My 98 GS400 is at the dealer now for the 90k service and i'll be suprised if I get out for under 1500.00

 

You guys are doing the right thing by changing out your timing belt. When i changed mines at 127,000 miles, my mechanic was surprised that i made it to his shop according to the wear and hairline cracks!

 

check out the cracks on this thing, I am so happy I got it done when I did!
more pics coming

 

pic #2 sorry for the quality, cell phone camera

 

figured I would throw in a pic of the car as well, stock with k&n air filter

 

wow-that belt does look pretty messed up.

 

I got the parts myself and I have a personal mechanic that has 18 years of experience, certified and all of that. He only charged me 160 for the labor, good friend, he saved me a TON of money!

 

that might be worth the drive from jersey LOL

 

Wow. That's really something. Thanks for posting up pix. And that was at 106,900? I guess there's a reason (and it looks like a good reason) for doing the timing belt at 90,000. That's definitely a service you shouldn't put off doing. Consider yourself fortunate.

 

can someone please tell me how much shop time is involved in doing all this work, including the water pump, etc?

 

what other things need to be done? crank seal?

i asked a mechanic friend about someone's question here about whether to change the water pump or not and he said yes, regardless if it's leaking or not because he dosen't want to change the timing belt and then later on the pump dies (which it has a good chance of doing at that mileage/age) and he has to explain to an irate customer that he has to pull everything out again.

 

I just had the T-belt done on my GS400 at the dealer. Car has only 100k kilometers, so about 62k miles, but Lexus states 7 years or 156k kilometers is the interval. Belt looked OK, but the teeth were imprinting on the smooth side, which I am told means the belt is nearing its service life. I have done lots of belt changes on other brands, but didn't feel comfortable with the vVti GS engine.
The dealer charged 4 hours labour, and about 100.00 for the belt, so for $550.00 Canadian it was done. New iridium plugs too - and the dealer charged less for them than my wholesale supplier sells me platinums! Less than $10.00 each Canadian money. Great deal. One hour labour too.
I know the mechanic, and told him if any idler, or if the water pump needs doing, to do it. He said everything was fine. Engine did get a new pump at 20k under warranty, before I bought the car, though.

 

7 years? my schedule says 6 years:

http://www.lexus.ca/lexus/experience...ler=01130&vin=

what year is your gs400?

over the phone the dealer told me the water pump must be changed regardless of whether it leaked or not because they didn't want to incur any more additional expense should it fail later... might as well do it now for peace of mind?

he also mentioned a number of oil seals as well... total was somewhere in the $700+ range, which includes the cost of the water pump installed, but no plugs. if the tensioner pulley is making any hint of noise that will have to be done too... another $200+ parts and labor on top

 

The outter layer of rubber is the least important part of the belt. And you're bending it pretty hard to make those cracks appear.

The under side (the important side) looks pretty good.

 

It's a 98. I saw the factory service schedule at the dealer, and at least for Canadian cars using kilometers, it said 7years, 156K.
As to the other parts, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Oldest scam in the industry. If an oil seal doesn't leak, don't change it. Changing it can result in a seal that leaks. If a water pump doesn't leak, and has no bearing slop or noise, leave it. In my case the engine needed a pump at 20k right out of the gate, just because these things happen. Why change it if it works?
The tensioner runs on the oiuter layer, and if it disintegrates, the tensioner wheel will chew the belt very quickly to the fabric, and then its all over.