rider

Thanks for the suggestions. The cooking option is probably a last resort and that temperature requires a high lead content solder to have a chance of being effective. Who knows what lead content solder Denso were using in the 90's? I've been trawling a few ECU repair videos and it is capacitors that are the usual failure point, followed by diodes. I can see I'm going to need to get up to some kind of speed on electronics to make sense of what does what. There is a video online of a repair on a LS400 ECU that dates from around the same time as Supra ECU's with many common components which is particularly useful as there were capacitors and an in series diode replaced to get the ECU functioning again. What I've learned so far is you cannot test a capacitor in circuit using a multi-meter so I've bought an ESR meter that can test capacitance in circuit, then referenced to the rating that is written on the side of the capacitor. Some bad things can go unseen with capacitors, legs can break below the capacitor due to slight acid leakage or the electrolyte dries out over time and that changes the components capacitance. An ESR meter will quickly (probably not so much in my hands) check the capacitance of a capacitor ruling it in or out as being OK or not. I'll leave peeling off the lower side cover until my ESR meter arrives. It's coming from China so that'll take a while.

I took the cover off from one of the ECU's today and it's a little disappointing. Everything looks factory fresh with no blown or leaking capacitors or any components that have visually suffered any heat damage. The board looks a minefield to work on with solder joints only 1mm wide. It'll take a pointed iron and steady hand to tackle a lot of the solder joints. With no leakage the only realistic hope for an 'easy' fix is a dry joint somewhere so I'll take off the underside cover and do some rudimentary resistance and continuity testing with a multi-meter. All the solder joints on the top side that are visible on the components all look shiny and in good condition.

I have two M/T trac ECU's that have a problem, one permanent on one intermittent but getting more permanent. So what to do, you can buy new old stock ECU's for well over a thousand pounds or they come up on trading sites (from wreckers and modders) for around the £400 now and again or I could have a look see under the hood? Or I could just leave it unplugged. I've decided to go delving probably for no reason other than it is something I've never attempted before so I've bought myself a few prying tools to use alongside my hot air gun (if I can find it) to get the glued casing apart. Then if I can see something clearly wrong with a failed component I, as a complete flux core ham, will attempt a repair. Basically, if I do manage a repair then probably anyone can facing the same problem that I encountered. So it should be fun or funny if nothing else. I'll post up pictures as I delve into the mysterious World of failed and failing ECU's so anyone who is remotely interested can witness the fun that I'll undoubtedly be having on and along the way. I'm in no particular hurry on this so it'll proceed and update as the urge grabs me. It did take me 5 years to de-tyre and refurb a set of OEM wheels so nothing can be taken for granted. But it only took me 2 years to refurb an OEM steering wheel. The trend tends to be once I do start then I tend to get stuck in.

Maybe someone with or with access to a 3D printer could replicate theirs for you?

I have this problem and plan, one day, to take the ECU covers off to see if there are any failed capacitors. Pending that day I have just disconnected the trac ECU which puts the light out. I have talked with tuners about having a new engine/trac ECU setup but they were all too busy to fit me in and the quotes started at £5k. Which makes disconnecting the cheap and no real issue option. PS - When I checked last year this ECU was still available as a 'new' part at £1,200 + freight + VAT + duty. But that is probably a 20 year old new ECU anyway.

1 year isn't really an investment term, it more a holding period with the property purchase being the actual investment. I'd go for a savings account (locked in for one year bonds attracting 4%) to ensure your money is still there in a years time. Anything else would be just a punt over a short time period, which may as well then go towards BTC. There is nothing else that you can reliably forecast today will yield more than 4%.

I've been buying majorly into gold and rear earth metal mining stocks and tobacco. Also been buying physical gold. Heading into a recession pundits always rate food, essential household products, phrama and utility stocks as the best insulated grouping to ride out a storm. All tech stock, that includes the likes of Tesla continue to take a beating. Other than that, 2 billet 2JZ blocks could work. Though who would risk running one of those up to 1000hp? If I was throwing £20k of my own money into an investment I'd go for a stock ISA if I didn't have one already; seeing its a £20k limit on that class of investment. Hargreaves Lansdown are the best online investment research portal I've used and I've used quite a few. You can fill your boots with funds, ISA's or equities there to your hearts content. But the Stock or Cash ISA is the most tax efficient means to invest that specific amount of money. Only bettered potentially by a private pension contribution where the government will add tax relief to the lump sum, it'd be locked up until you are 55 though and could be eligible for tax when drawn upon. It all comes down to what are the goals, short term, long term, growth, security etc. etc.

Word on the ground is stock up with non perishable foods. The WEF encouraged scourge of farmers in Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Sri Lanka added to Billy Goats becoming the largest land owner in the USA on his insect food drive there is going to be lower grain yields and falling meat production/processing starting to 'feed' into the system next year. Already some shelves are looking very well spaced out in the Supermarkets here.

You have to smile, 75% of recent posts over a fair number of days have been nothing related in any way to cars let alone Mk4 Supra's.

I'd go 16Gb RAM out of preference, its cheap enough and usually makes a World of difference.

On a PC or laptop I wouldn't consider anything under 8Mb RAM, the Amazon one has half that so will probably really struggle on Windows 11. Unless you are running a server or an office from home there isn't really any point having more than one machine. If you have a local PC specialist store, not your PC World kind but an actual specialist then they would be able to build a system to your requirements on motherboard spec, processor spec, video card, RAM and disc size and even if they have historic things like CD drives. I always spend high on PC's or laptops so they are good for around 6 to 8 years and remain fast enough. Start slow and they only end up really slow. So the last PC I bought was 3 years ago and cost over £2k but its still lightening fast. Of course, after the PC purchase you then need to think about adding software and more and more these are going to monthly subscription and away from single or multiple licence products.

It might not have enough zero's on the display.

If you have an upgrade disc or downloaded an upgrade file it should do it all automatically. Just don't get a power cut part way through the upgrade which could take half an hour if you have, as you likely have, an older PC. You might find that some programmes no longer work after an upgrade in which instance there is a compatibility option under the programme command file to set the compatibility to an earlier operating system. That doesn't always work though. The will be plenty of Tube videos online to walk you through any problem solving pathways.

I'd assume you need to go from the OEM tyre/wheel rim size combo. When I had my chassis tune the tuner brought up the car specs and then went around measuring the gap. All on mine were 15mm on non OEM tyre/rim combination so no shimming was required on the non adjustable coil overs. But, you ideally aim to keep the tyre profile in line with the rim size anyway, otherwise the speedometer reading will be affected so any alteration should only be a low few % at most and a low few percent on 15mm doesn't make a lot of difference.

If you phone up Lexus customer helpline people they should be able to give you the arch clearance. On the Supra I was told it's a 25mm gap for stock suspension and 15mm for the optional Bilstein setup. Same clearance on all four arches.

I've sprayed large sections of cars for a £100 in paint and thinners and one I did over 7 years ago still looks I'm really happy with that, good. So £1k for some flies and translucent paint is by any standard a pretty poor effort. I'd suggest its either a do it yourself with a stash of rattle cans or pay for a proper job which is going to cost. I'm kind of in between; OK sprayer with guns, a decent high volume compressor and a large indoor area.

I wasn't thinking. Volumes listed here instead. With autos its always hard to say what volume as it tends to be related to how far its been broken down from just the sump oil to include the oil cooler and general pipework to what is held in the converter. The best I've ever managed in an auto oil change is 70% and the lowest is well under half of the system fill. On an auto oil change I always measure the volume that comes out and then its always roughly the same goes back in if the gearbox wasn't running low to start with. The last ZF box I did a few weeks back was 4.5l out and 4.6l in on a system that holds nearly 8l. https://at-manuals.com/manuals/toyota-automatic-transmission-fluid-type-capacity-instruction/

http://www.globotrip.ch/Benzin/Toyota_files/Manual-W58.pdf Specs say 2.7l capacity.

I have a set of turbos that were sold to me as off a twin to single conversion low miler (aren't they always?). Sold as a 36k mile set, £275 collected or arrange your own courier pickup. PM if interested.

Have you tried to or thought of re-oiling your existing clutch? Toyota sell silicone oil for just this task. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLkafSZHMp8

Latest set at auction sold $2,200 no tyres.

I went over to the NEC this year on the closing day and was surprised, and a little saddened over how many of the exhibitors now have their cars roped off to the public. It was mainly the Ford owners who seem to have got a bit precious about their vehicles. On the roped off Capri stand there was a gazebo at the back of the stand with all the exhibitors sat around chatting with each other and I was wondering what is the point. As a former owner of 4 Capri's that was a bit disappointing. A particular car favourite of mine since I was a boy is the e-type jag and there were a ton of those on display this year (probably more than any other car) and I made a few useful contacts in my hunt for a Mk1 Roadster. For anyone looking for a specialist, or expensive non Supra old classic then events like the Classic Car show is a great place to make contacts with those who know the marque down to specific bolt detail. I didn't know until this weekend that there are Mk1 e-type replicas around which are valued at a third of the real thing. Shows how valuable getting close to those in the know can be to stop you making any silly and expensive mistakes. The Supra stand looked really good as ever and the crew were there chatting to the public with the cars accessible to walk around. It did look a little cramped with the gap between cars quite narrow so hopefully they all got through the three days unscathed. It's a well done to IanIan and JakJak (so good we named them both twice) for all the time and effort that goes into organising, setting up and tearing down the Mk4 Supra stand. I had a wonderful daddy daughter day out and about the NEC, its the first time I've paid to go in for years and years. Note to self, I should probably try to go more often.

I just checked a spare facelift frame I have and the sensor lead does have metal clamps, seems it was just the rears that went to plastic. Shouldn't be hard to scan and print plastic clips to copy the original metal ones though. Just modify the bolt holes to snap clips or have plastic screw holes with plastic screws.

The brackets being snap plastic clips shouldn't be that hard to 3D scan/print?

A MBA value to you probably depends on you age, prior experience and how much kudos your actual or potential employer assigns to a MBA. I did the first year of a MBA course at Henley when I worked for a major International oil company that sponsored the costs; as they valued the MBA title in career progression. To be honest, I didn't learn a thing in that first year that I wasn't already applying as I was heading up a new business sector group. I never went any further than the first year as I got head hunted by a US company that wanted me and didn't care a dot about what qualifications I had already or could work towards. They certainly wouldn't have been interested in funding years 2 and 3 of an expensive MBA course and I wasn't either. I went on to head up small multi National companies, without ever needing to finish the MBA course. I found the course work really boring but that was probably mostly because it wasn't teaching me anything I hadn't already experienced and applied in real business life. So, you rarely want to do a MBA for yourself as you can teach yourself business, if you have a business brain, should you be setting up on your own. It only has value if your employer, actual or prospective sees it as adding value. In which case, make sure you get them to pay for it because it is an expensive course. From those I know who did go on to complete an MBA the only observation I made is that it didn't make them any cleverer. I always found in my time as a boss in other peoples and my own businesses the most important thing is being able to form a strategy and have a plan how to implement it. A MBA doesn't invoke strategic thinking. But, the main factor to any business is how you manage and interact with those who work for you. A MBA doesn't teach you that either.