OK....between being really busy, having had the flu, etc., my timing belt replacement job has been going very slowly. Good think the Lexus isn't my only car.

So, I am ready to install the new water pump. The old, i.e., original water pump had no FIPG; only the gasket between the water pump and the block. The service manual says to use FIPG, but says nothing of the gasket. Therefore, I am a bit confused as to the appropriate install. Should it be:
1) gasket only (as the original had been installed)
2) FIPG only, no gasket
3) gasket AND FIPG

Any thoughts?

 

lol just to be safe...go with both, maybe a thin layer of the fipg. but in the lexls tutorial, he used only hi temp RTV silicone.. http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/timingbelt.html

 

In other words, fuel pump / gasket / thin layer of fipg? Could there be a risk of too much material between the pump and the block with both the gasket and the fipg?

FWIW, the gasket is a thin metal gasket with a rubber edge along the sealing points. That rubber edge of the gasket is what was stuck to the block when I removed the water pump.

 

well if u torque it to the correct specs, it should squeeze out the excess rtv out. i guess if when u removed the water pump and u saw the metal gasket there then i would think lexus/toyota would use only the metal gasket.

 

Hello AZ Mike,

When you get a chance, could you describe the shape your belt was in when you removed it?

Thanks!

 

The old timing belt doesn't look bad; no cracks or anything to imply imminent failure. The teeth on the belt were rounded off a bit, further evidenced by a lot of rubber dust on the inside of the cam covers. Bottom line, it looks OK....but whether it would go another 6 months or another 6 years before failure I have no way of knowing.

Nonetheless, I am glad that I did it. First, just the thought in the back of my mind that I was so far past the time interval and the knowledge that a belt failure would destroy my engine would have tormented me. Second, the idle pulleys did show some signs of wear (can hear the clicking of bearings when shaken). Third, while for the most part my engine bay is pretty clean, the timing belt tensioner was encased in a bright orange layer of rust......I don't know that it would lead to early failure, but it was the first thing I noticed when I started dismantling the front of the engine. Fourth, I know what is involved, so getting in to anything else will be much easier next time. Fifth, the satisfaction of knowing that I should not have to do this again for 6 years!! Finally, sixth......if you are going to work on your car in AZ, winter is the time to do it.

 

It's always better to have done it when not needed, than towish you had done it after it IS broken