r0cketm0nk

Hi folks, just picked up a 2002 LS430 with 120k and some change on the clock for $7200. Would have pushed lower if it wasn't for the ultra luxury package, seems to be pretty rare.

It does need some TLC - timing belt kit, transmission fluid probably, coolant flush (I think it's done with the timing belt?), subwoofer's blown, some oxidation on the quarter panel, front seats leather could use reupholstery, oil change I will do on my own, ride height adjust is slow af, one of the hooks on the rear window shade is broken, and some miscellaneous bits...but I think in the end it will be worth my while.

As long as I can clean it up to my liking and good working condition, I'm planning to push it to 300k at least. Hope to learn from everyone while getting there

Johnhav430

Sweet, and congrats!

There's a likelihood that your timing belt has never been done, and from the forum, 120k seems perfectly alright, but probably should be done as a peace of mind thing.....the indies will do the tensioner pulley, idler, and tensioner as well, Toyota may not do that the first time around.

This job seems to run $700-$850 at an indie, and I always seem to be at the higher end, maybe location. Dealer wanted $1400 and that's timing belt and water pump only.

I think some folks reuse the tensioner, but at $25, why not just replace it....DIY'ers seem to like the Aisin kits, like $145 and $170 or so without or with the tensioner.

I believe the official Toyota service is a drain and fill rather than a flush. I took my car to Lexus and did the coolant, and the invoice says drain and fill. Then, unfortunately, I did the timing belt so it was a waste, just that I wanted new coolant asap after buying the LS used, and it had evaporated such that the reservoir was empty.

If you DIY don't pay $26 for the pink Toyota stuff, get it at Walmart for $8. Although a 2002 uses the red stuff, I think it's ok to use the pink stuff which is super long life as opposed to long life.

Oil is a never ending debate but I use synthetic, whichever has a rebate (seems to be Pennzoil lately), and a WIX XP filter ($7 at rock, there are $3 filters but what the hey)....welcome and good luck!

Oh and you might want to check the rear front lower control arm bushings. These seem to crack with age, and I found from my experience, changing these and aligning the car seem to be some real bang for buck. I had a shake at 60-65 that is now gone.

r0cketm0nk

Thanks for the tips. For me, as far as oil, synthetic is de facto, no debate. Unless the engine will spontaneously explode, I see no reason to use dino oil at all.

I actually got quoted for $950 from a shop for the timing belt...trying to get a lower quote lol. I checked the AISIN kits, and I'm very tempted to go with it. I might need the thermostat too actually, engine temps are high on idle.

Johnhav430

Well at least you know it's most likely to be $1400 or more at the dealer, so $950 is ok, but of course nicer to go lower....

On the lower control arm bushings, some like me went OEM, which requires pressing the old out, and the new in, arm can stay installed.

Others DIY'd by buying a aftermarket bushing that already has the bracket.

Some also like the FIGS engineering which are poly, and also have the brackets. But we all seem to agree this is one of those bang for buck jobs (dealer also wants over $1400 but they replace the entire arm, because the smaller bushing does not come separately, yet most say not needed....)

Here's a link to the FIGS bushings....

http://shopfigs.com/v3/index.php?rou...ath=41_122_238

r0cketm0nk

Found a small spot that will do the timing belt for $850, all OEM parts...I think I'll take it lol

Johnhav430

One last suggestion...make sure they are familiar...when I asked have you ever worked on a LS430 timing belt, they said yes, many. Then the owner said I personally did my own Tundra twice. You don't want to hear, "No, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express," and we'll definitely watch the YouTube before we start, and figure it out!!

2KHarrier

welcome aboard rocket. Make sure they verify to you that they will be using the Toyota replacement parts. More than a few places will tell you they use OEM, but in the end they go with what ever kit is easily /cheaply available. The price sounds fair. You'll have to add a few pictures of the car when you can

Johnhav430

In my case, the $775 was with an Aisin TKT kit, not Toyota parts (they gave me the Aisin box back, which has my name, and their shop name and address, on the delivery label). My hunch is the $800 job is not with OEM, it's with Aisin.

I like safety in numbers. If every DIY'er uses Aisin, it has to be pretty good. Aisin is said to make the pump for Toyota. The belt in the kit is made by Mitsoboshi, the original says Toyota but I thought it was made by Mitsoboshi. Aisin gives you a Koyo idler and tensioner pulley --my factory idler was a Koyo, but the tensioner was made by NSK. I don't know who makes the Aisin tensioner in the kit, but the factory was NTN. I thought Toyota is double the price, so that should be reflected in the job price if that's what you want....my .02

ALWAYS ASK FOR THE OLD PARTS BACK, I'm not too proud to do that. It shows that a) you probably did the work b) I can see what condition the old parts are in If this is not possible, bye bye. If you cheat and give me someone else's parts back, well, what can I do, I tried....

edit p.s. it's my understanding that the Aisin kit is from the USA. The Toyota parts are from Japan. Ditto with Bando serpentine belts. The USA made is like $19. The Toyota is like $95? I will check that number...

pps think there are two OEMs available, $85.59 list, or $56.34 list, even at 31% off, way more than $19...

r0cketm0nk

Yeah I took a good look at the Toyota Genuine OEM kit, their part came from AISIN as well, but with a fancy branded box...and twice the price. But yeah, good advice. I'll make sure to ask for the old parts back. Kinda curious myself on the condition of them anyway.

Toysled

Ultra luxury... sounds like a nice find/project. Keeping it stock and maintained or modding it to some point?

As for the Aisin kit, one thing I did not find was a small rectangle o-ring gasket that's near the thermostat area. No biggie as I ended up re-using the original one which was still pliable and placed a little Toyota FIPG and no problems to date.

Good luck and have fun!!

Bocatrip

Welcome Rocket. Even more important than the kit that you are using (although I'm an advocate of OEM unless I know with certainty that the part is the same as the manufacturers part), is the tech that is doing the job. Belt replacement should be done by someone who knows the car and has done them before. Good luck and enjoy your car.

r0cketm0nk

Stock. None of that hellaflush or stanced nonsense. I have my weekend car for that shenanigans

Oh yeah, my fuel gauge apparently only reads 75% full...another thing to fix :'(

r0cketm0nk

I left it at the hole in the wall shop today. The guy definitely knows what he's doing - he actually owned the 430 and now a 460 and services it himself (who knew?). The belt - along with the tensioner, water pump, pulleys, all replaced and good as new. That's the good news.

The bad news - he noticed a leak in the valve cover gasket, took it apart, and it looks like hell inside. It's not even sludge. Looks like dried chocolate cake. So he's going to clean it out, do an engine flush, clean the TB, replace the radiator (rusting, not leaking, but hell why not at this point), flush the transmission, replace the thermostat, and check on the fuel level sensor.

The silver lining is that the 3UZ is going to survive, it seems. Just have to make sure that caked oil doesn't drop into the chamber. Surprised it ran like such, really. I've seen sludge, but not like this.

Even more surprising is that the timing belt job is still the most expensive out of all this, by a country mile.

annnnnnnnnnnd I just noticed it doesn't have bluetooth. But 2002...I guess. Window shopping some 2DIN solution, but not sure how I feel about having a fake honda-esque 2-screen thing going on. Might just have to live with it.

Johnhav430

Sounds like the guy who did the TB knows what he's doing....wth would cause that caking? The mileage is not that high....

I guess I shy away when I hear the world "flush," and in the Toyota world it seems to be more common to hear "drain...."

I remember back in the day when I took my Maxima to the dealer, they recommended based on the high mileage (50k?) that I do a Bosch engine flush. When I refused, the advisor insisted I take a walk in to the shop with him to see the impressive machine....no thanks!! lol

r0cketm0nk

lol I suppose drain is the proper word. My guess the cake is from very few oil changes, and the fact it's dino oil. AFAIK synthetic will never do this.