Shaffer

Have any of you bought a used Lexus and have no idea when the timing belt was changed? I just recently aquired a 90 LS400 w/225K and have no idea. I do have the last receipt that shows the brakes, tires, & rear struts were changed, but nothing about a timing belt. I only have the service record logged in the owners guide up until 100,000 miles. What should I do- is there anyway they (repair shop) can check it to see if it has recently been replaced- or do I just have to have it changed?

Also- I have heard some "lifter chatter" on some LS400s- is this a common problem? If something happens my car starts to do that- what needs to be done to stop it? Does anyone have this noise described? Thanks.

Traveler

Change is never bad, but sometimes not warrented.

Specs call for no change EVER according to the manual. Heavy usage calls for a swap at each 75K.

However, you may wish to swap it out because of the mileage and perhaps cynical common sense.

When was the water pump changed. There is pretty good possibility the belt was changed then.

If you need a water pump in the future, change it then for peace of mind.

db

Strida

Call the lexus dealers around you and have them check the vin number for maintenance records done at their shops. Check all the accesory belts if they need replacing, usually these things are replace with the timing belt. Check around the engine bay if there are stickers discribing the timing belt was change at ###miles.

Or take out the plastic cover (driver side) that covers the sparkplug wires and distributor cap. You can actually check the condition of the t-belt here.



But don't worry about it, if it breaks I doubt your engine will be damage because its a non-interferance engine.

Shaffer

Thanks for that info. That is great news, because I read on another site (link posted here somewhere) says that it is a interference engine. Good to know that it is not. Thanks again.

spxChrome

Calling the dealership with the VIN is great. They can print you out a full service history. But doing a spot check is also a great idea. The belt does have to be changed and it is recommended every 90K. When I had mine done I ended up with the lifter noise as you referenced to. Havn't been able to fix that since every tech tells me it sounds normal but I don't remebering hearing it until I had the T belt changed.

Shaffer

The car is not from around here however. The car was bought new at JM Lexus in Margate, Florida and later the original owners ended up in Kentucky, then here in Tennessee. It is a 1-owner car and they must have done a lot of traveling, as in the owners manual, in the "service" part of the manual- the car was serviced at numerous Lexus dealers across the east. I seen where work was done in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and even Michigan.
With this being the case, can my local Lexus dealer still pull up the records? Are the computers at the Lexus dealerships connected?

Also, about that lifter noise- the Lexus techs say this noise is normal? I have heard about it often and have noticed my car has a very slight noise at idle, but it is so quiet, it can only be heard while standing outside of the car, with the engine idling.

Thanks again.

spxChrome

Yes all the computers are connected but the problem is that he will have to look up each service station code and then enter that code for the work done at that station only. so it is a little more of a pain but it can be done. however, since I had them check mine I know they have gotten a new system installed so maybe it works the way it should now and pull a complete history for the car instead of having to go station hunting. also if the T was changed by a Lexus dealership they will place a sticker on the radiatior cover stating the date, station and millage it was changed. if you don't have that sticker then it has not been changed or changed by a non-lexus dealer (which is fine)

but i would start with the dealerships around the 90k to 100k services.

Shaffer

Then it obviously has not been changed by a Lexus dealer. There are no "service" stickers under the hood. Only stickers under there are the ones that the factory placed on the car. Thanks again.

Shaffer

When I took the car to the dealer today to get my airbag reconnected- I had the service counter lady to run my cars service history. However, since the car was bought in another state, then the original owners moved to another state and traveled all over and had the car serviced at a few different Lexus dealers- it did not give a detailed report. It showed where the car was taken in for service many times, but it just quoted "read detail" out from that date/mileage. It did however show all of the details up to about 50K miles, even at the other Lexus dealers. I think the original owner also had a independent repair shop that also did a lot of the work, as I had other sales receipts in the car from independent car repair shops. One interesting thing on the most recent service report from Lexus was that a few months ago the car was brought in for airconditioning repair and the dealer quoted them $1000 parts and $300 labor for a stopped up evaporator core. Needless to say- they passed on it- but at least I know what is wrong with the A/C.

Since the engine is a non-interference engine, I am not severely concerned with the belt at this time.
I would like to know if my minor engine "lifter" tapping is a cause for concern. The car is otherwise extremely quite. Does the valves need to be adjusted on these cars?

RODDMOD

When I had my 90 LS I had the valve train clicking noise. I went the valve adjusting route and it was done by a Lex dealer. $600.00 later it made very little difference. The next thing the dealer will tell you when you tell them that the noise is still there is that you need more $$$$ of work. IMO don't have it done.