Timing Belt Need?

[yaupoman]

Dealer told me I need the 60k tune-up and the timing belt replaced cause it's 6 years old. The user manual says you need to replace the timing belt at 90K miles. Do I have to replace the timing belt now? Thanks.

[mburnickas]

Dealer told me I need the 60k tune-up and the timing belt replaced cause it's 6 years old. The user manual says you need to replace the timing belt at 90K miles. Do I have to replace the timing belt now? Thanks.

←

No you don to have to do it now. I am doing my 98 in about 6 months. It will have about 88Kmiles on it.

Just wondering how many miles per year do you put on?

[steviej]

the dealer will tell you that cause the life expectancy of a timing belt is on average: 5 years.

your 1998 ES is also a non-interference engine so if the T-belt breaks you shouldn't damage engine parts. You'll just be dead in the water with no wind so to speak. It's fine if you got AAA and some time to kill, it's a PITA if you are out in the middle of nowhere at 2AM.

I have heard of ES's that have gone 10 years on the orginal T-belt and over 100,000 miles. I have heard of ES t-belts failing at 70,000 miles.

the choice is up to you. The newer ES' don't call for T-belts until 90k.

steviej

[hern]

Dealerships are just after the $$. I have a 99 ES300 at 80 and I'm not going to recplace it till 88-90k miles. It's expensive to do, but I would wait. Save your $$ up for it.

[chrispiss]

Do all ES's have this "non interference" thing? Or just newer ones?

Mine was replaced at 60k before I bought it :) only at 72k now..

[steviej]

In 1999, when the 1MZ-FE went to VVT-i technology, it also became an "interference" engine.

steviej

[chrispiss]

In 1999, when the 1MZ-FE went to VVT-i technology, it also became an "interference" engine.

steviej

←

so does that mean if the t-belt broke on a pre-1999 es300, the engine won't get damaged?

[steviej]

In 1999, when the 1MZ-FE went to VVT-i technology, it also became an "interference" engine.

steviej

←

so does that mean if the t-belt broke on a pre-1999 es300, the engine won't get damaged?

←

theoretically, yes, the engine won't get damaged. However, I have rearely seen a jap engine that something doesn't get damaged. May not be a piston head or valve, could be something the broken t-belt gets caught up in. But, again, theoretically the damage should be minimal if any at all.

steviej

[IlyaIlya]

i thought it was in 98 they did that?

[vcv10guy]

i thought it was in 98 they did that?

←

Steviej is correct, VVT-i was introduced in 1999 for the ES300 1MZ-FE engine, which is the reason for the fore mentioned and also for the HP and torque increase over the '97-'98 1MZ-FE.

[steviej]

In 1999 Lexus introduced VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing w/intelligence) to the 1MZFE.

I always remember it by:

vvt-I (variable valve timing w/INTERFERENCE)

steviej