Seized my engine - need help and suggestions!!
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: ca
Seized my engine - need help and suggestions!!
First of all, let this be a lesson to anyone procrastinating about replacing their timing belt after 6 years regardless of mileage. That's exactly what I did. I have 40K miles on my one-owner, well cared for 2002 sc430. The timing belt just snapped the other day and the engine subsequently seized. I brought it to the Lexus dealer and have been quoted a minimum of $25K to repair the damage (which is more than the car is probably worth). I would appreciate any suggestions from readers on how to remedy my situation including recommendations for any repair shops in the Los Angeles area that might be able get me out of this mess for a more reasonable sum. Am I better off selling the car as-is to the highest bidder on Ebay, rebuild the engine as per the dealer, or try to replace the engine with a used motor at a local mechanic?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 896
Likes: 2
From: Maryland
You are correct that $25K is probably what the car is worth without a seized engine; so, it doesn't make any sense to spend anywhere near that amount on a repair. Unless you can find a replacement engine from another SC430, I would recommend selling the car as is and writing this off as a learning experience.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,149
Likes: 89
From: New Hampshire
First of all, let this be a lesson to anyone procrastinating about replacing their timing belt after 6 years regardless of mileage. That's exactly what I did. I have 40K miles on my one-owner, well cared for 2002 sc430. The timing belt just snapped the other day and the engine subsequently seized. I brought it to the Lexus dealer and have been quoted a minimum of $25K to repair the damage (which is more than the car is probably worth). I would appreciate any suggestions from readers on how to remedy my situation including recommendations for any repair shops in the Los Angeles area that might be able get me out of this mess for a more reasonable sum. Am I better off selling the car as-is to the highest bidder on Ebay, rebuild the engine as per the dealer, or try to replace the engine with a used motor at a local mechanic?
Is there other damage?
Sounds ridiculously high. Any chance of a used/rebuilt engine from a "recycler"?
Pole Position
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 353
Likes: 8
From: Kansas City
$25K is probably for a new engine and Lexus garage rates, which may be economically inappropriate for a 10 year old car. Before you completely write this one off you might contact Michael Nouri at xvipers.com (1-866-xvipers) to see if they might have a salvage engine assembly. They are specialists in Dodge Viper parts but they also stock Lexus items. As a couple of examples they list an average '06 IS350 engine for $3K and an '07 LS460 engine with very low mileage for $8K. There may be other sources of recycled / salvaged engines in your area as well. In any case suppose you could get your hands on a 3GR-FE with reasonable mileage for $4-5K and you found a respectable third party garage to do the engine swap (say, another $2-3K for labor). Or maybe you're mechanically inclined and can do the work yourself. That would potentially get you back in your car for somewhere in the neighborhood of $7K or so if you're willing to do some project management. As you observed already, the car is probably worth low $20Ks if intact so you'll need to do all the math with the salvage value as it sits to see if this kind of approach could make sense for you.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 473
Likes: 33
From: CA
dr, I would recommend doing a quick search on Ebay "lexus sc430 engine". I just did it and found several used engines from $2k to $5k, one from Vipers. I never would have thought to do this, but a good friend of mine recently did this for his Infiniti Q45 and bought an engine for less $1k on Ebay, had it shipped to his local mechanic (not a dealer) and is very happy with the results. Installation by good mechanic should take about two days and should cost around $2k. The only reason I know any of this is because of this friend. Lastly, before it's installed I would recommend while it's easy to do, replacing certain items such as the water pump, and possibly the timing belt before installation. Anyways, just a thought.
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Rookie
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: CA
If you are planning on never selling it. $7000 for an SC where you know about all prior history isn't bad, but while the mechanic has everything out you might have other bushing changed out too. The cheapest SC I've seen is 11,500 in SC, posted here , and 12500 in LA craigslist. The guy in LA said no accident, but the paint job said otherwise, and that was an 02 high miles. Maybe xvipers might even buy your vehicle.
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Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 34
Likes: 1
From: CA
It would be easier to just sell the SC as is but I think the car is worth keeping if the engine replacement is reasonable, considering 1 owner 40K mileage...IMO. $25K WTH? The 3UZ-FE engine is the same model as that found in the UCF30/ UCF30 II 2001-2006 Lexus LS430. So you should be able to find an engine from the 2001+ LS430 or SC430......
Or you can go with this one
.. Good luck.
http://www.thor-racing.co.uk/Lexus_V8_Products-324.asp
Or you can go with this one
.. Good luck.http://www.thor-racing.co.uk/Lexus_V8_Products-324.asp
Last edited by S1 Soarer; Jul 23, 2010 at 07:16 AM.
Lead Lap
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 592
Likes: 1
From: CA
Well, this makes me want to replace my belt ASAP (like this week!) since my car is just as old and has about 10K miles more on it.
How much does a dealer charge for the belt and H2O pump? What should a good price be from a non lexus stealership?
And with only 55k miles on my 02, should i get the H2O pump replaced too?
How much does a dealer charge for the belt and H2O pump? What should a good price be from a non lexus stealership?
And with only 55k miles on my 02, should i get the H2O pump replaced too?
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: ca
Thanks all for your great comments and suggestions! I took cjs18's advice and contacted Michael Nouri at xvipers.com. He has an engine with 40k miles that he'll sell and deliver to me for $2,900. I just need to find a good mechanic locally who can install it. From the calls I've thus far made, most shops are quoting me $1,500 to $2,000 for the installation, so I may be able to get out of this ordeal for under $5K. I have learned a valuable lesson and hope my experience helps others on this site so no one gets stranded or has to go through what I went through.
Rookie
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: texas
It would be easier to just sell the SC as is but I think the car is worth keeping if the engine replacement is reasonable, considering 1 owner 40K mileage...IMO. $25K WTH? The 3UZ-FE engine is the same model as that found in the UCF30/ UCF30 II 2001-2006 Lexus LS430. So you should be able to find an engine from the 2001+ LS430 or SC430......
Or you can go with this one.. Good luck.
http://www.thor-racing.co.uk/Lexus_V8_Products-324.asp
Or you can go with this one
.. Good luck.http://www.thor-racing.co.uk/Lexus_V8_Products-324.asp
Lead Lap
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 647
Likes: 26
From: Poquoson, VA
Peter_Klim - I had my '02 timing belt replaced at 84K miles in 2009 ($570) by the Lexus dealer. I asked Lexus to inspect and recommend to me if the water pump needed replacing once they were into the engine. To my surprise, they said it didn't need changing. They said there was not a mileage maintenance schedule for replacing the water pump. I've read other forum members say they have 150k miles on the original water pump. I now have 93k miles and no problems. If I only had 55k miles, I'd throw in a Timing Belt and skip the water pump.
Pole Position
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 353
Likes: 8
From: Kansas City
Having just undergone the timing belt experience I can understand the dealer's perspective - i.e., replacing the water pump, idlers and belt tensioner in the same service event. To get to the timing belt you need to remove what seems like a LOT of engine. Given the cost of labor a few hundred dollars worth of additional parts at this point makes some sense if the engine has high mileage or if there are other indicators. In my case, the water pump seal was good and the bearings were smooth and tight. Idlers were solid as well so I just replaced the timing belt and buttoned it up. My engine had 37,500 miles at the time but it is an '02 which was put into service in '01. I believe that if it had been closer to the 90K recommended mileage interval I would have replaced all of the above parts too. My private garage quoted me $1000 for the full job but was prepared to adjust downward if the other parts were OK. By the way, the accessory belt is an easy repair at that point also since it has to be removed to get further into the engine anyway - another $35 or so.