1992 Ls400 Timing Belt?

[JeffreyV]

I just purchased a 1992 LS400 with 57,000 miles. It has been garage kept, one owner, in Orlando, FL since new. The owners manual (maint schedule B) does not mention replacing the timing belt - ever - either for mileage or years.

Schedule A says check and adjust every 60,000. Schedule B is for towing, dusty conditions, temps below freezing, and excessive idling. I doubt whether any of these applied.

Should I trust the owners manual for a 1992?

Has anyone replaced a timing belt on a 1992? If so, in what condition was the old one?

Jeff (byerjv@yahoo.com)

[VMF]

there have been plenty of timing belt changes here. pretty much almost any member with first generation LS (like yours have gone through this procedure).

even if your car still does not have 60k miles rubber has a thing of getting hard over years. i would inspect the state of the belt to make sure it does not have any cracks.

[JeffreyV]

there have been plenty of timing belt changes here. pretty much almost any member with first generation LS (like yours have gone through this procedure).

even if your car still does not have 60k miles rubber has a thing of getting hard over years. i would inspect the state of the belt to make sure it does not have any cracks.

Good idea. I'll see if the local Toyota dealer can check it, before giving them the OK to change it. The outer belts look fine on both the front and back. I can't see any cracks. Jeff

[sonyman]

The problem with timing belts is that they often fail with little or no visible signs of wear. Timing belts often suffer catastrophic failures seemingly out of the blue when they're past the "expiration date." However, the OEM belt is very, very durable and should still have some life left, even after 16 years and 57k. With that said, you may want to change it at 60k just as preventative maintenance because 16 years is a long time for a rubber belt in general. On the other hand, your engine is non-interference, so you could conceivable use your existing belt until it snaps, which may or may not be in the near future. More likely than not, it will be several years or tens of thousands of miles from now for that situation to arise. In other words, if you're willing to risk it, you can put off the timing belt indefinitely, keeping in mind that it may leave you stranded one day in the distant or not-so-distant future.

[ko90ls]

You said the car was kept in a garage in orlando, fl. Should be fine. I don't know how humid it gets in FL but the garage should be a cool dry place.

Just to be safe get a 10mm deep socket, extension, and angle and remove the drivers side upper timing belt cover (says "32 valve V8") the upper portion of the belt should be visible and allow you to check the wear. If a lot of steel wires are sticking out then it's bad. Use Lexls.com for some good pics or search the maintence forum.

Good Luck and as you can see these are some of the best and most loved cars in the world!