Just Had First Timing Belt Replaced @ 118k

[johnhoward]

Folks,

I've got a 99 LS and I'm the second owner. I did a post once before on timing belts and if anyone

had ever had one snap. I think my old screen name was jcole19907 (lost my password and had to register again).

Yesterday, I had a local import service shop finally do the repair work. They put in a new water pump, timing belt and thermostat - seals and coolant were included in the total cost of 721$.... The dealer wanted 1800$ for the same service (excluding the thermostat). I shopped pricing around with 3-4 places and found that these guys had former Lexus/Toyota guys working there and the company is well established.

Labor was 5 hours @ 81.50 per hour

Parts etc were the rest

I had a 10% off labor coupon -

The bill would have been 721$ -coupon made it 678$ out the door.

I must note that the timing belt looked to be in excellent condition with no issues with the teeth or the outside of the belt. The outside of the belt had ultra small cracking throughout, but nothing major, or even close at all.

I had the shop give me my old removed parts for inspection - I used to work on cars and asked them to give up the parts for my inspection. The shop tested and inspected my pullies and tensioner and said they were perfect. So, the mechanics had suggested to not replace the pullies etc. I'd already asked them to order those parts, which that had overnighted and didn't end up using. Originally the estimate was 918$ (including all pullies/tensioner). I was pleased with the honesty to say the least. My water pump looked perfect too, no corrosion and the impellers look new, all spun well with no play.

I had the thermosat put in due to a touch of overheating in the past few weeks. Temp is back to normal -

I will try and post a photo of my belt in the next few days. I've done research on timing belts before and really felt like

the cost was a bit high to replace/maintain something built with teflon on this car. Sure enough my thoughts were on as the belt looks as if it could've gone another 50K+ before actually needing replacing. I think this was the first belt in the car for various reasons and the milage I bought the car at (it wasn't a certified vehilce either). I bought my car nearly 4 years ago with 58K on it and I've driven to 118K. A mixture of city and highway miles in the Central KY area. I'm not a speed demon either, in estimation, I drive as an average driver would. This is the first belt to ever replace the factory one, and it'll likely be the last that I do it. I'm posting this only as a reference and am not suggesting lack of scheduled routine maintenance. I'm pointing out the reliablility of my car and the parts contained within. See ya,

[etex]

johnhoward:

Thanks for the report. It's this klind of information that makes this such an interesting forum: about such things as we are all likely to encounter if we keep a given LS long enough.

[tcbted]

Very timely post for me, as I pick up my new 2000 LS400 next week, on its original T-belt at about 59k.

When I select a shop to do my belt and waterpump, your post gives me a good idea for hours involved and parts pricing.

Much appreciated.

Ted.

[johnhoward]

Very timely post for me, as I pick up my new 2000 LS400 next week, on its original T-belt at about 59k.

When I select a shop to do my belt and waterpump, your post gives me a good idea for hours involved and parts pricing.

Much appreciated.

Ted.

Ted,

Be sure to get several estimates from various dealership and local import places when you decide on that service. I'd probably get your timing belt done at the suggested interval. This due to the cold up there in Canada. I'm in KY and the conditions here don't get even close to as cold as you get.

On the business end, you'll love your new car - fast, solid, smooth and big. Simply one of the best built, best driving cars around. Enjoy -

Best wishes,

John

[tcbted]

Thanks for the heads up.

I had the 425watt Bose cranked up in my STS tonight, and I'm really looking forward to comparing it with the Nakamachi system.

I'm thinking part of the Lexus secret is that the car is the perfect acoustical environment ... whereas the STS' Bose system must

compete with a sporty exhaust system.

[johnhoward]

Thanks for the heads up.

I had the 425watt Bose cranked up in my STS tonight, and I'm really looking forward to comparing it with the Nakamachi system.

I'm thinking part of the Lexus secret is that the car is the perfect acoustical environment ... whereas the STS' Bose system must

compete with a sporty exhaust system.

My Nakamichi sounds really good (my wife has a GS 300 and her system sounds just a bit better, I imagine from the smaller cabin). Anyway, your Lexus should be a faster/or just as fast of a car as the STS. My 99 had times @ 6.3 seconds to 60 and the quarter @ a touch over 14. I've had it up to 120, but I'm a chicken after that... I have a co-worker who had an STS, and he said he loved it, loved the stereo and the Northstar. The issue - he didn't like having to fix the thing, he mentioned the bladder suspension system failure and the major cost to repair it. He sold it. So, you be the judge and you should enjoy.

I really notice a difference when I have driven my wife's car, or any other cars. When you get back in your LS... this is when you know what a major difference there really is. After a few years, I'm going after a 07 LS and will likely garage my 99.

Take care,

[tcbted]

The electronic struts on the STS go for around $800 - $1000 per corner ... they aren't a bladder system, but an active electronic system.

They can be replaced with Arnott passive struts, where a dummy plug in fools the electronic brain, and stops throwing codes to the computer.

If you're Northstar 4.6 DOC requires a headgasket replacement, good luck finding a garage who will even attempt the repair.

There are only 1 or 2 shops in Toronto who will even attempt a Timersert repair, where the bolt sleeves are retapped into the block.

The engine needs to be removed, the tranny dropped, and your wallet will be at least $3k lighter.

The other STS negative is that the 98-04 series regularly develop a 65 mph shimmy.

I have put 8 tires and 6 wheel balances into this car, and the shimmy just came back again.

I even had a Road Force Balance done, to no avail.

I've had 4 STS' in the past 5 years, and I think they are one of the most beautiful designs on the road ... but the mechanicals show

their age fairly quickly.

You cannot possibly imagine how thrilled I am to get out of my GM and embrace the LS400 ownership experience.

[johnhoward]

You will love the Lexus after owning domestic stuff... I've owned several Ford products and they were good for me during those times. However, they all had constant problems/failures. They just weren't engineered to last. The parts and design are where Detroit falls behind. Lexus wanted to build a Mercedes fighting car. So, you'd think they'd over engineer it, especially for the first 20-30 years of production. And thats exactly what they've done, and continue to do, to get the brand established as the best of the best.

The ratings don't lie (JD power and Associates, warranty surveys etc.). I've got a good friend who's a regional for auto warranty business in my area - he makes big bucks. He says that Lexus and Toyota are the best cars to sell warranties on, they get the fewest turn in's for anything... The !Removed! can afford to put better components into these vehicles and still have an affordable product.

You'll see -

[tcbted]

Hopefully, I'll see next Tue. Sep.18th.

That's when I drive down to Toronto to pick up the car ... its taking longer than expected for Lexus to get in

the parts to repair the parking brake.

I only drive around 5k per year, so this car should serve my needs very well.

[Thermactor]

Very nice. I have over 120k on the second timing belt of my '96 LS and from pulling the cover over the spark plug wires and looking at the belt there, it really does look fine. I guess I can delay the replacement of that part for a little while. :)

[Jerry Bransford]

Just a general FYI that it's perfectly normal for a serpentine timing belt to have small cracks running across it. Those small cracks will form soon after installation so never let an unscrupulous mechanic show you those cracks and say it's time to replace the belt. Use the normal recommended factory replacement schedule.

Now cracks in the serpentine belt that are running length-wise are a definite sign of impending failure though.

[PilotSmith]

Just a general FYI that it's perfectly normal for a serpentine timing belt to have small cracks running across it. Those small cracks will form soon after installation so never let an unscrupulous mechanic show you those cracks and say it's time to replace the belt. Use the normal recommended factory replacement schedule.

Now cracks in the serpentine belt that are running length-wise are a definite sign of impending failure though.

I asked a local dealer about the T-belt given that I am close to the recommended 90K replacement mark. The dealer said officially he had to say it should be replaced at 90k. Then he went on to say he has not seen a T-belt go out on a LS430 even when not replaced with much higher mileage. I'm in SoCal so the weather is mild here; not too hot or too cold. That probably helps. I'm inclined to go beyond the 90K until some other work in needed to do it all at once. Then again, the engine is an interference engine so if your T-belt goes out it will thrash your engine with the cylinders hitting the valves. I'll probably do it some time before 120K.

[jainla]

My dad had a '96 STS a few years ago. He was the second owner and I think the car had 22k miles on it when he bought it.

It was a nice car for what it was; the engine was powerful and the seats were comfy. There were some cheap interior touches though; the door handles and locking controls were the same as the Pontiac Grand Am I had driven in drivers ed a few years earlier; and some of the garnishes on the pillars would occasionally come off and have to be re-installed.

By the end of its time with him the AC was consistently out and the CEL light refused to go out. There was some problem with the engine ECU that occasionally reduced the mileage around town to single digits. Also while the car was still under warranty they replaced the transmission once and the transmission ECU twice; also the rear passenger compartment fan developed a buzzing noise (which I cured a couple times by giving it a good swift conk on the head). The car was also in Florida which can be tough on cars; and it saw lots of stop and go driving. He replaced it with a RAV4 for business (the Caddy didn't hold enough, he said). While he might miss the V8 he doesn't miss the repair bills or the crappy gas mileage.

One of my former co-workers had another STS (it was a few years older). The heater core leaked consistently and eventually he sold the car rather than repair it. The Northstar engine is a great engine but the car around it doesn't seem to last.

The Bose system had a 12 CD player but all in all the sound was much more boom and sizzle than real quality ( I find many Bose systems to sound this way; good at first but then lacking in refinement after a couple days of listening). The LS sound systems are no comparison; they may not 'bump' like the Bose system but they deliver very natural; balanced sound. And almost anything sounds great through them. Some people prefer the Nakamichi to the newer Levinson systems but both are probably the best OEM systems that were then available.

But you can always turn off the radio and just listen to the refined roar of the V8 under power; when you gun it it's one of the best soundtracks ever.

Hopefully, I'll see next Tue. Sep.18th.

That's when I drive down to Toronto to pick up the car ... its taking longer than expected for Lexus to get in

the parts to repair the parking brake.

I only drive around 5k per year, so this car should serve my needs very well.

[AZ Mike]

I asked a local dealer about the T-belt given that I am close to the recommended 90K replacement mark. The dealer said officially he had to say it should be replaced at 90k. Then he went on to say he has not seen a T-belt go out on a LS430 even when not replaced with much higher mileage. I'm in SoCal so the weather is mild here; not too hot or too cold. That probably helps. I'm inclined to go beyond the 90K until some other work in needed to do it all at once. Then again, the engine is an interference engine so if your T-belt goes out it will thrash your engine with the cylinders hitting the valves. I'll probably do it some time before 120K.

You are probably right, but I am not willing to risk it. I just replaced the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, pulleys, serp belt, etc. on my '99 LS400 with only 63k miles. The belts didn't look too bad, but some of the pulley bearings were on their way out. Now I have the peace of mind to not have to worry about it for another 6 years. Besides....I needed a reason to throw tools and swear in the garage.