Timing Belt Change

[rosecityrain]

Okay, so I spoke with my brother in law about his 2002 Lexus that he bought after someone told him his 1992 Lexus was dead. It's the one I got thinking it needed a new tranny and all it really needed was a radiator.

Anyway, his dealer strongly urged him to change the timing belt on the 2002. He said no way, never did it on my other Lexus (mine) and it has 256,000 miles on it. Said he would still be driving it if he hadn't gotten a bad diagnosis on it.

So, now I know that the timing belt on my 1992 Lexus with 256,000 miles on it has never had the timing belt replaced.

Other than this, he religiously followed the maintanence guidelines.

rosie

No sooner had I posted this than my husband comes in to tell me about a guy on Click and Clack (motor mouths, to me) who has 350,000 miles on his 93 Lexus (400, I think) and hasn't even changed the spark plugs! Apparently it is leaking power steeering fluid, which is why he callled the show.

okay, back to the game.

r

[steviej]

Okay, so I spoke with my brother in law about his 2002 Lexus that he bought after someone told him his 1992 Lexus was dead. It's the one I got thinking it needed a new tranny and all it really needed was a radiator.

Anyway, his dealer strongly urged him to change the timing belt on the 2002. He said no way, never did it on my other Lexus (mine) and it has 256,000 miles on it. Said he would still be driving it if he hadn't gotten a bad diagnosis on it.

So, now I know that the timing belt on my 1992 Lexus with 256,000 miles on it has never had the timing belt replaced.

r

The recommended replacement for timing belt is 90,000 miles for the 2002 ES. Many experts, including Click and Clack will also tell you to change out a timing belt at 5-6 years because they are rubber. Most rubber belts don't usually last much longer than 7 years. You will find many anecdotal stories about people that have not changed out timing belts and have not had a problem. These people are not the norm, they are the lucky. In addtition, it will not harm a pre-1999 ES to not change out the timing belt until it fails. The pre-1999 ES 1MZ-FE motors are non-interference and very mininal damage is done if any at all when the belts breaks.

This is not the case on the 1999+ ES models. The 1MZ-FE engine became VVT-i in 1999 and thus became an interference engine. If the timing belt breaks or fails, there is a strong possibility that piston heads will crash into spark plugs and major damage will result. That is a chance I would rather not take. As a matter of fact, my 2002 ES goes in for timing belt and water pump on 3/15/2007.

steviej

[rosecityrain]

Okay, so I spoke with my brother in law about his 2002 Lexus that he bought after someone told him his 1992 Lexus was dead. It's the one I got thinking it needed a new tranny and all it really needed was a radiator.

Anyway, his dealer strongly urged him to change the timing belt on the 2002. He said no way, never did it on my other Lexus (mine) and it has 256,000 miles on it. Said he would still be driving it if he hadn't gotten a bad diagnosis on it.

So, now I know that the timing belt on my 1992 Lexus with 256,000 miles on it has never had the timing belt replaced.

r

The recommended replacement for timing belt is 90,000 miles for the 2002 ES. Many experts, including Click and Clack will also tell you to change out a timing belt at 5-6 years because they are rubber. Most rubber belts don't usually last much longer than 7 years. You will find many anecdotal stories about people that have not changed out timing belts and have not had a problem. These people are not the norm, they are the lucky. In addtition, it will not harm a pre-1999 ES to not change out the timing belt until it fails. The pre-1999 ES 1MZ-FE motors are non-interference and very mininal damage is done if any at all when the belts breaks.

This is not the case on the 1999+ ES models. The 1MZ-FE engine became VVT-i in 1999 and thus became an interference engine. If the timing belt breaks or fails, there is a strong possibility that piston heads will crash into spark plugs and major damage will result. That is a chance I would rather not take. As a matter of fact, my 2002 ES goes in for timing belt and water pump on 3/15/2007.

steviej

I get that completely. I was simply stunned to learn this. I thought the belt had been changed per manufacturer's specs. I will send your information along. Thanks.

rosie