My03Tundra

What is the average cost of replacing the timing belt in an '05 Lexus ES330?

I was quoted $650 by the dealership, and $750 by a reputable mechanic who also recommends replacing the water pump at the same time and is included in that price.

The dealership recommended to do the timing belt not based off of the mileage (just under 80,000) but, because the car is ten years old.

Is this a difficult job to do, for someone with just basic hand tools?

LeX2K

The job is not difficult but you will need a stud extractor to remove the water pump. Or you can use vice grips, I use this method but you need a GOOD pair otherwise you'll gnarl the stud badly. You may also need an impact wrench to remove the crank bolt.

On age versus mileage, from personal experience I can say that the age of the belt means little, I've seen timing belts 15 years old with 40,000 miles and the belt looked perfect no rotting or cracking. But given you are at 80k it would not be a bad time to do a timing belt job, for reference a timing belt kit is $164 but does not include crank/camshaft seals or drive belts. You may or may not need the cam/crank seals depending on how well the engine has been maintained. Most likely you won't need them.

$650 for just replacing the belt and nothing else seems high to me, I've done a few 1MZ and 3MZ engines I can do the job in 2 hours a tech that has done many of them can probably do it in less.

Safetybob

Literally days ago I had the timing belt replaced and water pump also replaced at the same time. I had dealership in Oklahoma City do the work. You are in the ball park with price. I also had alignment done too since the car had never seen the dealer since it was purchased in Nov or Dec of 2005.


I would like to say (being Honda guy since I lost my Supra in 1984 from wreck), that Honda states 10 year belt life unless mileage limit is reached first. I had all my mid 80's Accords reach 250,000 miles before their water pumps started leaking. My mid 90's Accords were leaking fully around 180,000 miles. I started replacing timing belts and pumps as preventative mx every 100,000 miles on all my Hondas years ago. Remember they have interference fit, so you break a belt, you loose your valve train. That's why Honda people who keep their cars forever are paranoid about belts and pumps.


As long as you can afford it, I would recommend and insist you do both. Oh, so the total for belt, camshaft seals, new water pump, new antifreeze and a 4 wheel alignment.....right at 900 bucks. And no, your not getting screwed because you drive a Lexus.....the Honda guys charge me right at 750 a few months ago for my belt and pump on my 1999 CR-V (it just went over 315,000).


Good luck,


Bob

artbuc

Removing the WP studs is next to impossible as they will likely twist or snap-off. I have read several places where folks were able to get the WP out without removing studs. Forget exactly what they did but it is worth researching.

Safetybob

I would agree. I did the timing belt/water pump replacement with camshaft seal on my 94 base Accord and nothing there was out of anyone's capability. Very simple and somewhat straight forward. It just took a good amount of time getting everything off, changed, and put back together with my standards of attention to detail.


If there is a way to get the pump off without messing up a stud, then absolutely go for it. It is well worth the money savings to do it yourself. Time was my limitation so I had to have the dealership do the work. I would have LOVED to have saved the money and done the work myself. The Toyota V6 looks absolutely like a joy to change a belt on versus the 4 bangers.....


Bob

KLF

I was quoted $785 to have just the timing belt and engine belts replaced, but that was in 2012, when I took it in for the balancer recall. I declined, did the job myself a year later. I replaced everything I could think of:

Timing belt
Idlers (both)
Water Pump
Tensioner
Both engine belts
Crank seal
Cam seals (both)
Plugs
PCV valve
Air cleaner
Thermostat & gasket
Coolant
Brake fluid
ATF flush

I'd hate to think what Lexus would have charged to do all that.

I have done several belts & water pumps on 1MZ & 3MZ engines, and never had the water pump studs give me a problem. Getting the cam pulleys off... that's the real challenge. Had to make a very strong tool to hold them.

hzt30

I just did a complete timing belt job on my 2001 ES300. I did not mess with the studs at all. I simply jacked up the engine a bit and slid the water pump right off.

The crank pulley bolt, however, could be a challenge. I was fortunate the bolt came out OK with an impact gun. Sometimes even an impact gun won't budge the bolt.

JetsonES

That was a major stumbling block for me when I tried to do it to an older accord. Impact gun did nothing, I even went as far as making a 4 ft cheater bar to try to brute force it, no dice. Had to give up and send it to a shop.

Does anyone think that applying heat or cold could help with loosening the crank bolt?

LeX2K

The amount of movement it takes to get the pump off without removing the studs seemed like too much stress on the mounts. I could have unbolted them but that was a step I didn't want to deal with.

Heat does work but there is the potential to cook the rubber in the balancer.

Safetybob

KLF, since I am new to Lexus, how bad was it to get to the spark plugs? Is there a reason I need to take off the pretty silver top engine cover? I haven't looked at it closely yet, but it looks like it could be a pain if I ever need to remove it.......like for the PCV valve?


Bob

JetsonES

One of the first things I did to my car was to remove the engine cover. Sure, it's not as pretty but I can gauge the condition of many parts that are hidden underneath. In my case the car had been serviced by lexus since new. Imagine my surprise at finding broken actuator hose barbs siliconed back into place, and other things like a 4 way tee being used as a three way tee with the fourth port sealed with electrical tape that was leaking, disconnected vacuum lines, etc. I am the second owner.and am shocked at what was done to it by the dealerships service department. Engine covers hide shoddy workmanship, which is why mine stays off.

Safetybob

Humm, thanks for the words on that. Perhaps it might be worth a "peak" around after this ES's first ever service by the dealership (other than my dad changing oil).


Bob

BDSL

I have replaced timing belt on my 06 ES330 with basic hand tools.....in about 3 hours.
Depending on your engine configuration, you might need to swing the PS pump out of the way.
The shop manual is wrong.

Bare in mind I have done timing belt / water pump on a few cars so I have some experience.

Timing belt replacement is XXXX miles or YY months whichever comes first.

You should download the Lexus shop manual.

BDSL

+1 on the studs.

As for the crank pulley bolt, depending if it was loosen before or not, I was able to crack it loose with a long breaker bar and blipping the starter. However, when doing it first time on my 06 ES330 which never had its timing belt changed before, blipping the starter didn't work. I had to get an impact gun to break the bolt loose.

BDSL

The front spark plugs are easy. The rear spark plugs are pain. Depending on which year, you might able to replace the rear plugs without removing the intake manifold.