spxChrome

The 93 LS 400 I just bought 2 days ago has 96,000 and needs a timing belt. By brother is an AWS certfied Technician for Honda working on Honda's for 5 years. I had an accord before I got the 93 lexus and he could tell me were every screw was on that car. He is very good and I trust him.

He said he can do the timing belt on my lexus. He has done several Camry's on the side.

I don't know squat about timing belts so I don't know. If he is a master tech on Honda's and timing belts will this be a simple job for him? Is there that much difference in cars on timing belts or is it pretty straight forward?

How much does the part cost? The dealership will do it for $500. Will I save much money bothering him with it?

thanks again for everyone's help.

GSquicksilver

let him do it and save yourself some bucks. all timing belt replacements are similar, you just have to make sure you align the belt correctly. besides, if he screws up, you can always kick his butt since he's your brother.

spxChrome

ROFL - How much it will it save. Lexus said they will do it for $500. He will do it for FREE if I buy the parts. Any idea how much the parts are?

You need a special tool to align the build correctly? Or is a no brainer for a pro like him?

dunn378

i've done a couple of lexus timing belts on the Ls. if he is doing it for free you should let him do it. while your in there you should replace the waterpump too. you don't need any special tools just a good memory of where all the parts that come off go!! i'm not sure exactly how much the parts will cost you but you should save at least $200-300 by letting your brother do it. if he does everything correctly i would give him a nice tip because there are alot of parts but nothing he should'nt be able to handle.

rybikowsky

You can get a belt price from someone like iron toad,also get water pump price.As I am getting older I find my memory getting worse.I now use a digetal camera,and take many pictures as I take anything apart.Then when you have any question just look at the picture.I changed the belt on a honda civic some years ago.It was very simple.The lexus is a much more involved job.Not that diffucult,but a lot of things to remove and replace.Good luck.Michael R

SharpLS-96

If your going to do the timing belt with your brother I would change all of this since you have it all apart.

New timing Belt.
Water Pump replacement.
Idle pullie replacement.
Timing belt tensioner replacement.
New cam and crank seals.
Upper & lower radiator hose with new clamps if they have not been done recently.
Thermostat w/ new gasket
New anitfreeze.
New serpentine belt.

Those are the main things I would do off the top of my head since you have no service history on the vehicle. Sounds like a great deal but really it isn't.

spxChrome

What isn't a great deal?

SharpLS-96

I meant .......sounds like a great deal of parts and labor but it's not since everything is apart.
Thought you would get that, bad choice of words I guess.
opps

spxChrome

Man, now I am in a tough spot. I check the history at the lexus dealership for this 93 LS I just bought 3 days ago. I new it needed a timing belt since it has 97,000 so I was going to get the water pump replaced also but the history at lexus showed it got a new water pump at 37,000. So should I still replace it this time when I get the new timing belt?

It's a $220 question on top of what I am having to spend already. Don't even ask why the water pump had to replaced at only 37,000. I didn't even want to go there.

tenpointed

Let me guess. An accident car, right? That's ok as long as the body work was done right & the frame didn't have any major damage. Since the water pump only has 60k on it, there is no sense replacing it if it isn't broken. The Timing belt is something you should definitely have replaced if it hasn't already been done though. I believe it is normally part of the 60k service. Wear items like belts, hoses, and gaskets (the ones that can be reached easily) would be a good idea to have replaced while they are doing the timing belt.

BrianV

Did the dealer say $500 would include the water pump and cam seals change?

What does the whole kit and kaboodle cost at a Lexus dealer, and what would the average mechanic shop cost as they're usually cheaper then the dealer.

Please try to seperate the parts and labor costs, thanks!!!

spxChrome

$500 for the timing belt and lablor. Add $200 for the water pump while they are in there. don't know how much the seals will cost.

BrianV

Yeah my friend said he paid $900 to the lcoal lexus dealer to get EVERYTHING done. Water pump seals, belts, etc. He just told Lexus to do EVERYTHING that should be done with this.

It was the first time he spent money on the car, it had 140K miles, still today other then an alternator that is all he has spent on the car and he now has 175k