly a thousand miles of on and off road travel with it and I am pretty close to dialing in the desired end result. I have some catching up to do on this thread and I want to try not to fall to far behind, so I'll share what I have to this point and add the last changes or updates later.

I did some research on the kits that were available as well as the complete systems in many vehicles these days. I really like the idea and comfort of seat ventilation, though its a fine line between the added sophistication and the many compromises or sacrifices to achieve a desirable result. I consulted professional upholsterers that basically told me not to try and in the regard to time spent maybe I should have averted this rabbit hole, but I digress that I seem to search and learn from these challenges. I don't know that I can accurately explain the complications involved, though I did expect to navigate some challenges with multiple attempts and some compromises.

Most manufactured seats with ventilation systems seem to be engineered to accommodate the airflow and minimize the sacrifice of comforts such as vibration, noise, padding, and efficiency of other systems like the heaters, seat positioning and various sensors. One major challenge I had was navigating those sacrifices in order to ventilate a seat that wasn't designed with that in mind. I had thought about swapping in a different seat and though that seems like a good option, I dont have a particular problem with the LC seats and wasn't looking to trade one set of issues for another set in finding and making another seat fit properly. I also wasn't completely satisfied with the airflow from most factory seats so I wanted more airflow and I expected a bit more sacrifice. Now this is getting a bit long winded so I'll focus on what I did rather than did not do, but feel free to share a better solution if you have one.

I found a seat ventilation cover that worked quite well,
Zone Tech Cooling Car Seat Cushion

Its available from various places so rather than a link, you can search for that description and find the best deal. I didn't like the lack of comfort with the cover moving around, but I thought if I could get similar performance built into the seat then that would be nice.

I decided to remove the seat bottom heating elements and focus on ventilation from the bottom cushion and heat with some ventilation from the back cushion. I dont really care for heat on the bottom and really want the heat on my lower back. The OE bottom heater elements were toast, so that was an easy decision. I used dorman 628-040 seat heater kit for the new back elements and wiring harness. I used the factory switch to power the ventilation since it shows flow from the bottom and the seat heater kit included everything for the heaters. I really didn't want the seat heater to impede airflow.

I cut the center section out of the new cushion and trimmed it to fit over the old seat cushion this allows for air to travel through the seat.

I cut a hole in the center of the seat where there is already a hog ring mount and modified the fan with some molded thermoplastic kydex and a PVC elbow to direct air into the seat bottom.

This setup provides significant airflow and comfort with low vibration and noise.

 

[Odyseuss]

I installed 2 case fans in the seat back with more of the cushion mesh at the top. there is a hole in front of each fan like in the bottom. I can feel a lot of air circulate in the seatback, but not as much air comes though as does in the bottom. I could add some airflow through the seat back to help supply the air flow though it.

The padding at the top of the seat is a bit much, I generally prefer more padding in the lower seat back, so I might try without the cushion mesh at the top of the seat back. The case fans are a tight fit and they clear fine sitting in the seat though I can press hard into the seat back and get the fans to rub. I will likely adjust the placement of these eventually.

I used the included switch to give even more options for fans speed and selection.

I mounted the seat heather switches off to the side cause there is a reinforcement in the back of the panel that I did not want to cut, and it leaves more room for something else in the future.

Overall, I think this setup performs great with good comfort and impressive airflow through the seat bottom. The new covers fit well too and its nice to get the old cracked and worn covers swapped out.

 

[neilsen100]

What was your experience with installing the L-Seat leather yourself? I have a set from them but have never done any upholstery work so any advise is appreciated. Special tools needed?

 

[Odyseuss]

What was your experience with installing the L-Seat leather yourself? I have a set from them but have never done any upholstery work so any advise is appreciated. Special tools needed?

It was pretty straight forward as far as I could tell. The covers seemed to be the same for each side and I needed to cut the holes for the lower cushion mounting bolts, headrest posts and the armrests. I installed the seat covers first and checked the placement of the holes lining them up with an awl, then I used a grommet punch or razor to cut the covers. I used the old covers as templates for the armrest cutouts. You will need hog rings and hog ring pliers. I used some good sidecuts to reach in and clip the old hog rings. Another tip would be to keep track of which wire mounting rods go where cause they are not all the same length. I took them out of the old covers and placed them directly in the new covers so I could keep them in the right placement..

 

[neilsen100]

Thank you, super helpful. Didn't know about hog rings and pliers for them

 

[Odyseuss]

We made a Journey out through the center of Utah on a trail run that I organized for Wasatch Cruisers. It ended up being a small group as several people couldn't make it, but we tried to make up for that by covering a lot of ground. Here is a version of my trip report for that drive. My family of 4 packed into a 100 series and a new friend in his 80. We traveled out to Levan and up Chicken creek with camp set up for the evening before the sun fell below the mountains. Stories were told, we scoped out the wild turkeys, and danced and played with the kids. As the evening wore on we settled in for a calm night.

The next day we continued through the San Pitch mountains of rock conglomerate and leaves of so many colors. We detoured our way through Ephraim and up the canyon to Skyline drive. After navigating the herd of sheep and amazing vistas, we stopped for lunch at the Grove of aspen Giants. Called Pando, after the Latin meaning "I spread", this 100 acres of trees are said to be connected by the roots making them one of the heaviest, largest and oldest living things. We continued through the maze of great western trails south to I-70 and beyond on the scenic drive through the Manti- La Sal NF. Later in the day we reached FishLake NF and the many reservoirs and lakes in the area. We explored several points of view and found the high altitudes to be charged with a strong cool wind that we desired protection from. In search of camp, we almost passed the perfect spot. The sign that advised 4WD was a good indicator that we were in the right direction. The space was nice and secluded and protected from the wind with the sound of flowing water to keep us company. We really enjoyed spending time in this site and we were again settled with time to share.

After a cold though very starry night (since we didn't have a campfire due to the fire restrictions) the frost was chased away by the fast rising sun and we were soon moving on. We traveled past the thousand lake mountains and many other spectacular scenes of amazing landscape. Rolling and bouncing along we descended into Capitol reef National Park and on through Cathedral Valley. We stopped at the sinkhole, the Gypsum pile, and had lunch near the Temples of the sun and the moon. Our durable vehicles powered on though the soft sandy and rugged tracks past the colored bentonite hills. Once we reached pavement, it was a quick charge of air and a fill of fuel in Hanksville before making the long push home.

 

[Odyseuss]

A few more pictures. It was nice to see all the colorful leaves in full effect. The views of far off were occluded by the wildfire smoke. We were very respectful of the road conditions and used 4WD full time.

 

[Odyseuss]

I got around to one of the easier mods that I really appreciate when I was able to remove the darn kids carseat. My yongest child no longer needs that big contraption all strapped and tethered in. It was so bulky and now I can easily fold the second row for better access. This may seem like a small thing, but I've been waiting years to get that gone.

We took another trip down to comb wash to explore. We went down to spend time with good friends and family and we had a ton of fun.
@Moody showed us around and the scenic tour started with a nice view from the Ridge.

We did some hiking which my family will often revolt against, but in this rare case they were intrigued. The things we found were impressive and a bit spooky.

Then we drove out onto the mesa for another spectacular view.

 

[Odyseuss]

We found a cool trail up the end of the wash back to the top of the ridge. Further up the track, we spotted an old car hanging of the edge of a cliff half way down the other side of the canyon.

When we loaded up for the scenic route to return home we were once again packed in.

This old Trasharoo has served me well, but its faded and the the zipper is sticking and the fabric is starting to fail so its time to be replaced.

On our way out, we passed a Tacoma owner that had just encountered an animal strike and damaged the drivers front of the vehicle. We were able to help them remove the dangling bits and fasten the other stuff back in place. They were still drivable and able to continue their trip. What a tough truck and situation that could have been much worse.

 

[ElHefe]

Just finished this incredible thread. Took a few days. Great work; great photos.

 

[Exiled]

Agreed, AWESOME pictures and a 100 series in its natural habitat! I'm jealous!!!

 

[Odyseuss]

Its great to hear that you are enjoying this build and use thread. Thanks for the encouragement, I'll keep it coming.

After securing another Trasharoo, we joined Wasatch Cruisers for a trail run up the Miller Hill trail in American Fork Canyon. This trail had been adopted by a local group Expedition Utah and we have done some maintenance work up here in the past to support that effort. We went up there again to check on the trail and take care of some last maintenance of the season as the weather held and then recently snowed. These elevations will only be accessible for a short time as the seasons change and it was a great opportunity get up there while we still can.

 

[iwantoffroad]

great build keep it up. I enjoy all the pictures of the adventures

 

[Odyseuss]

Fall cleaning and winterizing.

It was time for a rigorous cleaning as I did a thorough spray down of the exterior and under and in all the hard to reach places that I could get to. Then I gave it a good wash and a vacuum. I use a wax as U dry product almost every time I wash to try and add some protectant. I don't take the time to buff and wax the rig properly. Rarely, I will have a go at it with the clay bar and wax it though I'm more often collecting scratches. Im not so worried about the minor surface issues, though I try to keep the rust at bay. I have been pretty lucky so far, though I dont go looking for a can of rusty worms poking at every corner hidden under the plastic cladding. Sometimes I wonder if the Lexus cladding works better to protect or worse to trap contaminants and moisture.

I understand the threat of rust is a real vehicle killer and not easily dealt with, so prevention is my pound of cure. I got the rig on the lift so I could give it a good once over and zero in on any potential offenders. There were a couple places on the slider outriggers and the body just in front of the rear wheel wells that had some minor surface rust.

Of course the rear links and the sliders themselves as well as some places on the bumper had been scraped bare and showed some rust as well. I hit most of these areas with a wire wheel and quickly reached bare metal. Then I applied some primer and more paint.

Next, I went through with a coat of Fluid Film in many of the exposed areas. I had found an adapter that would apply the film through areas of the frame and the body. I'd love to recommend this product if it worked well, though it plugged up in short order and after clearing it with brake clean and compressed air it pulled again, so I will instead caution that its likely more work than its worth and the straw seems most effective.

In this picture you can see how I intended to use the application extension. The far left of this cross member had some rust and is a common occurrence from some of the 100s that I have seen, as well as the front sway bar mount bolts. The black flaking off of the underside of the body is a bedliner spray that I used some time ago. I didn't properly prep the surface and it has been flaking off, but the area under it is still in decent shape and the coating hasn't caused any harm.

I balanced a coat of Fluid film in some areas with WD-40 in others where I dont want dust to accumulate and would rather have a lubricant that washes off a bit easier. I also lubed several pivots like the e-brake bell cranks. ( a good area to hit with some lube, that can save trouble with a part that commonly seizes on neglected vehicles.)

I am not so concerned about build up with film cause I wash rinse repeat with this vehicle enough that eventually it will probably be removed. Going on 20 years in Utah with the salty roads and dirty muddy offroad on a frequent basis is a battle for this undercarriage though it is hanging in there well.

 

[Odyseuss]

Fuel injector cleaning and filter replacement

The service interval for another fuel filter had arrived and I also wanted to do an on car cleaning of the fuel injectors, so I used a non dismantle fuel injector cleaning kit to get it done. At 180K miles, there is a good chance that some deposits could build up in the fuel system and though I am not having any issues, It seems like this could be a good opportunity to clean the system a bit more and help maintain a good flow volume and spray pattern from the injectors. I think this process is more effective than just adding an additive to the fuel tank, as it causes the vehicle to run directly from a pressurized concentrated cleaner. In my opinion this is more like a fuel injector flush, but yet it is much easier than actually sending the fuel injectors out for a thorough cleaning, flow testing, and balancing. Removal of the fuel injectors is quite a bit more complicated and then there are several gaskets and o rings that need to be replaced as well as the cost and turn around time to have them serviced. So I decided to remove the fuel filter and attach the new filter to the kit and flush through that into the fuel rail, then install that filter. I don't like the idea of bypassing a the filter.

I've used this kit before with good results. I guess the amazon link didn't work, so I'll paste the product title below, and that should help locate it. I have gotten the cleaners on amazon too.

Wisamic Automotive Non-dismantle Fuel Injector Cleaner Kit and Tester with Case for Petrol EFI Throttle Petrol Cars, 750ML Tank, 145PSI


I started out by getting out the kit and my fuel pressure tester just in case. I also keep spare clips like the ones used on the filter and at the pump. These things are cheap and small, and a little part like this could be a quick fix or a big pain if it failed, esp. in a remote place. In fact, my old filter clip was probably OE, so I swapped it for the new spare. I like having new stuff on the vehicle, and don't mind used spares. I removed the fuel cap to relieve any pressure before getting into the fuel system, then I got the old filter out of the way.

So, with the old filter removed I want to run the truck off of this pressurized canister, at about 45psi works great. I don't want fuel returning to the tank, so I clamped off the return and I needed to disable the pump. I checked real quick for a fuse that went directly to the pump by checking the EWD.

It looks like power is supplied through the Fuel Pump Control ECU, So I decided to disconnect F13 the fuel pump/sender itself. This is how I have done it in the past on other vehicles as well. So a quick look to confirm the location of F13 shows it on the drivers side just in front of the second row. 3rd from the bottom left.

I removed the seat and pulled up the carpet, and sure enough the access panel was there. This allows access to the pump through the vehicle with the tank installed. No need to remove the tank, and the fuel pump and sender can be changed through here as well. Though its a tight fit, I could get a stubby screwdriver under the carpet with just the drivers side bench removed, which works great in this case. However, if I needed more access, I'd remove the drivers side seat too.

Sure enough though, despite all my recent cleaning. it was like the tombs of Egypt in there.

 

[Odyseuss]

After some generous spraying of water then air, it was looking a lot better and I disconnected the Gray F13 connector.

Then I connected the kit to the new fuel filter and filled the canister with cleaner and then connected that to the flexible fuel line.

Here are 2 of the cleaners I have used. The Berryman kit comes with more chemical, but the OTC product is a bit more user friendly packaging.

My hood struts work fine, but I don't like to trust them when I'm working under the hood. Even more so, when I secured added weight to the hood and then run the vehicle. Notice the clamp used to keep the hood support locked just in case.

Air supply connected the regulator can be adjusted and then the valve can be opened to supply cleaner under pressure. A quick check for leaks and then I ran the vehicle until the cleaner was consumed. It runs rough at the end as it runs out of fuel and dies. Then turn off the ignition, disconnected the air pressure, closed the valve from the cylinder, vented any remaining pressure and confirmed that it was empty, removed the kit and finished the fuel filter install.

On first test drive, I noticed a big difference in throttle response and power. I instantly thought, no way, that has got to be the remaining cleaner working through the system. Then the performance became more realistic and I started to imagine a whole tank of the cleaner. I have no quantitative measurement for the performance difference, and I'm not going to try and say do this cause it gives you more power or boast any results. This 100 still runs great, and your results may vary.

 

[Odyseuss]

Made a recent trip up to a cabin to relax and do some hiking and check on some equipment. Its rare that we can make it up there around 9000ft this late in the season. It was nice to watch the snow settle in.

By the time we were ready to leave, the snow was quickly trying to camouflage Legusy. After a thorough dig out and air down we were able to drive out without any issues. The visibility was the hardest part with the low light and snow flying everywhere, It was a bit tricky seeing the track and staying on it. We were likely the last 4x4 down from that elevation for the season. As the snow continues to fall, it will be snow machines and ski lift access from here on out.

 

[Odyseuss]

Thanks for the likes.

I posted earlier in this thread about the use of a Jetboil and the adapter to support larger cook wear than just the flash boil container that came with it, as well as its potential use under something such as the Front Runner Braai grill that I use. I use the Jetboil as my main stove for aboard this vehicle and it stays onboard. It packs well, and is very efficient at heating water, which can provide a lot of versatility while traveling or camping as its reliable for coffee and other hot drinks as well as numerous less complicated warm meals. As much as I like to cook more complex meals at camp and on the go, the simplicity and time savings usually wins out especially since I often travel with young ones that will only eat a variety of simple offerings.

I figure, that I should report on another accessory that I recently tried out. I picked up an adapter that will allow stoves like the jetboil that typically run on isobutane, isobutane/propane mix to run on Propane specifically. One major benefit to this option is the awesomeness of Propane. You probably know what I mean, but its relatively cheap, very efficient, available, versatile and that it can operate at extremely low temperatures. I often use a propane BBQ grill or heater, so its nice to have other options that use the same fuel. However I wanted to compare the efficiency of the two main canister fuels to see which was more effective overall and If I could justify running propane alone for the stove.

I found that though this stove will run on propane, the flame is much more unstable and the flame height is taller. If I crank the valve all the way open the flame will go out, so I used the highest stable flame I could sustain. I did a quick test using 2 full canisters to boil 2 cups of water and I weighed the canisters before and after to measure the amount of fuel consumed. In this case, I found that the propane took 3:30 to reach a clear boil and Isobutane/propane mix took 3:10. The stove consumed 10 grams of Propane while it only used 6 grams of Isobutane/propane mix. As such I determined that the propane is less efficient in this situation and its worth it for me to stick with the Isobutane/propane mix though its great to have the option to use propane. I also tried other camping stoves on both fuels. I have noticed that in some cases the propane canisters can leak and though I have found caps to help control this, the adapters seem to work for this purpose as well.