My mother has a 2001 LS430. Do any of you know whethe her 90k mile service should include the timing belt replacment? The dealership is wantiing to charge 600 more dollars to have the belt replaced.

Also, is the belt the type that would bend valves in the engine if it broke, before she has it replaced?

Thx!

 

well all dealers or not the same. some of the 90k services that they offer may come with timing belt and some may not. at my dealer a 90k service comes with a timing belt and it a extra 300 with out the timing pulleys and 500 with them it varies.. And yes if ur timing belt where to break u will bend valves.

 

I would change the water pump also.

 

Are you serious? If that's the case I'm gonna find a dealership that offers the timing belt change too, especially if they're trying to charge her 600 more!?

 

Anything else you'd recommend be changed with the 90k?

 

I don't think the valves would get bent if belt broke. First off, if the belt breaks, the engine is going to stall pretty much immediately, and the recuperating pistons wouldn't be able to touch the valves cause of valve clearance. Second, Timing belts like NEVER break. Most Toyota and Honda belts go for like 200k miles before needing to be replaced. If it is covered under warranty, get it replaced, other than that, don't bother paying $500+.

 

Thx for the advice, apparently it's the potential leaks in the water pump that cacn lead to a broken timing belt. I think they'll have both replaced just to be safe, but mostly because I think they negotiated a discount on the service when they bought their car.

Regarding timing belts, I believe Lexus recommends replacement at 90k, and the service guys say that in fact a broken belt CAN damage the engine. Not sure if that's a scare tactic or not.

 

For preventive maintenance, I say at around 90K-100K change the follwing: drive belt, timing belt, water pump, crank seals if doable, spark plugs and wires, flush radiator, change ATF fluid (every 15K miles or every 30K miles depends on how much you love your car), brake fluid every 30K miles, and differential fluid. Most of these you can do it yourself.
I want my Lexus to be able to drive across the US at any moment with just pump the gasoline and go. Not that I haven't change the timing belt so I don't want to take chance drive it long distance.

 

Aren't most of those items included in the Lexus 90k service?

 

You asked what esle should be change!

i don't go to dealer for thses maintenance. I do all these myself.

 

the ls430 uses an interference motor. if the belt brakes you are in for a big surprise. i did my timing belt on my 98 gs400 when it only had 63k miles which was about a year ago. good thing i did because when i had everything out, i noticed the water pump was seeping. i did it as preventative maintenance.

 

Typically the reason the water pump is changed with the timing belt is because you have to take all that stuff off. Since in most cars, the water pump isn't a bunch of bucks (not in a Lexus though! LOL), one might as well make the change because a lot of the cost is labor. At least I THINK this is right.