Dirtyd210

I know eBay has a timing belt pro kit for over $300, but there is also a cheaper kit for around $150-175 range.. I'm wondering if any one here has gone w/the cheaper setup and how it has held up..
I'll probably end up getting the pro-kit or go OEM, but I just want to know if anyone here has tried the cheaper setup. My 2001 is almost @ 210k miles. No engine lights, works flawless.. It has never had timing/water pump service done yet so before I replace, I thought I'd ask. Thanks in advance.

Jabberwock

These particular critical parts are not the place I would try to save $150 on the LS unless the parts were absolutely identical. Just my .02.

gbracer04

Are you saying you went 210k thousand miles without ever changing timing belt? Why would you risk it for that long when it should be changed before 100k?

TSA1

Same question! If so, thats impressive!

BradTank

I personally would buy a kit off of RockAuto, they have an Aisin kit for around $160, many of these components are the exact OEM ones:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...458&cc=1416642

I would prefer to go with an established seller for EXTREMELY critical parts than someone just selling parts out of their garage on Ebay, but that's just me.

Lynzoid

Rockauto let me down with quality of 'oem' parts more than once. Behind the hype they are just another junk reseller... Just my experience. To find out, that 'new' steering pump is leaking badly AFTER throwing out the old one and install job is f-ed. Then they send another one and.... situation repeats. No more rockauto for me.

BradTank

I don't think it's RockAuto's fault that a part was faulty anymore than it's Best Buy's fault if your Sony DVD player breaks. RockAuto doesn't manufacture the parts, they sell them.

RockAuto sells all sorts of lines, including economy junk parts to high quality OEM. Some people want "Pep Boys" quality because they have a beater and aren't interested in long lasting quality.

My problem with resellers like Ebay is some are reputable, but some are fly by night operations that are here today and gone tomorrow. They could be cleaning up junkyard parts and putting them in new boxes for all you know. I've actually had something like that happen to me from an Ebay purchase.

Places like Amazon or Rock Auto are usually safer because they'd be shut down in short order if they were caught selling counterfeit or used parts. You're also usually in better shape for any warranty issues with an authorized retailer.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

^ that's what i say. And RA has sections for some parts [brakes] that state 'economy' 'daily driver' 'premium'.

My experience is always good. I got a trico washer pump for an RX. Turns out it sprays very little, so i call and they have one on the way 'just like that' at no charge to me. Can't beat service like that.

With eBay, they'll make you resend [on your dime] and re-send you a new kit. Rock auto has millions of customers world wide, the most i've seen an ebay seller is 100k, and most <5k in terms of feedback...

gomboy60

I have recently replaced timing belt / other belts with couple of pulleys on my 03 RX300 after 150K with OEM part purchased on eBay. Even after all those miles, the belts looked perfect fine. It was a pain in the **** to remove some of the parts (there was a metal bracket that has to come off only when the front engine mount was lose and engine lifted few inches) but the bottom line is it is better to spend a bit more now on OEM parts. By the way, I was unable replace the water pump since I did not wat to risk breaking couple of long aluminum bolts (that already suffered stripped inver-torx head) .
The part vendor: CB-House.

Dirtyd210

Yes.. I'm at a little over 206k miles and bought the car at 120k.... I've replaced radiator and fans, and thats about it. Other than regular synthetic oil changes I have had no engine lights and all is good.... I did replace vacuum hoses and fluids and thermostat when I replace radiator... I also putted slotted rotors front and back and have top of the line components, battery, etc...
I know it's "way" overdue, but this is the next service I'm planning for...

TSA1

I was reading over on the us lexus owner club forum that they rarely see timing belt failures, but that the main concern is something like a tensioner failing or the water pump seizing causing the belt to break etc.

TaninAuto

I've used dozens of the "ebay" kits on many cars and never had any problems. The quality is usually very similar to OEM. Koyo bearings, etc. Just go with an ebay seller that sells a ton of them.

khiggler

I have read that LS 430 timing belts look virtually when changed at 120k miles. I hear timing chains are coming back In automotive design to save costs And improve reliability

MDSC

iTrader: (3)

i would also replace the hydraulic tensioner at over 200k if it fails youre screwed

fensterlip

Well, my 04 LS430 is at the shop now as I type getting the timing belt and water pump replaced at 94K. The mechanic finished the job yesterday using a Gates belt ( I personally have used Gates belts for 30 years and like them). When I took the car out for a spin the Check Engine came on. Back at the mechanics shop he pulled the codes and it came out as a Crank Position Sensor error. Everyone squinted while staring at the front of the engine concealing the new belt. He decided he wanted to tear it back down and try replacing the belt with a Lexus (I imagine Toyota) belt. He also ordered a new CPS to see if that was in trouble.

I have 2 thoughts. One, has anyone ever done this job only to find a CPS code being thrown out? What was the problem? Number two, man am I glad I didn't buy an OEM kit from eBay or Rock Auto only to find him looking at me and saying, "Well, it was your kit, sucker!"

I paid $875 for the job including a new water pump. He elected to keep the idler and the tensioner. He said they looked good and smooth and he's found new ones can be a crapshoot with some of them failing early. Any thoughts there?