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thanks for the fill in the blanks posts above. I have to do this in a week and your pics help. I have a couple of questions.
1) did you install the water pump gasket dry or with silicone?
2) did you drain the block of coolant using the spigots on the block or just open the radiator hoses?
3) on the crank seal, did you drive it all the way in or just flush? On my IS300, if you drive the seal all tje way in, it blocks the oil drain hole and then leaks. I havent read the manual yet.
4) how did you drill the rear cam seal? Was there enough room?
I am not looking forward to this job on a transverse engine.
Compressing the tension your way is just fine. The tensioner is hydraulic, not spring loaded so its slow to move in or out. And there is no way to compress it so much that you will lift the truck unless it bottoms out. A bench vice is idea but not everyone has one.
Not trying to jump in between the conversation here, but I have done T_belt on my RX300 twice that is after doing Honda Accord (another transverse engine ... and I promised that I will never do TB change on another transverse again). There is plenty of room to get my large hands in there. The only issue I had was a clear line of sight to the cam 1. Phone camera comes in handy to get the right angle.
If plan to use the vehicles weight you are making risky move and I insist but lot easier and safer way is to use the reverse disassembly of tensioner .. by the time the tensioner disengages fully there are enough threads on the bolts. So you should be able to screw it in.
You dont need to drain the block, but you will have a spill if you dont.
Your are over thinking about the seals. If you have been changing oil regularly there will be no gunk to bind the seals. Mine came out with small screwdriver. Note the position of the orig seals and just do your best to match it.
You will need stud extractor to free up the waterpump.
Make sure your kit has the metallic waterpump gasket.
I would also suggest changing the thermostatic valve. again will need draining a portion of the block.
Now a confession, I did not seat the seal of the cam#1 properly and had to replace it as it leaked. My excuse ... I could not see how well it seated.
Drcoffee,
1) Didn't know silicone was an option, it seals better?
2) Radiator hose. Where's the engine block spigot? lol
3) Drove 3 seals same as before removal. Almost flush, thickness of 25 cent quarter stuck out (no seals were leaking prior).
4) Used hands, applied force and continually turned the screw till grabbed the seal.
Traverse? How different is the process? More/less difficult ?
Drcoffee,
1) Didn't know silicone was an option, it seals better?
2) Radiator hose. Where's the engine block spigot? lol
3) Drove 3 seals same as before removal. Almost flush, thickness of 25 cent quarter stuck out (no seals were leaking prior).
4) Used hands, applied force and continually turned the screw till grabbed the seal.
Traverse? How different is the process? More/less difficult ?
there is more room on a rear wheel drive because the engine faces forward vs transverse which has the belts up against the passenger frame rail. If yo look at the engine block just behind the oil filter, there is a small port with a hex bolt. That is a drain valve for the block. Drain the radiator first, then open the spigot to drain the block below the level of the water pump.
How long did the whole process take you, seals and all? I have to do it tomorrow and giving myself 3 days to get it done. Hoping it only takes 8 hours and be done same day.
4 hours. But then again it depends upon not getting stuck at some point and I spend half the time searching for the tool which is usually right in front of me.
Drcoffee,
1) Didn't know silicone was an option, it seals better?
2) Radiator hose. Where's the engine block spigot? lol
3) Drove 3 seals same as before removal. Almost flush, thickness of 25 cent quarter stuck out (no seals were leaking prior).
4) Used hands, applied force and continually turned the screw till grabbed the seal.
Traverse? How different is the process? More/less difficult ?
Don't use silicone or any sealer on the WP gasket. Totally unnecessary and you will have a royal mess the next time around.
Just finished up the TB water pump, camshaft seals, crankshaft seal. I hit a roadblock at noon yesterday when I could not remove the cam gears. The SOB who built the engine used green locktite on the cam bolts and crank bolt. It took bumping the starter to break the crank bolt loose, but I needed to order a tool to hold the cam gears from turning. So i got back into it at 9a and finished at 2pm. Hated doing it, but love saving $1000+ by DIY. Installing the cam seals looked to be impossible. Thanks to Kevvo1 I used his suggestion to use the cam bolt to press in the seal. Worked flawlessly. I used a 1/2" peice of pvc pipe with a big washer and it slid right into place. The old seals were hard as rock. What caught me off guard was the rear cam gear was reverse in orientation to the front. The flange was away from the engine. Glad I caught that.
Just finished up the TB water pump, camshaft seals, crankshaft seal. I hit a roadblock at noon yesterday when I could not remove the cam gears. The SOB who built the engine used green locktite on the cam bolts and crank bolt. It took bumping the starter to break the crank bolt loose, but I needed to order a tool to hold the cam gears from turning. So i got back into it at 9a and finished at 2pm. Hated doing it, but love saving $1000+ by DIY. Installing the cam seals looked to be impossible. Thanks to Kevvo1 I used his suggestion to use the cam bolt to press in the seal. Worked flawlessly. I used a 1/2" peice of pvc pipe with a big washer and it slid right into place. The old seals were hard as rock. What caught me off guard was the rear cam gear was reverse in orientation to the front. The flange was away from the engine. Glad I caught that.
I go by the book and only put a thread lock when the book says. But I do set the torques.
Hmm not sure about the reverse cam gear is flipped...
Are you sure you saved $1000. I would have put that amount around $500.
Dont know where you live but around here a timing belt and water pump at an independant shop is $500, dealer $800-1000 (toyota wont work on lexus vehicles because we have a lexus in town). Add in new belts for ac and PS, a couple of cam seals and a crank seal, and you'd be $1500+. I dont trust independant shops, so thats my frame of reference.
check the manual. It shows the cam with the flange closer to the frame rail.
500 is what I estimated at non-dealer ,,, so I guess I was spot on the savings.
With the picture, now I understand what you meant about the flip ,,, the picture is right. The raised lip ensures the belt stays on track and does not try to roll off to one side or the other.
Ask what is involved in tune up? Most likely it is 30k multiple milage service (various fluids and filters etc).
Old post but just for general information: "Tune up" is a plug change. Doesn't include any other service (at least not at Lexus and most other manufacturers' dealers).
Dont know where you live but around here a timing belt and water pump at an independant shop is $500, dealer $800-1000 (toyota wont work on lexus vehicles because we have a lexus in town).
I wonder if they are owned by the same group. There is a Toyota dealer across the street from a Lexus dealer in my area and the Toyota dealer works on Lexus cars. But they are two different owners.
Not sure, but I dont like the folks at that Lexus shop.
It dawned on me that there still seems to be confusion on whether we have an interferance or non-interferance engine. I have an IS300 Lexus and it also has a vvt-i engine. When doing the TB, it instructs you to go to top dead center and then back off a few degrees so the pistions are not at TDC while working on the TB and moving the cams around. The RX300 makes no similar instruction in the manual. Which leads me to believe we have a non-interferance engine. While working on mine today, I rolled the bank 1 cam to see if there was any contact, and I felt no resistance. As far as I am concerned, my 99 does not have the interferance engine..
has anyone done a top end clean with sea foam? I did one before starting the TB job, and plan to do it again tomrrow after checking for new leaks. With all the oil the cyl 1&2 have been sucking in for years, I'd like to clean the exhaust valves of any carbon build up. Which hose did you use to inject the sea foam?
Old post but just for general information: "Tune up" is a plug change. Doesn't include any other service (at least not at Lexus and most other manufacturers' dealers).
Not even that ... plugs are supposed be a part of maintenance around 110k miles.
08-15-17, 09:39 PM
