Timing Belt question
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,146
Likes: 70
From: Illinois
The Mitsuboshi timing belt can be bought separately, so you're still in doubt as to whether other internal parts and water pump were replaced. Mitsuboshi is the same belt in the Aisin Kit.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 878
Likes: 232
From: Arizona
I just replaced my timing belt with the Aisin Kit. Car had 110k and it had never been changed. The belt was in ok shape but the idler pulley was noisy, no play but definitely on it's last leg. It also looked like the water pump gasket was about to start leaking. If just the belt was replaced on yours I would definitely consider redoing everything for peace of mind.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 248
From: AZ
the stickers I have seen all looked like Tom57. your sticker says Mitsuboshi, not Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi makes belts. Mitsuboshi makes a kit that is a little cheaper than the Asin kit on ebay. I would be very concerned, but if you can do it all anyway, no big deal. just so you know what you are saving, 90,000 mile service started at $1,100. called back to add waterpump for $350. total was about $1,556.
Mitsuboshi is the brand of the actual belt that comes with the Aisin kit, at least the last one I bought did. That service sticker with "Mitsuboshi" on it is also what's included.
When the Lexus dealership does the job, the sticker they put on is different than the one the OP has and does not say "Mitsuboshi" on it. The LS I bought had the timing belt service done at a Lexus dealership by the previous owner and had the records. The sticker on there was like the one Tom57 listed.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 878
Likes: 232
From: Arizona
My Aisin kit tkt-021 came with the Mitsuboshi belt and had the blue Aisin sticker pictured above.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 675
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From: Texas
For grins I emailed my salesman if he could contact the previous owner and find out if they have records.
I would also like to know if the timing belt kit has a blue sticker and the timing belt, if bought by itself, has the brown sticker that I show under my hood?
I would also like to know if the timing belt kit has a blue sticker and the timing belt, if bought by itself, has the brown sticker that I show under my hood?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 248
From: AZ
The "brown/black" Mitsuboshi sticker your LS now has is the same one that came with a full Aisin timing belt/water pump kit I bought from RockAuto. Newer kits may now include instead the "blue" Aisin sticker, but mine looks like what you have on there now and I bought a kit around 18 months ago.
You have to think, if somebody put that sticker on purely for the purpose of fooling someone, they have to be about the dumbest scammer alive for then forgetting to actually write down the mileage as they were putting the sticker on in order to scam a buyer.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 675
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From: Texas
The "brown/black" Mitsuboshi sticker your LS now has is the same one that came with a full Aisin timing belt/water pump kit I bought from RockAuto. Newer kits may now include instead the "blue" Aisin sticker, but mine looks like what you have on there now and I bought a kit around 18 months ago.
You have to think, if somebody put that sticker on purely for the purpose of fooling someone, they have to be about the dumbest scammer alive for then forgetting to actually write down the mileage as they were putting the sticker on in order to scam a buyer.
You have to think, if somebody put that sticker on purely for the purpose of fooling someone, they have to be about the dumbest scammer alive for then forgetting to actually write down the mileage as they were putting the sticker on in order to scam a buyer.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 248
From: AZ
It still boils down to the fact that I have no guarantee that the belt and water pump were replaced although the fact that the sticker was applied from a third part mechanic (outside of Lexus dealer) gives me a bit more comfort that the job was actually done. If I was assuming I would say it was done around the 90,000 mile mark since the lexus records show they reminded the owner it needed it about that time.
And if you get the owners contact info, who's to say he won't lie about it? If he dummies up a sticker, he'll also lie about something like that.
I definitely think it's HIGHLY unlikely that somebody pulled a scam like that, mainly because I don't think you can get that exact sticker without actually buying a belt or a kit, but of course anything is possible.
Rookie
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 88
Likes: 7
From: CA =(
I am looking at some 430's on CL. All of them are over 100k (110-150k miles), if there is no mention of a timing belt and a water pump done in the ad, is it safe to assume it wasn't done?
Ive called a couple of places and asked, but the answer is 'let me get back to you on that'. I never get a call back, so I am going to assume the answer is no.
Ive called a couple of places and asked, but the answer is 'let me get back to you on that'. I never get a call back, so I am going to assume the answer is no.
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,146
Likes: 70
From: Illinois
The belt was replaced. The belt can be purchased separately. So the question not answered: were the internal timing belt-related parts and water pump replaced (i.e. all of the parts in the Aisin kit other than the belt)?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 675
Likes: 23
From: Texas
I am looking at some 430's on CL. All of them are over 100k (110-150k miles), if there is no mention of a timing belt and a water pump done in the ad, is it safe to assume it wasn't done?
Ive called a couple of places and asked, but the answer is 'let me get back to you on that'. I never get a call back, so I am going to assume the answer is no.
Ive called a couple of places and asked, but the answer is 'let me get back to you on that'. I never get a call back, so I am going to assume the answer is no.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 675
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From: Texas
Let us know what kind of condition you find these Lexus on the indept car lots. The one's I looked at were rough. Good luck.
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