Natey2

My 2000 ES300 (1MZ-FE) had VVTi, and I heard it wasn't an interference engine. Was that incorrect, or was it only the 3UZ VVTi engines that are interference?

Sent from an Android device using IB Automotive Group forum reader.

Viper6

I contacted Aisin USA and they confirmed Amazon is an authorized re-seller of their kits, so I bought one. Pump, tensioner and all components look good but one. The tensioner pulley has some radial play in the bearing (enough that the inner race contacts the dust seals from the inside and I can see them move). Is there any chance this is normal for anyone out there with a kit not yet installed they can check theirs? The idler bearing has no play and still rolls silky smooth which is what my experience says I should expect for these bearing components in this application.

I contacted Aisin and asked them to wade in and/or send me a replacement, I'll report back what I hear.

I plan to do the install in the spring when I hit 90k so I have some time to get to the bottom of this concern.

-John

407Steve

Viper6, I'd be careful with a pulley that shows play. If you read back earlier in the thread, you'll see that my motor failed because of a pulley boss which broke due to metal fatigue. I can't think of anything which would cause metal fatigue more easily than a wobbly bearing, which imparts vibration into the housing. Just my thoughts, I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

For others on the thread, my engine is down to the block now and the first thing I noticed on my 237,500 engine was that the cross-hatching on the cylinder barrels was still visible. Think about that! This engine has had 42 oil and filter changes--do the math (or better yet, I'll do it for you), that's an oil change every 5,654 miles for the life of the car, on non-synthetic. The benefits of frequent oil changes are stunning to me. The entire inside of the engine is a gold color and I have not yet found a single example of sludge or even colored deposits. More and more I believe that the belt would likely have lasted a LOT longer than 138k had the pulley boss not checked out. But therein lies a good reason for changing the belt on time--checking the other systems in the area. Sometimes I think that the reason Lexus wants us to change the belt at 100K is not for the belt, but for the pulleys and the WATER PUMP.

The motor lasted so long that other, ancillary problems had to take the engine down. It reminds me of an athlete with a perfect cardio-vascular system who got hit by a car. Would have lived forever.....

rowjimmy

I just replaced the timing belt/tensioners/water pump in my 2004. The car was at 92K miles.
I thought better safe than sorry...

AJT123

Thanks for keeping us updated! Please post pics if you can; lol I've been waiting for weeks to see in person what you mean about how well engineered our motors are! Hehe..

Viper6

Good advice on the bearing, I'm expecting a replacement honestly. Also to clarify, isn't that a helicoil from previous repair on the block? It certainly looks like one... so maybe this area of the block casting was already compromised? I'll look at mine when I get to it in the spring and see if I have an insert as well... just checking

Maserati

iTrader: (1)

This thread just opened my eyes, my belt was replaced at 95k by the dealership and now the car has 191K. i was going to put it off until feb, but now i want to do it asap. My friend just bought a IS300 with no record of a timing belt. ill forward this thread to him, to make sure he get's the message.

407Steve

I have looked at it further and don't believe that there was a heli-coil in the threads. It appeared that the aluminum in the thread channels were stronger than the other cast materials, maybe from heating when they were drilled. Could not find any remnant of a helicoil. It was either over-torqued or there was a flaw in the casting. Honestly, though, it's hard to say that something that lasted 237,000 miles was "flawed."

Maskvich

Hello everyone! I just bought a 2004 LS430 with 93k (Miles). The previous owner said the timing belt kit (belt, water pump, pulley etc) was done at his local mechanic (non dealer). He provided a hand written receipt from the gas station mechanic that gives me NO confidence. Is there any way I can verify this job has been done, done correctly?

Gronemus

I hope I don't come off sounding like an arsehole but if this bothers you so much why did you buy the car in the first place???

That said, if it makes you feel any better, I'm in the same situation as you. The only "evidence" I have is a computer generated receipt that looks kind of cheesy from a small shop in Milwaukee and the fact that the serpentine belt was changed. I have given some thought as to whether it is worth my time to stop there and ask them if they have their own record of the service.

I don't think there is any easy way to tell if it's been changed short of re-doing the job again. If it ever starts bothering me much I'll just go out and pick up a kit and install it myself...

js058515

I just completed a DIY timing belt and water pump service on my 02 w/ 160k. If you want to be certain that it was done on your vehicle you will need to remove the timing belt covers at a minimum. At that point you may be able to determine there is a new/different brand timing belt or possibly see if last mechanic marked the cams when they allegedly did the service. My cams had been marked from its first timing belt service. There may be other ways to determine if it was done, but those are the 2 ways off the top of my head I can think of.

Johnhav430

When a vehicle is on its last legs, I can see avoiding a service that costs hundreds....but I use the indie price of $850, and divide it by 9. For every extra 10k miles you push your belt beyond the recommended interval, you are saving $94. Do I care about saving $94, sure I do, I just opened a checking account for a $400 taxable incentive, and I won't get the money for about 60 days, and I had to setup direct deposit because at least one $500 DD is a requirement. So I do care about money. But imho the conventional wisdom says to just change the belt since a LS430 of any vintage isn't on its last legs yet. Folks have surmised that 90k is conservative, and 180k is probably doable. But I would say it's not the belt itself that can fail as a general rule, it's some component, be it idler, tensioner, or fluid hits the belt and it slips, etc. $94 is barely an impulsive family dinner that wasn't planned....my .02

p.s. you know how you can be certain the job was done? Ask the indie to show you your car taken apart, and ask them to return the old parts in the box. Or, DIY. The reason you kind of need to be shown, is a good indie won't really leave any trace of the work, except for maybe putting an Aisin sticker on the plastic. But that sticker imho isn't really proof that the work was done, it is from an honor system standpoint, but it can be fudged, just like inspection stickers...

tallcaguy

Agree it isn't proof but isn't it hard to get the sticker unless you buy the kit? Isn't Spend all that money for the parts and then don't do the job? Hey these days, it's certainly possible to print a decal that looks correct. Then look closely and there's "Ain't sin" in small letters. Just kidding of course

jimisbell

I think what would be more revealing is, "What was the 'earliest' failing of a timing belt?" That would reveal the strength of the belt.

Bob04

I recently purchased a 2004 with a little less than 21K miles on it and the timing belt had not been done. I had my local dealer do the timing belt anyway due to age and refresh all the fluids. No need to risk it to save a few bucks.