My new project: the last known Allard P4.
Posted by Tensediamond13@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 40 comments
I know next to nothing about diagnosing vehicle problems, but I have experience replacing simple parts so that won’t be too bad. The car runs for a few minutes and then shuts off which we think is either an alternator issue, fuel delivery issue, or a manifold leak. My much smarter friends are gonna help me pin down the problem this weekend. It’s basically a rebodied Lexus LS400 so most parts are generally available which is pretty nice.
MTarrow@reddit
K817 EUV (last sold in 2021 at an auction in Warwick, and SORN since 2023) was believed to be the last Allard P4. Yours is one of the two "lost" cars that were believed to no longer exist.
Which is somehow even cooler :)
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
This car was imported in late 2023, before that it was just sitting outside in the north of England for a decade. I was under the impression K817 EUV was crashed and in a scrap yard, but looking at the pictures the crashed one has a different front end an and a different license plate. But EUV’s MOT has expired and I have no information as to where it is now. I’ve just now realized the grey car also ran the plate K817 EUV, so that may explain why there’s no trace of it anymore. Interestingly, my car and EUV actually resided in the same town in the UK, a friend of the last owner spotted both cars semi regularly until this one was imported. One day he said EUV also disappeared, and with no current MOT I don’t know where the heck it’s gone
2deal1-1@reddit
Euv is in my garage in Milton Keynes under two car cover with a charger on the battery. I did start it about a month ago. Mine has carbon fiber front end, fiberglass bonnet and boot, aluminum wings and full allard leather seats etc. I have just had a ecu parts upgraded.
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
No way! Do you have pics of it?
2deal1-1@reddit
I cant upload any photos unfortunately
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Could you DM me and maybe send me an email to get in contact with you?
2deal1-1@reddit
.
No-Enthusiasm3579@reddit
Killer, 1UZ motor too, easy to get parts and tough, I wouldn't doubt if its a pretty easy fix
Obnoxious_Gamer@reddit
EASY TO GET PARTS?!
No-Enthusiasm3579@reddit
Yeah, its a Toyota drivetrain, just have to lie to the parts store guys and say its a part for an LS400 😆
Obnoxious_Gamer@reddit
Yeah, and they'll give you either the wrong part or a garbage repro that doesn't fit, doesn't work, or both.
No-Enthusiasm3579@reddit
You take the part off and take it in to compare or have a part number, same thing with any hotrod, engine swap or oddity like this, sometimes stuff doesn't fit and you have to figure out why
Obnoxious_Gamer@reddit
The "why" is because the domestic aftermarket for the LS400 is almost exclusively garbage. I've owned one for seven years.
GuestFighter@reddit
After 7 years I would think you’d start buying OEM.
Obnoxious_Gamer@reddit
Hence my comment about Amayama below.
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Only 83k miles too! It’s still got a lot of life left in it once I get all the problems sorted.
shogun344@reddit
https://autoblog.spidersweb.pl/allard-p4-na-sprzedaz I found an article from 2023 saying that yours is a "piece of junk" it looks fine to me lol
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
It’s absolutely a piece of junk, but as he said everything is repairable. It looks much better in pictures than it does in person. The interior really isn’t bad at all but the exterior definitely needs work
Wind5@reddit
What year is it? That first generation of LS400's has a well documented ECU capacitor issue that will cause all sorts of running issues if it isn't fixed.
The one Ive got now would start but only stay running if you kept your foot on the gas pedal, was pretty much dead in the water but threw me for a loop because it wasn't having any real mechanical issues but ran like it was half dead.
Some careful forum post reading and some new capacitors from digikey got things sorted though.
Thanks for sharing, I had no idea this car existed before today!!
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
It’s a 93, the ECU was messed when it was imported since it was neglected for about a decade and was rebuilt some time last year so I don’t think that’s it, but good to know!
Wind5@reddit
If it was rebuilt then you should be in the clear! Assuming it was done properly!
ClubLexus has a good first gen LS400 section, it'd probably be worth the time to look around over there for a bit. Also check out LexLs.com for some good info and the instructions for reading the codes and such.
Best of luck! It's a really smooth engine when it's running right, definitely worth the effort in my book.
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Last owner was very passionate and spared no expense when it came to the maintenance he did on the car. Thank you for those resources, will definitely check them out!
Obnoxious_Gamer@reddit
These ECUs are real picky about what kind of capacitors are used - if they just replaced them with what was available, you're gonna have issues. If they waited until 2023 to replace them, they probably destroyed the board as well, and you're still gonna have issues.
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Good to know! I’ll check out Amayama thanks for that!
sgt_Berbatov@reddit
I had a Subaru Legacy behave like that and it turned out it was a cam sensor. If it was an alternator it'd start but wouldn't run again once the battery was depleted. Fuel delivery maybe, especially if it croaks it when you go to rev it but I would imagine it'd struggle starting. Manifold leak, I would think it'd struggle starting.
So my mind is thinking cam or crank sensor. But whatever it is that is a wonderful thing to own!
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Adding that to the list of whatever could be wrong with it, thank you!
sgt_Berbatov@reddit
No worries! It's going to be something silly if it's behaving like that. You may also benefit from acquiring, sorry "acquiring" Toyota Techstream from eBay. Not sure that model Lexus had an OBD2 port but if it did Techstream will be a Godsend to you. Helped me out a tonne with my Land Cruiser when it shat itself. Often.
Boilermakingdude@reddit
Runs for a few mins then dies? Does it sputter out or just die?
If it sputters out, check voltage, I've had alternators that when hot wouldn't charge but as soon as they'd cool off again, you could get another 15-30kms out of it. Also if sputtering out, check fuel pressure. Fuel filters a cheap, I'd swap that first just as a preventive, they're supposed to be done like every 5th oil change and no one ever does them.
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
It sputters a little bit before it dies and voltage seems normal, but it actually came with a new fuel filter in a box I just have to install it
Boilermakingdude@reddit
Could be a faulty pump, a plug up in the filter. Start with the filter and go from there. Monitor fuel pressure after
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the advice! If I had to wager a guess I’d put it on the fuel pump/filter. Car sitting for as long as it did it would make the most sense
AwkwardCake72@reddit
How many were made originally?
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
3 were built before allard and Toyota/lexus’ partnership fizzled out
realsnokng@reddit
Super cool find! The interior is fantastic and I love the quirky exterior.
Roboticpoultry@reddit
It’s bizzaro-Lexus. I love it
spotdishotdish@reddit
Wow, that's cool.
Last time that happened to me, it was a clogged fuel filter.
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Yeah that wouldn’t be surprising. This car sat rotting in the UK before the last owner imported it. He didn’t do much work if any to the fuel system, but the car ran almost flawlessly until quite literally the day before I went to test drive it
tyttuutface@reddit
DUDE! That's super cool! Post this in r/Lexus and r/LS400, they would appreciate it.
Tensediamond13@reddit (OP)
Great idea!
wateryoudoingm8@reddit
Cool unique car