When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
OCI for today's modern dino oil has far exceeded 3k
suffice to say, today's synthetic can go 2x as long as conventional.
maybe try an oil additive?
i've personally had good luck with Lucas and Bardahl, but ymmv obviously (no pun intended).
Yea I know 10 to 15K is the normal interval for synthetic. But I'm assuming this mechanic recommended every 3K as a way to make the already-compromised valves last longer.
throw in a used motor, i have them if you need. 500 for the motor plus labor.
I never considered changing the engine – did a quick google check and most of them are >$1200 (didn't look too hard though). How many miles on your $500 engines? Are you located in the NE USA (New York area?). I'm curious. I have a guy that will probably give me a good price on the labor.
I never considered changing the engine – did a quick google check and most of them are >$1200 (didn't look too hard though). How many miles on your $500 engines? Are you located in the NE USA (New York area?). I'm curious. I have a guy that will probably give me a good price on the labor.
Is it firing on all cylinders? When was the last time the car had a tune-up?
I just got the car 2 months ago. I do not know the service history for the last 8 years. When I bought it, the engine was purring like a kitten and you could eat off it. Despite the noise it's making now, it continues to drive well.
Ok I finally managed to bring the car to my regular mechanic (now almost 50 miles from me, long story). He was the first one to actually use his stethoscope-type tool to listen to various parts of the engine. He says it's definitely coming from the water pump area, but could not say 100% it's the pump. I dropped off the car tonight and they'll start work in the morning. Question: if it IS the water pump, will they need to disassemble to the point where I might as well put a new timing belt on, or would that add significant labor to the job? I have 121k on the car and the timing belt was changed around 68k. Obviously I don't know the recommended service interval for the belt. Thanks for all the help so far!
You have to take the timing belt off to get to the water pump. The recommended interval for the timing belt is 90k. But, like 02SDGS said, you may as well replace it while you're in there. It's a relatively inexpensive part and there should be no labor cost since it has to come off and be put back on anyway. If you shop around, you can get a top-quality Gates belt for less than $50.
All of this begs the question of why didn't they change the water pump when they changed the timing belt. If they did, then have the worse luck for it to go bad in 30k miles or so. If it was changed, you might have a warranty claim.
All be damned! Wow, that's a trip really... So unfortunate sorry to hear. I also have a motor with 90k miles on it, took the valve covers off, the color is unbelievable... Compared to mine which when opened up is stained in a yellowish oil color, this ones straight silver like oils never even been run through it, was going to swap it into mine but I said hell with it, the car it came from was fully dealer serviced so if you live in Cali, let me know if your interested I'll toss it your way cheap. It'll just require a few parts from urs most significant just being your throttle body... Besides that, plug wires, and an OCV... Motors just absurdly clean... I should keep it dam...
EDIT! Didn't see this entire page lol! Yea if timing belt was done and they didn't offer you to replace or suggest to change the water pump as well as protocol, I personally wouldn't take a lexus back to that shop again. But then again, like many would say, my car doesn't go to anyone but myself anyhow... Pulling that motor honestly is not nearly as "bad" should I call it for lack of a better term, as one may think, if you've done a timing B. Job, well, let's just say pulling the motor is less of a head ache then that no doubt....
Last edited by GSGenesis; Sep 10, 2014 at 02:19 PM.
Thanks again for everyone's input, it's been real helpful. rofflehous nailed it, it was the water pump! In an attempt to save me some money, my mechanic first tried replacing the belt tensioner and pulleys – he thought that was where the noise might be coming from. When that didn't work, he did the water pump and that fixed it – the engine is purring happily. He also did the belt at the same time, I didn't have to ask – that's his policy. He said the bad water pump was original, not one put on when the belt was first done back at 67K. That was before the previous owner so I'll never know why someone decided to do only the timing belt at 67K, unless some other service was done where the belt was exposed so they changed it (as ttaylor993 said, the interval is 90K).
I'm attaching the invoice to show what service & parts costs are in my area (metropolitan NYC). As you can see, my mechanic also found a bad ball joint (I didn't notice any knocking sounds but now the car handles a lot better). I also needed two new tires and an inspection. I'm going to guess that he switched the belt tensioner & pulleys back to my original parts when that didn't cure things (haven't looked under the hood yet!) – "install new tensioner & pulleys" is listed as a labor item but there's nothing on the parts side.
I really appreciate everyone's taking the time to help a total Lexus noob here! And even though $1600 is not exactly a small amount of money, at the beginning of this thread I was thinking I might have to junk the car – the first mechanic I went to prescribed a total valve job at $3500!
