shimamizu

Took my car in for it's regular oil change and tire rotation. Since it's over 90,000 miles now they recommended replacing the timing belt. Pricing is a bit high to do at the Lexus owned service center, so if I do it I'll find a more local or Toyota service place since they have better pricing... how many people find following this advise of changing the timing belt at 90k to be prudent? Will it hurt if I put it off for another 10-20k? Not noticing any issues right now, but of course don't want to end up stranded one day if it goes bad on the road or something. So just wondering when others have replaced their timing belts and if they had problems if they waited too long or not.

smassey321

I changed mine at 100k and it looked new. I should have waited until 120k miles.

maximizese

I had ours changed at 118K miles along with the radiator and CVT fluid. It looked new with no signs of stress. I just feel more confident knowing that the belt is new and should be less likely to fail. I'm assuming most of us have the ICE running 70-80% of the time, so maybe going a little over 100K isn't so bad after all. My local Lexus dealership quoted me from $1,200 -$2,600 depending on the scope of work, but I took it to my trusty indy. I paid $500 in parts (radiator, water pump, timing belt, seals, tensioner, idler pulley, and CVT fluid) and he charged me $360 in labor (@$60/hr). I only wish that I had him change the spark plugs while he was at it, but I'm guessing they'll last till 200K miles.

jakenbake

You could probably go quite a while on the original belt but the reason they suggest replacing the belt at 90k is that IF it were to break, you could have catastrophic consequences.

arsooner

What everyones take on doing seals at 100M with the belt and water pump? No leak no change? Thxs

joedaddy1

iTrader: (1)

recently had the t-belt, water pump, cam seals, and tensioners changed for ~$1300 ish at the lexus dealer ship.. it was probaly $200 more than else where, but the car was already in the shop and gave them oem spark plugs to replace while they are at it.. (extra $120 on top).

NotADood

to be honest, i've seen Toyota vehicles with 200,000 miles on the original timing belt. However, I have seen the water pumps on RX400h's begin to leak at mileages as low as 70,000 miles.

mandyfig

Just to give you guys some pointers:

1. The belt would normally not break.
2. Failure would occur on the water pump leaking, coolant loss and finally seized water pump.
3. After the above happens, belt would probably break, if not, you will see a CEL indicating very high temps due to coolant loss.

I have seen an RX400H with 125K miles with coolant crud indicating pump leak with the coolant reservoir empty. Belt was rusty due to leak but nowhere show failure marks.

jimboesfo

Changing my timing belt now at 109K miles. Belt and seals all look good but the water pump was leaking through the weep hole. Not sure about dealers not changing the water pump at the timing belt change. Also, I am replacing the radiator as it just started to leak. I also strongly recommend changing the CVT fluid.

arsooner

Just finished my timing belt (w/kit), seals & water pump. Not hard but time consuming. The belt looked pretty good, seals even better. Water pump leak, dried pink gunk around weep hole, the seal/gasket was fine. The weep hole was the leak. About six hour but took my time. The mirror and the rear cam seal is ruff. I bought a OEM kit from Evergreen Parts with a Mitsubishi belt that had cam and crank markings. Forget the mirror!! Once **"everything is TDC"**, at least front cam and crank, the rear cam therefore has to be. Take the belt off, rotate the rear cam froward, till you can see the timing mark on the cam gear, a-line the cam mark on the gear to the new belt cam mark (solid line), a-line the front cam gear mark with the belt cam mark (solid line). Use plastic ties or strong clips to hold both in place. A-line the belt crank shaft marks (dotted line) with the belt sprocket dot. Replace tensioner bearing, idler bearing and hydraulic tensioner. Check by feel to be sure that every tooth has found a home in the sprocket. You will have to move the the cams and crank doing it this way but as long as marks on the cams and crank a-line with the the correct marks on the belt you are good. However, if you want to drag out the mirror for a final check.....................go for it.

thomas1

I did last time, but my body is telling me not again...I for the first time am giving in to my aches and pains....