Timing belt pulley.............
Timing belt pulley.............
More a vent than anything else......... had the timing belt replaced 18 months ago. Everything else was fine (cam seals, pulleys, water pump, etc). Took the car in today for squeaking belts and guess what -timing belt pulley!!! And just to cap it all off, the cam seals are leaking!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!
Now, the $64,000 question. Do I change the water pump? No sign of any issues and the cost to replace it now ($462) is almost as much as to replace it on it's own ($600). I'm leaning towards rolling the dice on this one.
Now, the $64,000 question. Do I change the water pump? No sign of any issues and the cost to replace it now ($462) is almost as much as to replace it on it's own ($600). I'm leaning towards rolling the dice on this one.
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: NC
I'd do the pump. Ask about what they will knock off if you combine work. I'm taking mine in tomorrow morning for the timing/water pump and knock sensors. They knocked off $200 if I combined the knock sensors with the other work.
Toyota dealer
Toyota dealer
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,583
Likes: 1,397
From: Austin, TX
I am lost too. What is wrong with the pulley? Are we taling about the pulley on the crankshaft or up inthe valve train? Idlers can go bad due to lack of lubrication. They really need to be inspected.
I would suggest to replace idlers instead of water pump. I would replace the water pump if the coolant is other than Toyota/Lexus.
Salim
I would suggest to replace idlers instead of water pump. I would replace the water pump if the coolant is other than Toyota/Lexus.
Salim
Yes, both idler pulleys - bearings shot. Replaced both along with the cam seals and the accessory belts. The water pump was fine so, like I said, I'm rolling the dice on that one. Got it back and it's silent now.
I'm much more concerned about the transmission than the water pump!
I'm much more concerned about the transmission than the water pump!
Trending Topics
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 16
From: Ca.
Yes, both idler pulleys - bearings shot. Replaced both along with the cam seals and the accessory belts. The water pump was fine so, like I said, I'm rolling the dice on that one. Got it back and it's silent now.
I'm much more concerned about the transmission than the water pump!
I'm much more concerned about the transmission than the water pump!
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
Top 10 Most Confusing Things Lexus Has Ever Done!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Lexus ES Review: Lexus Re-Embraces Founding Principles
Michael S. Palmer
10 Lexus Bargains That are Cheaper Than a New Toyota RAV4
Joe Kucinski
8 Weirdest Things Lexus Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
10 Lexus Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
8 Tips for Improving Your Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid's Efficiency!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Best Lexus Models No One Remembers
Joe Kucinski
TRD Off-Road Premium: Best 2026 4Runner, Except This One Thing
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!
Joe Kucinski
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 129
From: pa
Sktn- How many miles on your RX? Having replaced my DIL's (water pump, timing belt, and both idler pulleys) a couple or three months ago at about 130k mi., I can speak as to those parts because I cut them all apart with a die grinder and cut off blade to see what the actual condition was. I was astonished! The lower idler (one on the tensioner) was bone dry but smooth as silk. There was grease in the bearing but after that period of time, none ON the bearing. What grease there was (most of it was still there) was as live as new, not the least bit dried! It simply was pushed away from the ***** after all of that time. As a matter of fact I have no doubt that the bearing could have been regreased and put right back in service. (Yes, the bearings are "sealed" but extremely easy to remove the seal and replace with NO damage to the seal) I bought the pulley assy. new OEM (Koyo, exactly what came out of it) for $28.95 and already had the parts so no thought of reuseing the old. I DID NOT replace the parts because of noisy bearings, It was other concerns.
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: NC
Just got mine back from the Toyota dealer. The cam seals were just starting to leak but nothing bad so I went for the cheap insurance of changing them out. ($120)
When they ran it up we heard an odd noise but no CELs. They took it back down and found tensioner was bad. They replaced it for no charge on parts or labor!
When they ran it up we heard an odd noise but no CELs. They took it back down and found tensioner was bad. They replaced it for no charge on parts or labor!
Blueridge: Where in NC are you located? I may try taking my car to the Toyota dealer in future. The lexus dealer charged $115 for each tensioner pulley, 400 for labor, and $300 for the cam seal replacement (said it would have been $800 if they were'nt already in there). Not sure how they came up with $460 to change the water pump while the car was torn apart.
I'm getting a little tired of being ripped off. I've paid between $1000 - $2000 every year for the last 5 years in repairs since the car went out of warranty. I mentioned the transmission problems to them and they said "there are no problems with the RX300 transmission and the dealership and Lexus wouldn't consider any "goodwill" because the car is so far out of warranty"!
My 2001 BMW 530i has only needed the water pump replace since it went out of warranty at 50,000 miles (it now has 100,000 miles on the clock). Wasn't cheap to repair ($600) but that's been it in the last 5 years. Interstingly, I had exactly the same experience with my 1992 525i (water pump and radiator were all that went out between 50,000 and 120,000). Pity they're making such butt-ugly cars today!
I'm getting a little tired of being ripped off. I've paid between $1000 - $2000 every year for the last 5 years in repairs since the car went out of warranty. I mentioned the transmission problems to them and they said "there are no problems with the RX300 transmission and the dealership and Lexus wouldn't consider any "goodwill" because the car is so far out of warranty"!
My 2001 BMW 530i has only needed the water pump replace since it went out of warranty at 50,000 miles (it now has 100,000 miles on the clock). Wasn't cheap to repair ($600) but that's been it in the last 5 years. Interstingly, I had exactly the same experience with my 1992 525i (water pump and radiator were all that went out between 50,000 and 120,000). Pity they're making such butt-ugly cars today!
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: NC
Blueridge: Where in NC are you located? I may try taking my car to the Toyota dealer in future. The lexus dealer charged $115 for each tensioner pulley, 400 for labor, and $300 for the cam seal replacement (said it would have been $800 if they were'nt already in there). Not sure how they came up with $460 to change the water pump while the car was torn apart.
I'm getting a little tired of being ripped off. I've paid between $1000 - $2000 every year for the last 5 years in repairs since the car went out of warranty. I mentioned the transmission problems to them and they said "there are no problems with the RX300 transmission and the dealership and Lexus wouldn't consider any "goodwill" because the car is so far out of warranty"!
My 2001 BMW 530i has only needed the water pump replace since it went out of warranty at 50,000 miles (it now has 100,000 miles on the clock). Wasn't cheap to repair ($600) but that's been it in the last 5 years. Interstingly, I had exactly the same experience with my 1992 525i (water pump and radiator were all that went out between 50,000 and 120,000). Pity they're making such butt-ugly cars today!
I'm getting a little tired of being ripped off. I've paid between $1000 - $2000 every year for the last 5 years in repairs since the car went out of warranty. I mentioned the transmission problems to them and they said "there are no problems with the RX300 transmission and the dealership and Lexus wouldn't consider any "goodwill" because the car is so far out of warranty"!
My 2001 BMW 530i has only needed the water pump replace since it went out of warranty at 50,000 miles (it now has 100,000 miles on the clock). Wasn't cheap to repair ($600) but that's been it in the last 5 years. Interstingly, I had exactly the same experience with my 1992 525i (water pump and radiator were all that went out between 50,000 and 120,000). Pity they're making such butt-ugly cars today!
I had random P0330 CEL's and had them change the knock sensors at the same time since the gave me a labor charge of $300+tax (usually more) since it was already there with major work. They allowed me to get the OEM parts elsewhere and I saved about $130 in this area.
Like I said above, they threw in the tensioner and extra labor when it was determined it was bad after putting it all back together again. They also showed my the cam seals during the first tear down and they were just barely seeping.
Not only was the Toyota dealer working to get my business, very helpful and obviously cheaper. But they are 2 miles from where I live versus a 45 min drive to the Lexus dealer. When I look at the fact they had this for 8 hours working on it, the entire top of the engine torn off, the passenger side of the engine torn out and still got out for about $1100...I'm impressed. The only up selling that took place was the cam seals that could have passed for longer but I'm really happy they showed me.
Wow, I'm envious! The only Toyota dealer as close as my Lexus stealer is Mark Jacobson Toyota of Durham "and his dog Spot". Maybe I'll give them a try - I'm taking my son's Geo Prizm in there next week for a "Corolla timing belt replacement"!
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 103
From: Sacramento, California
Man, maybe I should fly out on your dime, enjoy some vacation, and fix your car for you. I would still probably be cheaper the Lexus dealership. I know I do excellent work, more than you can expect from the dealership....Just kidding, I do like NC more in the spring and winter though....
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 16
From: Ca.
I wish I could answer that for you Artbuc. No way to know although I have always said and even moreso after I cut the removed parts apart, can say that I can't imagine finer parts than Toyota uses to build their cars. I mic'd the bearings with a digital mic (all the ***** used in the W/P and both idler pulleys are the same size) and they all mic'd EXACTLY the same. The ***** are all like a mirror, even under about 15-20 power magnification and under that magnification you can see the grind marks in the bearing troughs from manufacture but absolutely NO wear marks, even on the one that was bone dry. It looked no different except there was no grease on the actual ***** and trough. There was no sign of overheating in spite of that. I believe the reason that bearing (bottom idler) got dry is because it is a single bearing and the upper is a double bearing (2 of the same bearings in the pulley instead of 1). Because the upper idler was fully greased yet. W/P and both pulleys were absolutely smooth as silk yet.
Last edited by code58; May 17, 2009 at 12:27 AM.