Story of my first Lexus
08-14-13, 05:35 PM
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Story of my first Lexus
first off i want to intoduce myself, my name is jesus and im in so cal.
i recently purchased a 95 ls400 and right after handing the guy the cash i drove it home for about 10min then suddenly the timing belt broke. keep in mind that the day before me and my buddy went to test drive it and everything seemed fine. anyways after having my mechanic replace the timing belt. turns out 3 cylinders are bad. meaning something bent after the belt broke. so now im stuck with the choice of either having this rebuilt. or buying a new engine. i found a replacement engine for $550 and i dont know exactly how much my mechanic is going to charge me in swapping it. any opinions on what i should do? rebuild heads and valves? or just go with the swap.
Thanks and im looking forward to being part of this forum.
i recently purchased a 95 ls400 and right after handing the guy the cash i drove it home for about 10min then suddenly the timing belt broke. keep in mind that the day before me and my buddy went to test drive it and everything seemed fine. anyways after having my mechanic replace the timing belt. turns out 3 cylinders are bad. meaning something bent after the belt broke. so now im stuck with the choice of either having this rebuilt. or buying a new engine. i found a replacement engine for $550 and i dont know exactly how much my mechanic is going to charge me in swapping it. any opinions on what i should do? rebuild heads and valves? or just go with the swap.
Thanks and im looking forward to being part of this forum.
08-14-13, 05:45 PM
#4
honestly,
$550 isnt bad for a motor. and swaping the motor is easier (IMO) than tearing off the heads and replacing valves.
thats if thats all that is wrong.
you could have easily ruined the heads, pistons.
so you basicaly are looking at tearing the motor out, tearing the motor apart, finding used heads in good condition, I would get the heads resurfaced,
then taking out the rotating assembly, getting new pistons, might as well do a whole rebuild at that point.
then put it back together and throw it in the car.
or just buy a used running motor for $550 and be done with it. dont forget to do the timing belt on the new (used) motor. you already bought it.
$550 isnt bad for a motor. and swaping the motor is easier (IMO) than tearing off the heads and replacing valves.
thats if thats all that is wrong.
you could have easily ruined the heads, pistons.
so you basicaly are looking at tearing the motor out, tearing the motor apart, finding used heads in good condition, I would get the heads resurfaced,
then taking out the rotating assembly, getting new pistons, might as well do a whole rebuild at that point.
then put it back together and throw it in the car.
or just buy a used running motor for $550 and be done with it. dont forget to do the timing belt on the new (used) motor. you already bought it.
08-14-13, 05:46 PM
#5
I would just swap the motor. You will most likely have more into rebuilding the heads with new valves than you would just swapping the motor over. Also these motors are built very solid, so chances of you getting a motor that will last are pretty high. 
Just make sure the new (used) motor has a new T-belt and water pump on it before you have it put in. A lot easier our of the car.
Just make sure the new (used) motor has a new T-belt and water pump on it before you have it put in. A lot easier our of the car.
08-14-13, 06:40 PM
#6
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Sorry to hear the bad news. I killed a car in 4 days once (when I was young and dumb) but 10 minutes of driving is really bad. Just goes to show you, ya never know when the t-belt is gonna go. That's why it's regular maintenance. I agree with the motor swap. Alot cheaper and quicker. But pull out the T-belt and water pump (and whatever else is new) from this engine and put it in the new engine while it's still out of the car. How much did you pay for the car and how many miles?
One more thing. How much do you trust this mechanic? He should have known to check the valves and such before changing the t-belt, knowing that it's an interferance engine.
What did he charge you to change the T-belt/WP?
One more thing. How much do you trust this mechanic? He should have known to check the valves and such before changing the t-belt, knowing that it's an interferance engine.
What did he charge you to change the T-belt/WP?
08-14-13, 06:40 PM
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honestly,
$550 isnt bad for a motor. and swaping the motor is easier (IMO) than tearing off the heads and replacing valves.
thats if thats all that is wrong.
you could have easily ruined the heads, pistons.
so you basicaly are looking at tearing the motor out, tearing the motor apart, finding used heads in good condition, I would get the heads resurfaced,
then taking out the rotating assembly, getting new pistons, might as well do a whole rebuild at that point.
then put it back together and throw it in the car.
or just buy a used running motor for $550 and be done with it. dont forget to do the timing belt on the new (used) motor. you already bought it.
$550 isnt bad for a motor. and swaping the motor is easier (IMO) than tearing off the heads and replacing valves.
thats if thats all that is wrong.
you could have easily ruined the heads, pistons.
so you basicaly are looking at tearing the motor out, tearing the motor apart, finding used heads in good condition, I would get the heads resurfaced,
then taking out the rotating assembly, getting new pistons, might as well do a whole rebuild at that point.
then put it back together and throw it in the car.
or just buy a used running motor for $550 and be done with it. dont forget to do the timing belt on the new (used) motor. you already bought it.
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08-14-13, 06:48 PM
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Sorry to hear the bad news. I killed a car in 4 days once (when I was young and dumb) but 10 minutes of driving is really bad. Just goes to show you, ya never know when the t-belt is gonna go. That's why it's regular maintenance. I agree with the motor swap. Alot cheaper and quicker. But pull out the T-belt and water pump (and whatever else is new) from this engine and put it in the new engine while it's still out of the car. How much did you pay for the car and how many miles?
One more thing. How much do you trust this mechanic? He should have known to check the valves and such before changing the t-belt, knowing that it's an interferance engine. What did he charge you to change the T-belt/WP?
One more thing. How much do you trust this mechanic? He should have known to check the valves and such before changing the t-belt, knowing that it's an interferance engine.
What did he charge you to change the T-belt/WP?and the mechanic is my cousin. paid $500 for parts which was the timing belt kit w/water pump and some sensors that needed to be changed as well
08-14-13, 09:34 PM
#11
Lexus Champion
change the timing belt on the new engine too! - and might wanna let someone besides your cousin do it, as he should have caught that before doing any work!
to save you some money, here is a link to the complete timing belt and water pump kit using all of the real Toyota dealership OEM parts!! - this is a steal, like getting $600 or $800 in parts for less than $200 - yay! - Even the hydraulic tensioner is included, something most kits leave out!
to save you some money, here is a link to the complete timing belt and water pump kit using all of the real Toyota dealership OEM parts!! - this is a steal, like getting $600 or $800 in parts for less than $200 - yay! - Even the hydraulic tensioner is included, something most kits leave out!
Last edited by LScowboyLS; 08-14-13 at 09:45 PM.
08-14-13, 09:47 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
since you had some really rotten luck, I am willing to do your ECU capacitors at no charge, when the time comes, and it will!
It's good karma!
It's good karma!
08-15-13, 10:10 AM
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since you had some really rotten luck, I am willing to do your ECU capacitors at no charge, when the time comes, and it will!
It's good karma!
It's good karma!
08-15-13, 11:39 AM
#14
Lexus Champion
well the point is, you didn't do anything wrong here, I have bought LS400's and other cars in Florida, and driven them back home to Alabama, so I am quite sympathetic to anyone who has had something happen that could have happened to me!
08-15-13, 11:57 AM
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Yea I guess it was just my bad luck. But hey everyone says these cars last forever with the right maintenance. So lets see what this LS has to offer after the engine is swapped.