99 LS400: Timing belt Change or wait?
06-30-12, 10:18 PM
#1
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99 LS400: Timing belt Change or wait?
I just got a 99 LS400 with 130k miles on it. I know the timing belt (& it sounds like the water pump) needs to be changed out ever so often, but I don't know when it was last changed, if ever. It runs great. Should I swap them out now just to be safe, or is it ok to wait until it starts causing problems? (My last car is a Mustang that you fix when something breaks, and has 250k+ miles on it.)
Last edited by RA40; 07-01-12 at 12:29 PM. Reason: Descriptive title
06-30-12, 10:33 PM
#2
Congratulations on purchasing your LS and welcome to CL. Would love to see a picture of your car.
You can look up the dealer maintenance history on your car by registering with Lexus.com and entering the VIN #. It will at least let you know what was done at a dealer over the life of the car. If the histiry shows it done, you'll know definitively when and where. If not done at a dealer it's probably safe to assume that it wasn't done at all.
A conservative purist would tell you that you're on borrowed time and should replace it to prevent future problems and prevent damage to your car should it fail.
I've seen the belts go over 250K miles without failing and I think it's far more robust than the maintenance schedule would suggest. What your tolerance for risk is probably the best gauge for what you should do.
You can look up the dealer maintenance history on your car by registering with Lexus.com and entering the VIN #. It will at least let you know what was done at a dealer over the life of the car. If the histiry shows it done, you'll know definitively when and where. If not done at a dealer it's probably safe to assume that it wasn't done at all.
A conservative purist would tell you that you're on borrowed time and should replace it to prevent future problems and prevent damage to your car should it fail.
I've seen the belts go over 250K miles without failing and I think it's far more robust than the maintenance schedule would suggest. What your tolerance for risk is probably the best gauge for what you should do.
07-01-12, 08:19 AM
#6
Pole Position
Welcome to CL and congrats on the purchase. 99% of people will change the belt if unknown if it has ever been done. The other 1% will not, and then end up with a car with a killed engine when the belt DOES go. Change it. If you do your own work on the car you can find a vast amount of info here on CL by using the search feature. Check out the FAQ thread stickied at the top of page one, very informative. 
07-01-12, 04:40 PM
#7
my 99 didnt have its first timing belt done til 200k. I bought the car from a friend that way. He had the money to replace the engine if the belt failed or he woulda sold it even cheaper too me. I got the belts water pump and seals replaced. (one of the reasons i got my ls400 for dirt. @PD)
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07-02-12, 10:59 AM
#8
you can inspect the belt by removing one of the covers but i would def replace the belt, pulleys, wp, etc at this mileage. you shouldn't wait for a sign before replacing, and the most likely sign is a snapped belt! if you are pretty mechanically savy, this is a good DIY project. this site helped me out greatly when doing mine, and i usually leave the heavy stuff to mechanics.
07-10-12, 08:05 PM
#9
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Thread Starter
Thanks for the warm welcomes and all the input. It goes in to a trusted mechanic tomorrow (no local Lexus dealers.) Last record of dealership maintenance online was the first oil change. I did change the cabin air filter (I think it was the first time, ever.) Blows like a hurricane now.
07-12-12, 12:59 AM
#12
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I just changed mine a few months ago. It had been changed at 60k, I bought it at 203k. I pulled one of the cover and noticed it had a decent amount of cracks so I wanted to change it. I did the belt, pulleys and the water pump. I'd suggest changing the cam seals and main seal while you're at it. That's one thing I forgot to do and now I have to go back and do it. One of mine are leaking. 
07-12-12, 02:05 AM
#13
Pole Position
On the 99 you need to take out the cams to change the cam seals. (Very labor intensive) They aren't like the earlier models. The Crank sensor is easy so that should be changed while it's taken apart.
07-12-12, 04:36 PM
#14
Not hijacking your thread but do you go by mileage or by the interval time. I have a '98 with 130k on it. Per record, the TB/WP. etc. were replaced at 95k back in '05. It's been 7 years. Am i still ok or is it time to do it again? thanks
