Reasonable Cost For Timing Belt Replacement?

[bobdragon282]

Timing Belt (& water pump) replaced soon. I live in Atlanta area and one dealer quoted me "A little more than $1000", a local repair shop quoted $900 (both include parts + labor).

Anyone can recommand a good, honest, and experienced dealer/shop in Atlanta area can do the job for less price? ;)

Thanks!

[UCF3]

$1k sounds just about right. You could also try the local toyota dealers as well; they should be closer to $900.

[Lexuslvr]

Timing Belt (& water pump) replaced soon. I live in Atlanta area and one dealer quoted me "A little more than $1000", a local repair shop quoted $900 (both include parts + labor).

Anyone can recommand a good, honest, and experienced dealer/shop in Atlanta area can do the job for less price?  ;)

Thanks!

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How did your timing belt replacement go? Mine just failed on my 98.

Failed in the garage-engine made lots of noise, I shut it off immediately, then it wouldn't start at all....sounds like a slipped tooth.

Any recommendation-I am 100 miles from Atlanta-no closer dealers except Birmingham, AL.

Tom

[bobdragon282]

Timing Belt (& water pump) replaced soon. I live in Atlanta area and one dealer quoted me "A little more than $1000", a local repair shop quoted $900 (both include parts + labor).

Anyone can recommand a good, honest, and experienced dealer/shop in Atlanta area can do the job for less price?  ;)

Thanks!

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How did your timing belt replacement go? Mine just failed on my 98.

Failed in the garage-engine made lots of noise, I shut it off immediately, then it wouldn't start at all....sounds like a slipped tooth.

Any recommendation-I am 100 miles from Atlanta-no closer dealers except Birmingham, AL.

Tom

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Tom,

I haven't had my timing belt replaced yet - my car is still under 100K miles and I plan to do it at 100K...

However, I recently found a shop claims they can replace my timing belt and water pump for ~$650. It's J&M Auto Center on Buford Hwy, in Norcross, GA (770-246-1004)

Maybe you can give them a try? I'm afraid it's probably too far away from you...

Another dealer, Lexus of South Atlanta, quoted a much better price (I don't remember exactly how much now) than the dealer closer to me. But, when I e-mail them to confirm that, they never respond.

Good luck!

Bob

[GRAND_LS 4]

Timing Belt (& water pump) replaced soon. I live in Atlanta area and one dealer quoted me "A little more than $1000", a local repair shop quoted $900 (both include parts + labor).

Anyone can recommand a good, honest, and experienced dealer/shop in Atlanta area can do the job for less price?  ;)

Thanks!

←

How did your timing belt replacement go? Mine just failed on my 98.

Failed in the garage-engine made lots of noise, I shut it off immediately, then it wouldn't start at all....sounds like a slipped tooth.

Any recommendation-I am 100 miles from Atlanta-no closer dealers except Birmingham, AL.

Tom

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outch. Its not a split tooth. More like bye bye pistons.

[Lexuslvr]

I hope you're wrong...because the engine ran for 5 seconds.....sounded like bad lifters. I don't think it could've been an oil filter failure in that short period of time....but I am afraid there may be more.

I can't find any posting on any 98s having this issue at this low mileage...73k. Car is immaculate and ran perfectly before this issue. I evacuated Gulf Shores, AL in this car two weeks ago-glad it didn't fail at the condo or it would have been in deep water....

Any ideas on how to evaluate efficiently before taking to dealer? I feel confident I could change the belt/water pump, but don't want to be ripped off.

Tom

Timing Belt (& water pump) replaced soon. I live in Atlanta area and one dealer quoted me "A little more than $1000", a local repair shop quoted $900 (both include parts + labor).

Anyone can recommand a good, honest, and experienced dealer/shop in Atlanta area can do the job for less price?  ;)

Thanks!

←

How did your timing belt replacement go? Mine just failed on my 98.

Failed in the garage-engine made lots of noise, I shut it off immediately, then it wouldn't start at all....sounds like a slipped tooth.

Any recommendation-I am 100 miles from Atlanta-no closer dealers except Birmingham, AL.

Tom

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outch. Its not a split tooth. More like bye bye pistons.

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[GRAND_LS 4]

Well, I hope I'm wrong as well. Nevertheless, I derived my conclusion from the info you provided me. You said your timing belt failed. The 95+ LS400 engines are Interference engines, so if the belt brakes, your engine would be heavily damaged. Again, I hope I'm wrong, but you better get it towed somewhere and checked out.

[wandawoods]

Well, I hope I'm wrong as well.  Nevertheless, I derived my conclusion from the info you provided me.  You said your timing belt failed.  The 95+ LS400 engines are Interference engines, so if the belt brakes, your engine would be heavily damaged.  Again, I hope I'm wrong, but you better get it towed somewhere and checked out.

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need to point out that the 1UZFE engine in 90~97 (Gen I/II) LS400 is non-interference type. started from 98, it became VVTi engine which is indeed interference type. if TB broke on a 98 or later model, you will have bent valves which is easily a $4K job to get them fixed up.

[JeffR]

I am not mechanical at all. In fact, if my engine ever stopped, I would lift up the hood and make sure there was still an engine there. If there was, I would be fresh out of ideas.

So my question is, as a non-mechanical person, why would anyone design an engine that destroys itself when a simple belt fails? This seems insane.

[sha4000]

I am not mechanical at all. In fact, if my engine ever stopped, I would lift up the hood and make sure there was still an engine there. If there was, I would be fresh out of ideas.

So my question is, as a non-mechanical person, why would anyone design an engine that destroys itself when a simple belt fails? This seems insane.

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more power

[blake918]

I am not mechanical at all. In fact, if my engine ever stopped, I would lift up the hood and make sure there was still an engine there. If there was, I would be fresh out of ideas.

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I am not mechanical at all. In fact, if my engine ever stopped, I would lift up the hood and make sure there was still an engine there. If there was, I would be fresh out of ideas.

So my question is, as a non-mechanical person, why would anyone design an engine that destroys itself when a simple belt fails? This seems insane.

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more power

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...and better fuel econ, but the power is, wow!! The quintessential wolf in sheep's clothing!

[GRAND_LS 4]

Well, I hope I'm wrong as well.  Nevertheless, I derived my conclusion from the info you provided me.  You said your timing belt failed.  The 95+ LS400 engines are Interference engines, so if the belt brakes, your engine would be heavily damaged.  Again, I hope I'm wrong, but you better get it towed somewhere and checked out.

←

need to point out that the 1UZFE engine in 90~97 (Gen I/II) LS400 is non-interference type. started from 98, it became VVTi engine which is indeed interference type. if TB broke on a 98 or later model, you will have bent valves which is easily a $4K job to get them fixed up.

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I'm pretty sure 95+ are interferance. Unless you have some data that could shed some more light on this matter.

[blake918]

Jason told me the same thing that Wanda said as far as which engines are interferance and which ones aren't, and that's good enough for me! :)

[Lexuslvr]

I'll pull the timing cover and see if the belt jumped time or just snapped.....

Remember, this happened upon fresh startup, then was shut off quickly. Starting sounds like timing advanced.

I'm very concerned-the loud mechanical noise could've been valves....

Tom

[sapper_daddy]

I'll pull the timing cover and see if the belt jumped time or just snapped.....

Remember, this happened upon fresh startup, then was shut off quickly. Starting sounds like timing advanced.

I'm very concerned-the loud mechanical noise could've been valves....

Tom

hey i just saw online yesterday a guy who had a v8 lexus motor for like 650 with 19,000 miles on it if worse comes to worse you could get heads and piston's and rings. hopefully nothing broke and has scored the cylinder walls rebuilding the top end without having to invest a bunch into new heads wouldn't be so bad you could even have the used ones freshened up for about 200 bucks. post what you came up with sometime

[MadMax96]

So my question is, as a non-mechanical person, why would anyone design an engine that destroys itself when a simple belt fails? This seems insane.

Well I think the whole point of the 90k service is to replace the belt BEFORE it fails. In most cases the belts should last that long without issue - after that you're on borrowed time. If the belt wasn't done at 90k miles, and it fails after that mileage - it was owner negligence IMHO.

The fact that it broke at only 92k miles does suck big time - I've read posts where people waited until after 100k... but it was still after the recommended interval...... doh!

I hope things work out for you Bob!

[Lexuslvr]

I was very lucky...followed another poster's advice and simply held my foot to the floor and cranked for about 20 seconds. Engine fired up (with a lot of smoke) and then cleared and has run perfectly since.

Diagnosis: a bit of soft carbon in the cylinders/valves....

Darndest thing I ever saw.....I have put another 2,000 miles on since and everything is normal. Belt and pulleys looked fine...just reassembled and ran it.

Thanks for the reply....

[Lexus Itch]

I just had my timing belt on my 99LS400 changed today, 01/03/06 at Lexus of South Atlanta. My odo showed 135,047 at the time. The dealer did not mention about the water pump at all until I ask them to. They said to check and see if I need the new pump. After checking, the man told me that the pump is still in good working order, if I really want to replace it, there would be $300 extra. I decided to replace only the timingbelt. I paid $422 (part, labor, tax,...) for the timing belt. I hope this helps.

I like this forum alot. People here did not only helped me to save some bucks but to help me learn and understand more about my Lexus. I feel more responsible for helping others.

[MadMax96]

I just had my timing belt on my 99LS400 changed today, 01/03/06 at Lexus of South Atlanta. My odo showed 135,047 at the time. The dealer did not mention about the water pump at all until I ask them to. They said to check and see if I need the new pump. After checking, the man told me that the pump is still in good working order, if I really want to replace it, there would be $300 extra. I decided to replace only the timingbelt. I paid $422 (part, labor, tax,...) for the timing belt. I hope this helps.

I like this forum alot. People here did not only helped me to save some bucks but to help me learn and understand more about my Lexus. I feel more responsible for helping others.

Wow - $422 out the door for a timing belt? Not bad at all! The water pump is another part that is generally replaced as preventative maintenance. When it fails you're talking death to your engine from over heating. Because nearly all the work that was done to do your timing belt is ALSO necessary to access your water pump, it's usually just swapped out while they have everything apart to save you money on labor.

Kinda surprising to me that they didn't suggest the water pump while you were there - not because it might be a good idea, but because it was another thing to make some more money on! Even if you had paid for the water pump (putting your total at about $722) - that is still a reeeally good deal on that service from the dealer from what I've heard. Most people are paying right around $1k I think.