Delboy52

I spoke to several places about this and the anodised finish cannot be repaired, only stripped and redone. Sounds like yours can be dismantled so you could have the barrel stripped and re-anodisded.

It's well worth knowing this and having that .gov page printed out and with you incase you're faced with an ill-informed or arsey tester. Hence me stood over the MOT emission machine pointing at the buttons for the tester to press

Yep, mine is a V8 and they do go off whichever is oldest, chassis or engine. It was tested as if it were still a 2JZ-GE going off the VIN so you may have noticed that the MOT report says 2990cc. I did update my log book which has the 4.0 V8 specified along with the 1UZ engine code, new reg plate and colour change so am not trying to hide anything. The V5C was requested which was a new one on me. Was close to home so my wife kindly brought it over. MOTs are odd things as can be easy at one place and a total ass at another. I don't know how they could know if it came with CATS other than the year it's being tested by? Was there ever a domestic 2JZ-GE in Europe? If so it should have appeared on the drop down list if that was to include Euro models. There were more MKIII profiles (2) than MKIV (1) on the system they used at this Kwik Fit centre.

If the car is domestic to the UK it would be in the list and tested accordingly so yeah, if it had cats from manufacture it will be tested assuming they are there. I was stood next to the tester today as he went back into the test system and had one JZA80 to choose from. I pointed out that wasn't my car, and there was a manual data entry option he hadn't noticed previously. Once my year and VIN specified engine was entered the test was re-started from calibration outside of the car to holding the revs at 2500 and the sensor up the exhaust. I was looking at the machine which had "Non catalyst equipped check" written along the top whilst running the test, followed by the machine passing it. He didn't need to make the choice whether to let it through or not as the machine made the call itself. I've used several different MOT testers and found they themselves have their own level of tolerence. Previously I was told by the tester that as my car is pre 95 and has a non UK domestic engine on the VIN it can be put through a more forgiving emission test. Another occasion it was failed on the number plate being too small (Lexus dealership). I had to buy a UK front surfboard spec plate there and they then let it through. I didn't even have to fit the thing, and it went straight onto my garage shelf when I got home. I have the same smaller size plate as before and it wasn't questioned this time.

Happily my Supra got through the new regulation MOT today but it might not have done had I not been there to see it through the emission test. Initially it failed due to the tester selecting the only JZA80 Supra in his computers drop down list which happens to be the UK TT. That profile considers the cats to be in place. As mine is a 1993, and also has the GE engine on the vin plate it can be tested with the more lenient non cat profile and it breezed through that one. He was so impressed with the condition of the car he was prepared to let it through the emission test regardless Hurrah for another year!

After speaking with DavidP I realised that the aftermarket ECU that is on the cards for this should also include a more straight forward AC controller than what my Lexus OE ECU offers. To replicate all the signals with no electrotrickery I'd have to pretty much transplant in the LS400's remaining brains, veins and organs. Much simpler to wind the windows down for now until it's upgrade time again.

Does anyone have a running 1998+ LS400 VVTi with the aircon still working and willing for me and a friend to probe some AC signals out of it? Am trying to get my AC working again between the Supra AC amplifier and Lexus ECU but am missing the Lexus dash component that would send multiplex (MPX) signals to the ECU. I'd need to replicate these signal pulses with an Arduino in my car by recording the signal pulses under normal operation in the LS400.

Agreed! It's a very practical family car, I keep saying that to my wife I had to flat pack quite a few things, the boot is no Tardis like the Gen6 Celica I once had but if you pack smart it holds enough. Got about 320 miles on 3/4 tank load of 98 fuel. It looked so epic even just sat still. Knowing how much restoration work me and DavidP put in it was nice to sit back relaxed on the warm evening and admire it with a beer in one hand and the hint of BBQ in the air!

This weekend just gone was so dam hot I figured what better time to test out the Supra's road trip ability with a 3 hour run to Wales. Destination Bala lake, with the kids in the back and not much room for more but managed to flat pack enough camping and activity kit for the two days. Very nice scenic spot and a chance to try out some kayaks. The Supra got a lot of admiring attention. People stopping on their way to have a chat about the car and a look about it. The drive back in the mid afternoon heat was a roasting. So much heat coming up through the floor from the pedals to the arm storage. Enough for my iPhone to shut down from heat exhaustion. The Supra itself was cool as a cat according to the array of water and oil gauges for the gearbox and engine. I have no working AC, it's a helping hand away from getting the last wires to bridge Supra tech to Lexus. If anyone in the MK area can help with that I'd be very grateful Had one joker in a transit van hold a piece of paper to the passeneger window with "NO 2JZ?" written on it. Must've noticed the noises mine was making (or the sticker on the side) I signalled back that it didn't, to which I get the limp wrist responce Fine! Few seconds later he'd shrunk to a dot in my rear view mirror with the song of the V8. I've seen it on peoples faces at the shows I've been to this year when looking on from a little way back, no 2JZ in a Supra is not for everyone. It doesn't phase me at all, I love this car

Here are the fault codes for the AC climate control. http://www.jack-frost.co.uk/toyota_supra_air_con.html

Fitted mine today, very nice pieces. The struts are held much more securly and the brackets sit right where they should. Thanks for going to the trouble of having this lot made Mark!