what a drag i just changed all my plugs and my car is still pinging bad,but i just heard that i should have changed my boots "coils "also..another 2 hours labor I hope that stops the pinging :shades:
Yeah my man, that's exactly what you need to do. Those new plugs will have no impact to improve perfomance with worn coils. I suggest you purchase coils for you car off Ebay unless you an even cheaper resource. Replace the coils and all will be well.
I wouldn't go buy coils right away. The V-8 valve cover gaskets are defective from the factory (mostly). After some mileage, they seep oil into the spark plug wells, oil begins to pool up, the spark from the coil shorts to the pool of oil from the boot spring rather than to the spark plug. Basically, the spark is grounded out so, the electrode on the plug never does spark.
The fix is a new complete valve cover gasket "set". This will include the round gaskets that fail around/beneath the spark plug wells. Once this is done, the spark plug well is cleaned free of residue, the boots are cleaned free of residue and silicone sprayed, you shouldn't have a miss-fire.
If you refer to "knocking" as your miss-fire issue, then you will be good to go. If you actually have a pre-ignition "Knock" or "Ping" situation, that's something all different.
BTW, while you have the valve covers off (on the V-8 only), you should check the secondary cam chain and the chain tensioner condition. Mostly, the tensioner as they are plastic on metal and the plastic cracks over time then, fails and the chain will skip a cog on the sprocket and likely the piston will hit a valve. Once this takes place, the repair bill will be huge.
The primary timing chain tensioner is buried within the front engine assembly and it is weak too. Best to replace those too however, it's costly labor charges just to get to them.
BTW, coils come with the boot and spring as an assembly from Ford. I don't know if that's the case with non-Ford parts.
"cdn", you're right, this discussion site is way off the radar now.....this is the first time I've looked in here in close to a year. It's amazing how things changed from the early days of late '99-early'00, when there were 60-70 postings per day.
I know that Lincoln stopped production 5 years ago, after a 6 year run, so there are potentially more cars out there to see, but lately I've been seeing LSs all over the place, whereas when they were still "new cars", I hardly saw any. I think that I even saw my former LS on the road a couple of weeks ago.
But, as we all know, time marches on. On one hand, I'm kind of sorry that I didn't try a little harder to find a deal on an '06 LS, and traded off my '00. But on the other hand, it would have meant that I would have had a 6 year newer "orphan"....
Don't know what possessed me but stopped by here for first time in 8 or 9 years. Been so long I'd forgotten about it. Went back and read some of the old posts way back when. Brought back memories of site and car. Traded my '00 LS8 in long, long time ago. But still have an original '00 LS V6 in family. My 79-yr-old mother. She bought it 9/4/1999. I picked it out for her and negotiated the deal. One of the early ones. Built May 1999. Now only has about 85,000 miles. Hasn't been troublefree, but nothing major. Has been a great car! Heated seats gave out and were replaced a couple times and then didn't fix again after warranty expired. Everything else works nicely. Two keys to longevity. She has always garaged it. And she follows my maintenance recommendation (e.g., change tranny & diff fluid every 30K, brake fluid every 3 years, etc.). Lincoln hardly recommends any real maintenance and their service people are always wondering why she is replacing things when they just want to "inspect". I say cars are expensive, fluids, belts, and hoses are not!
Is amazing to still see some of the "original" posters still on here after all these years! I can remember the days when things got hot and heavy and the postings were fast and furious. And I remember Pat! Brings back memories that seem like yesterday. Too bad Lincoln killed off the LS and didn't give her a decent replacement. Guess "genetically" she lives on thru Jaguar, which left the old Ford stable? Always had a warm spot knowing the LS and the Jag S-type were siblings!
Remember one old issue here I ended up being 100% right about. Been a Ford stockholder since the then dark days of 1981. Forget the year in the early 00's, but about 9 or 10 years ago Ford was sitting on a huge pile of cash. So they decided to return something like $6 or $9 billion back to shareholders in lieu of investing in new product. Huge mistake! Bet they wish they hadn't wasted that cash. What happened afterwards? They stop paying dividends. Share price tanks. They essentially mortgage the entire company for about $24 billion. They are forced to sell Jaguar, Volvo, Aston, etc. to save development funds and raise needed cash, and they have to kill Mercury as part of saving the company. Even last of Mazda has to go just to keep Ford and Lincoln around. If only...
I live in the snow belt, and drove the LS through 9 winters. All it takes is a good set (4) of snow tires...
That's probably why I'm still not driving that LS. While it had only 60,000 miles on it, and it was still running well, I was starting to see rust in the rear quarter panels, right over the wheel wells. Once it creeps in, it's all over....
It is kind of interesting to remember the old days of the LS, and shocking to think of how much time has passed, since we were all giddy over the introduction of it, and then the purchase of one.
My wife and I were doing some painting last summer, and had to remove some items from our china cabinet, prior to moving it. As we were taking things out, there was the box with the LS champaigne flutes, still safely packed away. That was a classy touch! And then I sometimes go in the basement, to check something out in my "library", and there are the factory shop manuals that I bought for the car...still there.
Know exactly what you mean! I moved last year and while packing found all my old LS material. Swear I clipped out every article on the LS from about 1999-2002. have a file folder filled with stuff from MT, C&D, R&T, etc. Plus Lincoln dealer material. My old LLSOC hat. And I had my flutes as well as mom's; she'd given me her's years ago. As for time shock, went thru divorce, my two kids grew up (one in college, other in Navy about to go to Sicily), moved, dad died, semi-retired, etc. Time has reminded me that people are more important than things, but boy did I love my green LS8! She had the early full rear headrests and full-size spare with alloy wheel. I enjoy driving mom's LS6. I'm glad mom has kept her's. Cop down the street wants to buy it from her. Told him he can only have it if/when she goes into a nursing home. Likely will be her last car. (Think her first new car was a '56 Ford. After she graduated from college. Her dad offered to buy her a T-bird, but she was too practical. No wonder she kept every new car she ever had for at least a decade.)
It appears The Australian Ford Falcon is the logical RWD base for the future. Also in Ausie trim there are lots of engine options and and hi-po versions on the drawing board. But is there any soul left at Lincoln? The LS players have been re-purposed. It needs to be a viable alternative to and Audi, Lexus, BMW, Benz etc... Not just bling but the real thing.
Take the old LS and look at the god and the bad. I like the new CTS-V coupe but I Don't like having to have 550 hp! Give me 300~350 and all the neat Recaros and all the luxo cool Lincoln comforts. Offer lots of options and engine packages...even a hybrid and clean diesel. If Lincoln is to succeed they have to come out with the guns a blazin'!
There are rumors of GRWD for the mustang and Lincoln, so there's hope.
Lincoln just hired a large team of folks to help relaunch the brand (around 85 people IIRC) and about half of them came from other luxury brands like Audi, MB, etc.
People who have seen the new MKZ say it looks like an Aston Martin. The LS was a one-trick pony with a faulty business case and a non-supportive corporate structure. It appears Ford is serious about resurrecting Lincoln and they're doing it the right way from the ground up starting with the dealers and the dealer experience.
BTW - Ford wasn't forced to sell Jag/LR/Volvo/AM to raise funds. Ford sold them to focus all their efforts (and capital) on the Ford brand. It worked. I expect the same success for Lincoln but you'll have to wait a year or two to see the results.
You are absolutely right that Lincoln needs to work hard on improving their dealers and dealer experience. Mom's local Ford-Lincoln dealer is in a pretty new location with a new building, but the experience is all down-market Ford not up-market Lincoln. Unlike when I take my Lexus in for service, I hate taking her Lincoln in. Feel like cattle in a dreary, cramped barn.
Only time will tell what Ford can make of Lincoln and if they can come up with another car like the LS. The LS was that special Lincoln, like the 1980s Mark VII, that had people taking notice, even if for only a too brief period of time.
Too bad Ford's management let the wheels fall off the company. Ford was heavily in debt in 2009 and lost about $14.5 billion in 2008. They'd lost money in 2006 & 2007. As President and CEO Mulally stated in the 2009 annual report (eating a lot of humbe pie), "Our intense focus on improving our cost structure and strengthening our balance sheet will continue going forward. Among other actionss, we anticipate completing the sale of Volvo Cars to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd in the second quarter of 2010." And as he points out, part 3 of his 4 point plan is "Finance our plan and improve our balance sheet." Jaguar, LR, AM, etc. had been offloaded earlier when Ford's financial times were even more dire. They and Volvo were sold to raise money to clean up Ford's financial mess and keep the company solvent. Today Ford is still aggressively attempting to reduce debt and save on high interest payment costs due to borrowing in the recent dark years. Unlike Ford, GM and Chrysler used bankruptcy to clean up their debts and reduce interest payments.
Right now Lincoln just doesn't have any cars that are really exciting. Lincoln has fallen way behind Cadillac in the "wow" factor and Lincoln doesn't really seem to be competing with BMW, MB, Audi, Lexus, or Infiniti. Unfortunately, Lincoln, unlike Jaguar, LR, or Volvo, is not a viable worldwide brand, focusing mainly on USA and Canada. Would take a massive long-term expenditure to make Lincoln competitive in Europe or China.
g2iowa, seeing your posts after all these years is like going to a family reunion and seeing the long lost Uncle that everyone had nearly forgotten about! Good to hear from you!
I drove my LS over 100,000 miles while waiting for Lincoln (or Ford) to build something else I could get excited about. My LS was pretty problem free until the 100k mark. At that point, some of the usual suspects arrived - failed ignition coils and heated seat elements.
Lincoln needs more compelling (and more excitingly designed) product for sure but their current image may be an even more difficult problem to solve. They have their work cut out for them to turn that ship around.
Frankly, I am surprised and disappointed that the MKS ecoboost has not been more successful. It is a better car than most people give it credit for. Aside from the Lincoln image, I think a big problem with it is that it was a compromise thrown together by previous management. The older pure luxury buyers think the ride is too firm and they don't the limited trunk access and the rear seat room. Younger sports sedan buyers think it is too soft and ponderous to drive. I like the way it looks and get tons of compliments on mine but most people seem to just yawn at the styling. I have never heard any complaints about the ecoboost engine, though - it flat-assed rocks.
I would like to see the MKS go more distinctly to the soft luxury side - put it on the longer MKT wheelbase, lengthen out the trunk a bit and reduce the front overhang. A driver-adjustable suspension with settings a bit softer and a bit firmer than the current car would be good. Of course, I would also like to see Lincoln introduce a proper RWD sedan with a more sporting flavor.
The next 2-3 years will be interesting now that there is a real effort to bring Lincoln back to relevance.
I concur with you about compelling and excitingly designed product. I just can't get worked up over any Lincoln today. Seem like overpriced Fords. God help their slovenly dealer network in comparison to Lexus and Infiniti. I gave up on Ford after the Marauder debacle and axing the LS for good with no real replacement.
I can remember the excitement back in 1999 and 2000. Just re-read the old Edmunds, MT, C&D, & R&T comparison. The early LS gave you a 5 Series car at a 3 Series price! It was a Jaguar sibling. (And you could get a manual transmission.) This was something exciting. That was why so many of us were so passionate about it. The only other Fords in the 20 years before that which had excited me were the Merkur XR4ti, Lincoln Mark VII LSC, and the hot rod V8 LTD (not the Crown Vic) sport model (forget what this 1-year model was labelled: LX?).
The LS held its head high proudly in a competitive market. It could compete. On performance. Looks. Equipment/options. Price.
Anyone remember the Cadillac Catera? A gussied up Opel! Wasn't it the Caddy that zigged? Something about a duck in its ads? The LS walked all over it! But Cadillac learned, created the CTS, and look who is being walked all over now? Lincoln!
See in today's Wall Street Journal an article on Jaguar/Land Rover and Volvo. Jag made $443 million for Tata in 4th Qtr of 2010 on the basis of all the time and money Ford sank into it before selling it off. JagLR's worldwide sales up 19%.
I've still got a 2001 LS8 Sport, built Aug 2000, with 50,500 original miles. Problems encountered to date are: Head Lamp Assy's, Window Regulators x6, Tail Lamps, Rear Seat Locks, Howl In Rt Rear Suspension, Valve Cover/Spark Plug Gaskets, Thermostat, Clock Spring (No Function and/or Irregular Steering Wheel Radio Controls & No Radio Dash Lights), Front Leather Seat Covers, Heated Seat Function, Rain/Wiper Sensor and likely soon to be timing chain(s) tensioners.
Love the car overall still. Handling is wonderful even though this year model lacks a little power compared to the 2005 engines.
I attended the LS Mania in Irvine for those who were there and/or heard about it. Came in second place behind Brain Beckman. Lincoln was happening in those days all due to Jim Rogers, head of Lincoln.
You mention semi-retirement, yeah, ME TOO! I gave up the 50-60 hour/week corporate life in '08, and did nothing for a year, as I needed a break. I'd been living like that for 37 years. Then the reality of being only 57, and the economy sagging, got me thinking about a little "supplimental income". I was in the local "big box" auto parts store a few times getting supplies, and the manager asked how my "vacation" was going. I replied, "Vacation, what vacation....I'm retired"! He said he needed a part time delivery driver, so "step inside my office"......
My wife and I truly enjoyed our LS, but 9 northeastern winters were starting to show their wear on the car. I was starting to see rust in the rear quarters, where the inner fenderwells and outer panels meet. Once it gets in there, you've got issues. Secondly, although we had put only 60,000 miles on the car, some of the wear items like shocks, were needing replacement, some of the heater/AC control lights were shot, and one of the door lock modules had quit working. Parts were never plentiful or inexpensive, even when Lincoln was making the car, so I was looking at the handwriting on the wall, and it didn't look good, so I sent it down the road 2 years ago.
Ironically, although I thought I had "resigned" from the "other place" when I sold the LS, I got a renewal e-mail from them a couple of days ago. They said if I didn't send my dues, I'd be dropped....I thought they did that last year! It's good to see that some of the old gang is still around, and doing reasonably well.
i have a 2000 lincoln ls v8 which i crashed last month. i bought another ls and put my engine and transmission in. since then the car has difficulty gaining speed and doesnt change gears while driving. it however works great in reverse. whenever i start the car, for a few seconds everything is going well and the the fan kicks and and the "check transmission message pops up at the same time. i took it to a transmission shop and the diagnostics returned all the codes for the sensors in the transmission are not working. i changed the transmission and still have the same problem. does any one know what the problem might be?
1) Is noise different, Acceleration vs. deceleration? 2) Does noise change when cornering? (Even on X-Way you may find a difference) 3) If you've mis-spelled the issue, and it should be "whining" check trunk for presence of ex wife.
Sounds like you possible crushed a wire harness somewhare in the 3-4 miles of wiring that the car has, during the engine swap. Or, possibly something didn't get connected correctly.
I'd offer to sell you my shop manuals, since I no longer need them, but this forum doesn't allow that kind of communication....
I bought a 2002 Lincoln LS with 110k miles. I noticed the horn and steering wheel controls were not working, the traction control light was on and the car would beep when i put the car in drive 5 sets of 5chimes. I scanned the car and I got the following codes.
B1869 Lamp Airbag Warning Circuit Warning Indicator Circuit Open B1932 Driver Airbag Resistance High P1575 Seed Control Command Switch Out of Range P1788 High Pressure Control Solenoid B Open Circuit
So far I changed the Driver Wheel airbag and Airbag clockspring. My horn and steering wheel controls are working fine but I still get the Traction Control Light and the airbag chimes. I am also still getting the B1869 and B1932 codes.
Any idea on these codes? And the traction control?
I have a 2006 LS V8 Sport model and recently my passenger window got stuck and wouldnt go up anymore. I heard something snap which I am assuming is the Power window regulator, when I hit the power button I can hear the motor still running and it sounds as if glass is running through it...My question is, Since the motor seems to still be responding to the electric signal, do I have to replace the motor AND the regulator or can I still use the same motor and just replace the regulator? Can someone help me out please? Much appreciated!
There's two options on those. One, replace the regulator w/motor. 2. Replace w/out motor. There's a hitch though. Often, you will notice the motor version is close to or less than the no motor version. Depends on who you are purchasing from.
Ford may have revised your model year regulators so, it's a good idea to be sure you are getting a late or FRESH part and not something that has been sitting around.
My thinking on them is, find a good parts house and just get the better of the after market brand since Ford doesn't bother to require quality parts in this area as they break all the time. Cheap is cheap so, pay cheap and get the same junk Ford pushes. These regulators are failing way too soon and to often.
My 2001 LS manual has 135000 miles on it. I've never done anything under the hood cept change oil and filters. It has developed a very slight miss, with no engine light. Otherwise runs like new. I bought 6 plugs but got a big surprise when I looked at replacing them. This ain't my Dad's (or even my) 390 where I could pull and replace 8 plugs in about 15 minutes. Course that 390 couldn't go 135000 before it's first tuneup eh?
So, it appears I need to pull off 2 intake plenums (or manifolds?) and move associated hosing etc b4 I can get to all the plugs, which are then hidden by the individual coils on each plug.
I'll be also replacing the PCV valve and will look closely at connecting hoses etc for cracks or leaks.
My questions are 2: 1) Since the COPS (coil-on-plugs) are anywhere from $54 to $120 (thus $324 to $720 a set), I'd like to NOT replace any of them. But since I would need to pull the plenums again and replace the gaskets again (appx $50-100 a set plus time etc) if one fails soon, this might be good insurance. Opinions? 2) Looking for other opinions, I tried to rejoin the 'Other' site. However, though it is there, I get no response to emails or the application form. Wondering if anyone here knows if it is dead or alive?
I've been there and done that. You're on the right track, just make sure you replace ALL coils. Great decision on replacing the gaskets as well, because the allow oil to leak on coils as they become worn. At 135,000 miles, you're lucky to be just having a slight miss. Your coils, plugs, and gaskets are all over due at the mileage so be sure to replace all. I have a 2000 Lincoln Ls with 175,000 miles going strong.
Coils rarely "wear out". It's not a common wear item however, folks think so on the Lincolns and Jaguar engines. There is a root cause to "premature" coil on plug failure and that is the valve cover gaskets. Problem is with the "4 valve cover gaskets" that fit around the spark plug ports. They begin to seep oil into the spark plug well and with time, enough oil seeps in there and spark from the coil boot shorts its way to the easy path which is the oil build up. The coil doesn't fail in this regard, the spark is diverted to something else which causes failure of the spark plug to ignite thus, there's a miss-fire.
When these engines misfire, 99% of the time it is the spark plug well gasket which is round and a gasket all of it's own for each spark plug port so there's a total of 8 of them plus the actual valve cover gaskets. You have to order the "gasket set" to get the spark plug gaskets. Also, once you are doing this, it's a good practice to replace the spark plug/coil boot or at least clean them, they are silicone based so they will clean easy.
Another item to consider on the V-8 at this time is, once you have the valve covers off for the above job, be sure to check the secondary timing chain and sliders. The sliders are nylon plastic and will prematurely fail which causes too much chain slack and/or pieces of the slider or tensioner gets wedged between the chain and sprocket which can cause a slipped sprocket issue and cause the valves to hit the pistons.
The primary timing chains and tensioners on the front of the engine are also prone to this same premature wear however, they are located on the front of the engine block and are a completely different process to change. Valve covers are not easy to remove, especially the drivers side and the front timing chain job requires major disassembly of the front components to access them.
Hard to believe this crap is still ongoing with late model engines. It makes you think the engineers almost design these flaws to occur to keep all the mechanics and dealerships employed.
I don't know, garth, alot of guys with Newer LS's are having coil failures also. These later models don't have the leaky valve covers but still the coils fail even though there's no oil leaking. My '05 had this problem, I replaced three coils, no oil leaking. Ford is even replacing coils on some 05's under a extended warranty, V8's only, of course I have a V6.
If you're taking off the manifold to replace plugs, I'd at least change the four coils that are buried under there so you don't have to remove it again.
2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
One clarification - I don't have the V8, I have the V6 with manual tranny I will assume all or most of what was said applies to the V6, except maybe the info about the timing chain? I've not serviced that at all, knock wud.
So it sounds like I'm on the right track? I have not been able to determine if there's any oil leaking around the plugs. Will know soon enuf. I do plan to replace the plugs with motorcraft (already purchased); the valve cover gaskets with Felpro (local quote for gasket set is $52.25) and of course the plenum or manifold or whatever gaskets (local quote for set is $50.82). Do these sound like reasonable numbers? I want to try to avoid having to leave the job in the middle and drive 30 mins to parts store for stuff that I still need and find that they need a few days to get em. (OK, I'll call first!)
Am also going to replace the PCV valve and I guess I should bite the bullet and replace the 3 coils that are inaccessible unless I remove the plenums or manifolds or whatever. (Wish I had a service manual.) Coils are $53.81 locally. All these parts are supposed to be NAPA brands and not 'Chinese' brands. Oh, also will clean or replace the coil boots.
Don't know about gasket prices but price for coils sounds good. Timing chain is an issue on V8's as far as I know. Otherwise sounds like you're doing what you need to do. Good Luck!!
2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
Glad I could help and yes I have the V6 with automatic and manual transmission. Smart move replacing the PCV valve, I experienced stalling years back when mine was worn. You're also wise to go on ahead and change those coils under the plenum. I hate that they are under there because it requires more work if you're doing it yourself or more money if paying for the service. A simple tuneup becomes more ching ching because of not easy accessible location. If you start experiencing the fail window regulators ( all four of mine have been replaced), go to Ebay. They go for about $45-$60 on there. A far cry from the 2.5 million at the dealership, lol.
I've always wanted a lincoln towncar ever since middle school, in fact owning MY OWN lincoln towncar was #4 on my "things to accomplish before I turn 30" list witch IS ONLY A FEW DAYS AWAY! But when I saw the Lincoln LS I FELL IN LOVE and now I REALLY want one! anyway I need a new engine in the P.O.S I have now and have decided to use the $1200 cash I have saved for that as a Down payment instead. SO I have been car shopping since February & have found a Black (the color I WANT!) 02 LS with 100522 miles on it for $9000.00(witch is kind of alot of $MONEY$ 2 me cuz I aint RICH) BUT I need a GOOD, Reliable car and I am willing to forgo MY WANTS for MY NEEDS, and I really dont want to just take the "sales guys" WORD for it, and I've read some really GOOD reviews and some NOT SO GOOD reviews but they all gave the car 4 out of 5 to, 5 out of 5 marks witch is kinda of confusing, so any first hand/hands on INFO on this issue would be MUCH APPRECIATED! Thank You,
That price sounds hight for an '02 with 100K, you should be paying several thousand less. The LS is basically a good car, other than issues with the coil on plugs, DCCV, and window regulators. It might not be as reliable as a Camry or such, but you'll have something more unique.
2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
i have a 2000 lincoln ls with 86,000 mi. when i'm driving the car makes a humming sound, the higher i accelerate the louder the sound. i thought there maybe a leak in my exhaust somewhere, but that's not the case. does this sound like a transmission problem?
Yeah THINK I'm going too Pass on that one, But I found a Black '02 with 150,000 mile on it for $4000 straight up, the car-fax is clean, and runs good, so I'm just gonna go ahead and buy it, if My mechanic don't kill my buzz( :lemon:) so thanks for or Your Time & Advice.
If your heart is set on it than get it. Just make sure your mechanic is familiar with that vehicle so he can perform an educated inspection of it. Now with that said as the owner of a 2000 Lincoln Ls myself, I would advise you NOT to get it.
So I finally got a chance today to start my big 135,000 miles LS V6 tuneup project. Pulled 2 plugs on the driver's (easy to get to) side and both plugs and their coil boots were nice and dry! Excellent.
Then I pulld the third one. Oh well, 2 out of 3 aint bad. THe coil boot was covered with oil and the plug recess is full of it. I thought for a few minutes I was one of the lucky ones who would not have to replace valve cover gaskets. Fat chance, huh? SO I'm off to the parts store. Hope I can finish this today, else the wife has to take my Navigator tomorrow.
Hey Mike ... good to talk. Do u have 0, 1 or 2 LSes curently? Do u know if the 'other' site is defunct?
And to all and Mike - brief report on my 'tuneup' exploits.
I got er done, though it took a week. Glad we have 2 vehicles. It took so long because: 1)I'm not the world's best mechanic; 2)I didn't have a shop manual when I started and consequently broke something I may not have broken had I the manual. I did purchase a 30 day access to a shop manual at helminc for $20 after that. Glad I did. 3) The thing I broke took a while to come in at local Ford dealer (no local Lincoln dealer anymore.) 4) Job was a bit harder than I anticipated. 5) Had to buy or borrow a couple of tools. Deep sockets mainly.
So what I broke was a little bitty hose nipple which comes out of the upper radiator hose and goes to the throttle body. Course there's no way to fix a broken nipple so I had to buy - the whole GD upper radiator hose assembly!!! :mad: It included no fewer than 5 hoses and connections as well as a new thermostat. $301.00 plus tax. Ugh. I also had to buy a new PCV valve hose assembly as the little plastic feet broke off when removing from the valve covers. $25.00
Anyway, I replaced the plugs. The two rear wells had oil in em. I did not replace any coils, but I did replace all the coil boots. I replaced the valve cover gaskets and I replaced the PCV valve. Which caused me some more headaches cause I had to remove the lower manifold to get to it. Arghh. So then I replaced the lower and upper manifold gaskets. I would have been done then were it not for the broken nipple. So then I set about replacing the upper radiator hose assembly. And I figured since I had real easy access at this point, I also replaced the serpentine belt. That was far easier than expected. I thought about replacing the lower radiator hose as well for preventive maintenance but that's as far as I got with that.
So I got her all back together and fired it up. Took 3 tries before it caught and she ran smooth as a top. Really running great. But I did and maybe still do have a slight issue - it overheated first time I took it out on a hot day. Interestingly it overheated right in the driveway of speedie oil change. (I was too all-in to jack it up and change the oil :sick: So while they were changing the oil, their mechanic came over cause he liked the car-especially the manual tranny And he had seen the coolant overflow and asked if I had burped the system after replacing the hose. Of course I had and had followed the shop manual directions. He opined that I must've left air somewhere in there and said what the heck, he'll bleed it right now after new oil in. So he tried to do just that but found that there was no water in the hose on the radiator side of the thermostat! :mad: I nursed it home with the heater running on 98 degree day. Next morning I put the old thermostat in the car, bled the system again and it hasn't overheated since and I can feel water in the radiator hose 'above' the t'stat. I'm not 100% sure I've solved the problem though since had a little puddle last night after returning from 30 mile trip. I *think* it was coming out of the heater bleed hose though cause I had only finger tightened it and now took a screwdriver to it. I'll know more soon. If not that then mabye a hairline crack in the degas from it getting hot? - this was the first time the temp guage needle went above the 9 oclock position. It went to about 11 o'clock when it overflowed.
OK, TMI perhaps but there it is. I still need to take the 'new' t'stat to Ford and see what they'll do for me if anything.
Summary - was worth it cause car runs like new again. Was not fun though and cost about $600 with half of that being the darn hose.
Wish me luck on the overheating issue and talk soon all.
Just another brief (ha) message re working on my LS. First, I just advise anyone except really experienced mechanics to get the shop manual or something equiv. I only got a 30 day subscription at Helm. I need to buy the real thng next time. Anyway, I finally solved the little issue that came up after I did the tune up and replaced the upper radiator hose assembly and more. As I mentioned, it overheated on me first time I drove it hard afterward. This was first ever overheat. I dont know the cause for sure, but I put the old thermostat back in and re-bled the system and it hasn't overheated since. I sort-of bench tested the new thermostat which came with the hose assembly and it seems OK to me. So I must assume that I did not bleed it correctly the first time. At least I now have a spare T-stat! In any case, after all this, the car would lose some coolant from the degas bottle area after a hard drive and shutdown. Not much, but had to be solved. The heat and pressure from the overheat must have opened something up. I could not see the cause until I finally tore into the thing to get the degas bottle out which required removal of wipers and cowl and cross-member and finally the engine end of the degas bottom hose. The leak was around that bottom hose at the bottle. I suspect that replacing the factory spring-type hose clamp with a screw-tight type clamp would have solved the problem. However I could see that some corrosion inside the bottle had eaten away at the interior hose and metal stuff - there were actually bits of metal stuck in the small overflow pipe at the top - plus it looked like a crack might be forming - anyway, I replaced the bottle ($100 !!!) and the hose and she's tight as a drum now. Bottle came with a new cap which seems a lot surer than the old one. WTH, it was 10 years old after all. We plan to keep this car another 10 years, knock wood, my wife and I love it. So yesterday I measured mpg on a 300 mile trip at 75-80 mph on the highway, and it was 85% highway and the number is just shy of 25mpg, which I feel is pretty darn good. And the thing really kicks it too. Winding it up over 5 grand in first and second is great fun in this manual tranny relic of a Lincoln. Later.
George, the other site is alive and well; though not as active as in the good 'ole days.
I had all that work done before my daughter inherited my 2000 V6. It now has over 175K miles and is running strong. I have to replace the compressor as she didn't run it and the seal dried out and leaked out all the R-134a. We actually have 3 LSes. My wife and I each have a 2006 and, like I said, my daughter has my old 2000. The '06s are everything the LS should be. They are excellent handlers (like you didn't already know....) and the V8 is something to be experienced! It is so much quicker than the V6 and doesn't run out of steam as soon. We just took a trip to Oregon and the computer says I averaged 22.1mpg over the ~2800 miles. Not bad for a V8 with the trunk loaded and my driving style. Weird, but nothing else floats my boat for a replacement. My LS has ~80K miles and my wife's about 56K. At this rate we'll be driving the LSes for quite some time!
Our silver friend in the garage is gone after all these years. Both mom and her '00 LS getting up their in years. Car was was starting to show signs of potentially costly wear in suspension and other areas. An early build '00 which she bought new in fall of '99. She has now traded it in. She misses it as it ended up being perfect for her in her old age. She loved the power auto seat retract feature and how easily she could get into and out of it and be comfortable in it. Had less than 90,000 miles. [She traded down to a '12 Hyundai Elantra because it was the only car in her size and price range that had 4 things she demanded: a wide-enough space in the direct center at the bottom of the steering wheel to allow her to drive with her best hand, a driver-door armrest that was up high enough, a shifter/armrest that allowed her to shift without hitting her bad elbow, and a trunk opening that allowed her to put things into her prefered boxes without hitting her head. Took me 2 months and a dozen car makes to find a car that met her specs and another month to find the right color/option combo. We never knew all these things were so perfect with the LS until she started test driving other cars and they all fail one or more parts of her test!]
I traded my own '00 LS V8 in way back around 2003 or so but helped mom maintain hers. Then watched Ford and Lincoln commit suicide for rest of decade. Once Lincoln didn't replace the LS with an updated model, I lost all interest in what became little more than glorified Fords. Conventional wisdom says Lincoln has until about 2015 to seriously turn things around or suffer Mercury's fate (esp. since Lincoln only in North America). Can't expect much of a lively board when the product under discussion ceased being new about 5 or 6 years ago. By 2015 will anyone but old timers remember the LS? Still see a ton on the road but they are starting to decline. Was kind of cool parking next to a beautiful British racing green Jaguar S-type this past weekend. Brought back memories of how Ford used to own Jag and how the S-type and LS were siblings. Now all gone!
Hi - does anyone know why my heater would be doing this.....When I start my car in the morning to warm up it doens't blow hot air anymore! It has gotten worse over the past few months. Before at least it would blow semi warm air, and when I started to drive it would get hot. Now it blows cool air, then when I start driving it barely blows warm air. I drive to work. Then I go to lunch and it will blow much warmer air. I think I may have an air pocket somewhere? Is there a way check this without having to bring to a mechanic??
Comments
I hope that stops the pinging :shades:
The fix is a new complete valve cover gasket "set". This will include the round gaskets that fail around/beneath the spark plug wells. Once this is done, the spark plug well is cleaned free of residue, the boots are cleaned free of residue and silicone sprayed, you shouldn't have a miss-fire.
If you refer to "knocking" as your miss-fire issue, then you will be good to go. If you actually have a pre-ignition "Knock" or "Ping" situation, that's something all different.
BTW, while you have the valve covers off (on the V-8 only), you should check the secondary cam chain and the chain tensioner condition. Mostly, the tensioner as they are plastic on metal and the plastic cracks over time then, fails and the chain will skip a cog on the sprocket and likely the piston will hit a valve. Once this takes place, the repair bill will be huge.
The primary timing chain tensioner is buried within the front engine assembly and it is weak too. Best to replace those too however, it's costly labor charges just to get to them.
BTW, coils come with the boot and spring as an assembly from Ford. I don't know if that's the case with non-Ford parts.
I know that Lincoln stopped production 5 years ago, after a 6 year run, so there are potentially more cars out there to see, but lately I've been seeing LSs all over the place, whereas when they were still "new cars", I hardly saw any. I think that I even saw my former LS on the road a couple of weeks ago.
But, as we all know, time marches on. On one hand, I'm kind of sorry that I didn't try a little harder to find a deal on an '06 LS, and traded off my '00. But on the other hand, it would have meant that I would have had a 6 year newer "orphan"....
That's probably why I'm still not driving that LS. While it had only 60,000 miles on it, and it was still running well, I was starting to see rust in the rear quarter panels, right over the wheel wells. Once it creeps in, it's all over....
My wife and I were doing some painting last summer, and had to remove some items from our china cabinet, prior to moving it. As we were taking things out, there was the box with the LS champaigne flutes, still safely packed away. That was a classy touch! And then I sometimes go in the basement, to check something out in my "library", and there are the factory shop manuals that I bought for the car...still there.
Also in Ausie trim there are lots of engine options and and hi-po versions on the drawing board.
But is there any soul left at Lincoln?
The LS players have been re-purposed. It needs to be a viable alternative to and Audi, Lexus, BMW, Benz etc... Not just bling but the real thing.
Take the old LS and look at the god and the bad.
I like the new CTS-V coupe but I Don't like having to have 550 hp! Give me 300~350 and all the neat Recaros and all the luxo cool Lincoln comforts. Offer lots of options and engine packages...even a hybrid and clean diesel. If Lincoln is to succeed they have to come out with the guns a blazin'!
Lincoln just hired a large team of folks to help relaunch the brand (around 85 people IIRC) and about half of them came from other luxury brands like Audi, MB, etc.
People who have seen the new MKZ say it looks like an Aston Martin. The LS was a one-trick pony with a faulty business case and a non-supportive corporate structure. It appears Ford is serious about resurrecting Lincoln and they're doing it the right way from the ground up starting with the dealers and the dealer experience.
BTW - Ford wasn't forced to sell Jag/LR/Volvo/AM to raise funds. Ford sold them to focus all their efforts (and capital) on the Ford brand. It worked. I expect the same success for Lincoln but you'll have to wait a year or two to see the results.
Only time will tell what Ford can make of Lincoln and if they can come up with another car like the LS. The LS was that special Lincoln, like the 1980s Mark VII, that had people taking notice, even if for only a too brief period of time.
Too bad Ford's management let the wheels fall off the company. Ford was heavily in debt in 2009 and lost about $14.5 billion in 2008. They'd lost money in 2006 & 2007. As President and CEO Mulally stated in the 2009 annual report (eating a lot of humbe pie), "Our intense focus on improving our cost structure and strengthening our balance sheet will continue going forward. Among other actionss, we anticipate completing the sale of Volvo Cars to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd in the second quarter of 2010." And as he points out, part 3 of his 4 point plan is "Finance our plan and improve our balance sheet." Jaguar, LR, AM, etc. had been offloaded earlier when Ford's financial times were even more dire. They and Volvo were sold to raise money to clean up Ford's financial mess and keep the company solvent. Today Ford is still aggressively attempting to reduce debt and save on high interest payment costs due to borrowing in the recent dark years. Unlike Ford, GM and Chrysler used bankruptcy to clean up their debts and reduce interest payments.
Right now Lincoln just doesn't have any cars that are really exciting. Lincoln has fallen way behind Cadillac in the "wow" factor and Lincoln doesn't really seem to be competing with BMW, MB, Audi, Lexus, or Infiniti. Unfortunately, Lincoln, unlike Jaguar, LR, or Volvo, is not a viable worldwide brand, focusing mainly on USA and Canada. Would take a massive long-term expenditure to make Lincoln competitive in Europe or China.
I drove my LS over 100,000 miles while waiting for Lincoln (or Ford) to build something else I could get excited about. My LS was pretty problem free until the 100k mark. At that point, some of the usual suspects arrived - failed ignition coils and heated seat elements.
Lincoln needs more compelling (and more excitingly designed) product for sure but their current image may be an even more difficult problem to solve. They have their work cut out for them to turn that ship around.
Frankly, I am surprised and disappointed that the MKS ecoboost has not been more successful. It is a better car than most people give it credit for. Aside from the Lincoln image, I think a big problem with it is that it was a compromise thrown together by previous management. The older pure luxury buyers think the ride is too firm and they don't the limited trunk access and the rear seat room. Younger sports sedan buyers think it is too soft and ponderous to drive. I like the way it looks and get tons of compliments on mine but most people seem to just yawn at the styling. I have never heard any complaints about the ecoboost engine, though - it flat-assed rocks.
I would like to see the MKS go more distinctly to the soft luxury side - put it on the longer MKT wheelbase, lengthen out the trunk a bit and reduce the front overhang. A driver-adjustable suspension with settings a bit softer and a bit firmer than the current car would be good. Of course, I would also like to see Lincoln introduce a proper RWD sedan with a more sporting flavor.
The next 2-3 years will be interesting now that there is a real effort to bring Lincoln back to relevance.
I can remember the excitement back in 1999 and 2000. Just re-read the old Edmunds, MT, C&D, & R&T comparison. The early LS gave you a 5 Series car at a 3 Series price! It was a Jaguar sibling. (And you could get a manual transmission.) This was something exciting. That was why so many of us were so passionate about it. The only other Fords in the 20 years before that which had excited me were the Merkur XR4ti, Lincoln Mark VII LSC, and the hot rod V8 LTD (not the Crown Vic) sport model (forget what this 1-year model was labelled: LX?).
The LS held its head high proudly in a competitive market. It could compete. On performance. Looks. Equipment/options. Price.
Anyone remember the Cadillac Catera? A gussied up Opel! Wasn't it the Caddy that zigged? Something about a duck in its ads? The LS walked all over it! But Cadillac learned, created the CTS, and look who is being walked all over now? Lincoln!
See in today's Wall Street Journal an article on Jaguar/Land Rover and Volvo. Jag made $443 million for Tata in 4th Qtr of 2010 on the basis of all the time and money Ford sank into it before selling it off. JagLR's worldwide sales up 19%.
Love the car overall still. Handling is wonderful even though this year model lacks a little power compared to the 2005 engines.
I attended the LS Mania in Irvine for those who were there and/or heard about it. Came in second place behind Brain Beckman. Lincoln was happening in those days all due to Jim Rogers, head of Lincoln.
My wife and I truly enjoyed our LS, but 9 northeastern winters were starting to show their wear on the car. I was starting to see rust in the rear quarters, where the inner fenderwells and outer panels meet. Once it gets in there, you've got issues. Secondly, although we had put only 60,000 miles on the car, some of the wear items like shocks, were needing replacement, some of the heater/AC control lights were shot, and one of the door lock modules had quit working. Parts were never plentiful or inexpensive, even when Lincoln was making the car, so I was looking at the handwriting on the wall, and it didn't look good, so I sent it down the road 2 years ago.
Ironically, although I thought I had "resigned" from the "other place" when I sold the LS, I got a renewal e-mail from them a couple of days ago. They said if I didn't send my dues, I'd be dropped....I thought they did that last year! It's good to see that some of the old gang is still around, and doing reasonably well.
Cheers!!
2) Does noise change when cornering? (Even on X-Way you may find a difference)
3) If you've mis-spelled the issue, and it should be "whining" check trunk for presence of ex wife.
#'s 1 & 2 are serious.
I'd offer to sell you my shop manuals, since I no longer need them, but this forum doesn't allow that kind of communication....
B1869 Lamp Airbag Warning Circuit Warning Indicator Circuit Open
B1932 Driver Airbag Resistance High
P1575 Seed Control Command Switch Out of Range
P1788 High Pressure Control Solenoid B Open Circuit
So far I changed the Driver Wheel airbag and Airbag clockspring. My horn and steering wheel controls are working fine but I still get the Traction Control Light and the airbag chimes. I am also still getting the B1869 and B1932 codes.
Any idea on these codes? And the traction control?
Ford may have revised your model year regulators so, it's a good idea to be sure you are getting a late or FRESH part and not something that has been sitting around.
My thinking on them is, find a good parts house and just get the better of the after market brand since Ford doesn't bother to require quality parts in this area as they break all the time. Cheap is cheap so, pay cheap and get the same junk Ford pushes. These regulators are failing way too soon and to often.
My 2001 LS manual has 135000 miles on it. I've never done anything under the hood cept change oil and filters. It has developed a very slight miss, with no engine light. Otherwise runs like new. I bought 6 plugs but got a big surprise when I looked at replacing them. This ain't my Dad's (or even my) 390 where I could pull and replace 8 plugs in about 15 minutes. Course that 390 couldn't go 135000 before it's first tuneup eh?
So, it appears I need to pull off 2 intake plenums (or manifolds?) and move associated hosing etc b4 I can get to all the plugs, which are then hidden by the individual coils on each plug.
I'll be also replacing the PCV valve and will look closely at connecting hoses etc for cracks or leaks.
My questions are 2:
1) Since the COPS (coil-on-plugs) are anywhere from $54 to $120 (thus $324 to $720 a set), I'd like to NOT replace any of them. But since I would need to pull the plenums again and replace the gaskets again (appx $50-100 a set plus time etc) if one fails soon, this might be good insurance. Opinions?
2) Looking for other opinions, I tried to rejoin the 'Other' site. However, though it is there, I get no response to emails or the application form. Wondering if anyone here knows if it is dead or alive?
Thanks
When these engines misfire, 99% of the time it is the spark plug well gasket which is round and a gasket all of it's own for each spark plug port so there's a total of 8 of them plus the actual valve cover gaskets. You have to order the "gasket set" to get the spark plug gaskets. Also, once you are doing this, it's a good practice to replace the spark plug/coil boot or at least clean them, they are silicone based so they will clean easy.
Another item to consider on the V-8 at this time is, once you have the valve covers off for the above job, be sure to check the secondary timing chain and sliders. The sliders are nylon plastic and will prematurely fail which causes too much chain slack and/or pieces of the slider or tensioner gets wedged between the chain and sprocket which can cause a slipped sprocket issue and cause the valves to hit the pistons.
The primary timing chains and tensioners on the front of the engine are also prone to this same premature wear however, they are located on the front of the engine block and are a completely different process to change. Valve covers are not easy to remove, especially the drivers side and the front timing chain job requires major disassembly of the front components to access them.
Hard to believe this crap is still ongoing with late model engines. It makes you think the engineers almost design these flaws to occur to keep all the mechanics and dealerships employed.
If you're taking off the manifold to replace plugs, I'd at least change the four coils that are buried under there so you don't have to remove it again.
One clarification - I don't have the V8, I have the V6 with manual tranny
So it sounds like I'm on the right track? I have not been able to determine if there's any oil leaking around the plugs. Will know soon enuf. I do plan to replace the plugs with motorcraft (already purchased); the valve cover gaskets with Felpro (local quote for gasket set is $52.25) and of course the plenum or manifold or whatever gaskets (local quote for set is $50.82). Do these sound like reasonable numbers? I want to try to avoid having to leave the job in the middle and drive 30 mins to parts store for stuff that I still need and find that they need a few days to get em. (OK, I'll call first!)
Am also going to replace the PCV valve and I guess I should bite the bullet and replace the 3 coils that are inaccessible unless I remove the plenums or manifolds or whatever. (Wish I had a service manual.) Coils are $53.81 locally. All these parts are supposed to be NAPA brands and not 'Chinese' brands. Oh, also will clean or replace the coil boots.
Thanks and post more info if I'm off track.
But when I saw the Lincoln LS I FELL IN LOVE and now I REALLY want one!
anyway I need a new engine in the P.O.S I have now and have decided to use the $1200 cash I have saved for that as a Down payment instead. SO
I have been car shopping since February & have found a Black (the color I WANT!) 02 LS with 100522 miles on it for $9000.00(witch is kind of alot of $MONEY$ 2 me cuz I aint RICH)
BUT I need a GOOD, Reliable car and I am willing to forgo MY WANTS for MY NEEDS, and I really dont want to just take the "sales guys" WORD for it, and I've read some really GOOD reviews and some NOT SO GOOD reviews but they all gave the car 4 out of 5 to, 5 out of 5 marks witch is kinda of confusing, so any first hand/hands on INFO on this issue would be MUCH APPRECIATED!
Thank You,
150,000 mile on it for $4000 straight up, the car-fax is clean, and runs good, so I'm just gonna go ahead and buy it, if My mechanic don't kill my buzz( :lemon:) so thanks for or Your Time & Advice.
Then I pulld the third one. Oh well, 2 out of 3 aint bad. THe coil boot was covered with oil and the plug recess is full of it. I thought for a few minutes I was one of the lucky ones who would not have to replace valve cover gaskets. Fat chance, huh? SO I'm off to the parts store. Hope I can finish this today, else the wife has to take my Navigator tomorrow.
Hey George.....
And to all and Mike -
briefreport on my 'tuneup' exploits.I got er done, though it took a week. Glad we have 2 vehicles. It took so long because: 1)I'm not the world's best mechanic; 2)I didn't have a shop manual when I started and consequently broke something I may not have broken had I the manual. I did purchase a 30 day access to a shop manual at helminc for $20 after that. Glad I did. 3) The thing I broke took a while to come in at local Ford dealer (no local Lincoln dealer anymore.) 4) Job was a bit harder than I anticipated. 5) Had to buy or borrow a couple of tools. Deep sockets mainly.
So what I broke was a little bitty hose nipple which comes out of the upper radiator hose and goes to the throttle body. Course there's no way to fix a broken nipple so I had to buy - the whole GD upper radiator hose assembly!!! :mad: It included no fewer than 5 hoses and connections as well as a new thermostat. $301.00 plus tax. Ugh. I also had to buy a new PCV valve hose assembly as the little plastic feet broke off when removing from the valve covers. $25.00
Anyway, I replaced the plugs. The two rear wells had oil in em. I did not replace any coils, but I did replace all the coil boots. I replaced the valve cover gaskets and I replaced the PCV valve. Which caused me some more headaches cause I had to remove the lower manifold to get to it. Arghh. So then I replaced the lower and upper manifold gaskets. I would have been done then were it not for the broken nipple. So then I set about replacing the upper radiator hose assembly. And I figured since I had real easy access at this point, I also replaced the serpentine belt. That was far easier than expected. I thought about replacing the lower radiator hose as well for preventive maintenance but that's as far as I got with that.
So I got her all back together and fired it up. Took 3 tries before it caught and she ran smooth as a top. Really running great. But I did and maybe still do have a slight issue - it overheated first time I took it out on a hot day. Interestingly it overheated right in the driveway of speedie oil change. (I was too all-in to jack it up and change the oil :sick: So while they were changing the oil, their mechanic came over cause he liked the car-especially the manual tranny
OK, TMI perhaps but there it is. I still need to take the 'new' t'stat to Ford and see what they'll do for me if anything.
Summary - was worth it cause car runs like new again. Was not fun though and cost about $600 with half of that being the darn hose.
Wish me luck on the overheating issue and talk soon all.
G
First, I just advise anyone except really experienced mechanics to get the shop manual or something equiv. I only got a 30 day subscription at Helm. I need to buy the real thng next time.
Anyway, I finally solved the little issue that came up after I did the tune up and replaced the upper radiator hose assembly and more. As I mentioned, it overheated on me first time I drove it hard afterward. This was first ever overheat. I dont know the cause for sure, but I put the old thermostat back in and re-bled the system and it hasn't overheated since. I sort-of bench tested the new thermostat which came with the hose assembly and it seems OK to me. So I must assume that I did not bleed it correctly the first time. At least I now have a spare T-stat!
In any case, after all this, the car would lose some coolant from the degas bottle area after a hard drive and shutdown. Not much, but had to be solved. The heat and pressure from the overheat must have opened something up. I could not see the cause until I finally tore into the thing to get the degas bottle out which required removal of wipers and cowl and cross-member and finally the engine end of the degas bottom hose. The leak was around that bottom hose at the bottle. I suspect that replacing the factory spring-type hose clamp with a screw-tight type clamp would have solved the problem. However I could see that some corrosion inside the bottle had eaten away at the interior hose and metal stuff - there were actually bits of metal stuck in the small overflow pipe at the top - plus it looked like a crack might be forming - anyway, I replaced the bottle ($100 !!!) and the hose and she's tight as a drum now. Bottle came with a new cap which seems a lot surer than the old one. WTH, it was 10 years old after all. We plan to keep this car another 10 years, knock wood, my wife and I love it.
So yesterday I measured mpg on a 300 mile trip at 75-80 mph on the highway, and it was 85% highway and the number is just shy of 25mpg, which I feel is pretty darn good. And the thing really kicks it too. Winding it up over 5 grand in first and second is great fun in this manual tranny relic of a Lincoln.
Later.
I had all that work done before my daughter inherited my 2000 V6. It now has over 175K miles and is running strong. I have to replace the compressor as she didn't run it and the seal dried out and leaked out all the R-134a. We actually have 3 LSes. My wife and I each have a 2006 and, like I said, my daughter has my old 2000. The '06s are everything the LS should be. They are excellent handlers (like you didn't already know....) and the V8 is something to be experienced! It is so much quicker than the V6 and doesn't run out of steam as soon. We just took a trip to Oregon and the computer says I averaged 22.1mpg over the ~2800 miles. Not bad for a V8 with the trunk loaded and my driving style. Weird, but nothing else floats my boat for a replacement. My LS has ~80K miles and my wife's about 56K. At this rate we'll be driving the LSes for quite some time!
This board is deader than Elvis -- 60 posts all year so far. A fair number of the old timers chime in from time to time though.