Need A Diy For 96 Ls400 Timing Belt, And Anything Else I Should Change

[razahyde]

i plan on changing the timing belt on my 96 LS400 and would like a DIY for the procedure, if you guys have anything else you advise me to change while in there, then i would appreciate the input.

thanks!

PS-i found this DIY but its for the generation before my LS400.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/timingbelt.html

[eatingupblacktop]

Here you go:

http://www.lextreme.com/timing.htm

I would also change out the WP, tensioner and pulleys.

[razahyde]

Here you go:

http://www.lextreme.com/timing.htm

I would also change out the WP, tensioner and pulleys.

thanks a ton

is this the motor that will be alright if the timing belt goes bad? or is this the motor where im screwed if it goes bad.

i think its called a non interference engine? something along that line.

[eatingupblacktop]

Although there is a debate about this which you can easily find doing a search, I think you've got a non-intereference engine. I believe the interference engines started with the introduction of vvt in '98. They're expensive, so do a search to confirm. The way I look at it, if the TB breaks while I'm out in the boonies in the middle of winter with no one around, freezing temps, and fading daylight, the question of "is it interference or not" will be the least of my worries! Hey, enjoy the changeout and let us know how it goes.

[razahyde]

Although there is a debate about this which you can easily find doing a search, I think you've got a non-intereference engine. I believe the interference engines started with the introduction of vvt in '98. They're expensive, so do a search to confirm. The way I look at it, if the TB breaks while I'm out in the boonies in the middle of winter with no one around, freezing temps, and fading daylight, the question of "is it interference or not" will be the least of my worries! Hey, enjoy the changeout and let us know how it goes.

well i want to make sure because if its a non interference issue then by goofing the install i should still be ok, compared to a interference engine where if a belt goes you have lifters, pistons and all sorts of stuff exploding.

ill post pics of everything as im tearing it apart and a few pics of the belts and alignment so i can get the OK before turning the car on.

[blake918]

Having changed the belt on my '95, the DIY from Lexls is very similar to what you'll see when you take your '96 apart. I'd also change the cam and crank seals.

[razahyde]

Having changed the belt on my '95, the DIY from Lexls is very similar to what you'll see when you take your '96 apart. I'd also change the cam and crank seals.

hmm cam and crank seals? any pics as to what you are talking about?

[razahyde]

so here's a list of parts

timing belt

water pump + o rings

spark plugs

spark plug wires

distributor rotor

distributor cap

antifreeze

is there anything else? i can find the cam and crank seals or know what those look like. so if someone could lead me to an online parts site that is pretty reason id appreciate it.

[AZ Mike]

I used www.irontoad.com last Spring when I was purchasing parts for my 60K service and rear brake pads. I found them the cheapest in total for what I needed. There is also Park Place Lexus and Sewell Lexus and some others.

[akewlguy]

Tensioner...My guy forgot to change this.

[razahyde]

I used www.irontoad.com last Spring when I was purchasing parts for my 60K service and rear brake pads. I found them the cheapest in total for what I needed. There is also Park Place Lexus and Sewell Lexus and some others.

yea i thought about going through lexus dealership but i thought they might try to scalp me.

Tensioner...My guy forgot to change this.

ahh kk will do that too!

[blake918]

hmm cam and crank seals? any pics as to what you are talking about?

They are the oil seals behind the cam and crank pulleys (sorry, no pics), and it's fairly common for them (especially the crank seal) to leak.

[Marklouis]

Change those timing tensioner and pulley also!! I changed my TB in my 95' LS400 2 months ago and inspected what i thought to be good pulleys - those bearings are talking now after the applied stress from a new TB specially in the mornings. sounds like ice cubes in a blender. now i have to tear down the front end again in replace those pulleys. Shame on me!!

[AZ Mike]

I wasn't sure that I wanted to tackle the timing belt. Looking at the DIY, it doesn't look all that difficult; just time consuming. Am I wrong here? Is there anything about it that is particularly tricky?

I only have about 62,000 miles, but it is a '99 running on the original timing belt, which means it is over 9 years old. It doesn't sound like many people experience wear based on time (instead of mileage), but I don't know how far I want to push it.

[moosebeer]

i plan on changing the timing belt on my 96 LS400 and would like a DIY for the procedure, if you guys have anything else you advise me to change while in there, then i would appreciate the input.

thanks!

PS-i found this DIY but its for the generation before my LS400.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/timingbelt.html

That's good stuff, I just used those instructions to do my timing belt and water pump!!! I am still putting her back together late nights after work...slow going.

I wanted to propose a change to instruction at line #47, I got confused here and decided to do it my way. Of course if my way is wrong let me know. Anyway here's how I did the installation of the distributor rotor and cap.

47) Install the distributor rotors. With the crankshaft pully at TDC, Align the protrusion of the rotor with the grooves on the distributor housing so that the left side rotor protrusion lines up with the #1 post on the LH distributor cap, and the RH rotor protrusion lines up with or about to line up with the #8 post camshaft timing pulley. Torque the 2 bolts to 34 in-lb (39 kg-cm, 3.8 Nm); see step 12, then press backspace to return here.

[PureDrifter]

just wanted to point out, the 95-97 are indeed INTERFERENCE motors.

lexus changed the head design for 95 (hence the tiny hp increase) and made the motor interference.

98-00 are also interference

all 89-94 are non-interference.

[AZ Mike]

Moosebeer--about how much time do you have into the project? Thanks

[moosebeer]

Moosebeer--about how much time do you have into the project? Thanks

Too much, but I'm not a good measure on what it should take. I am not as often under the hood as most, and when I do climb under I do my homework and measure three times before I do anything. I would say for most it takes full weekend and that you should have all parts on hand before you start.

Think about the tools you may need. I fabricated a tool to remove the cam and crank seals, and used PVC pipe fixtures to seat the seals (I think 1.5" and 2" were the right diameter) with a rubber mallet to seat them. To tighten the camshaft gear bolts I put the old timing belt on and the old tensioner, cause I didn't want to take a chance damaging the new belt, but if I were doing this again, I wouldn't worry about that and just use the new belt since it didn't stress the belt. Most guys wouldn't have worried about that, so I spend more time makin for sure, for sure....

I also cleaned up everything nice, which took more time than normal (blew out the sand from the radiator fins, stuff like that). Because I am doing this after work some nights I don't get to it. I still have to tighten the crank pulley bolt, put the radiator, fan, battery and distributor covers on. This should take a couple of hours this weekend. Fire her up, change the oil and take her for a test drive.

Cheers,

Ed

[AZ Mike]

Thanks for the input, moose.

One additional question: what year is your LS400, and how many miles, and what was the condition of the old belt upon removal and inspection?

[moosebeer]

Thanks for the input, moose.

One additional question: what year is your LS400, and how many miles, and what was the condition of the old belt upon removal and inspection?

I have a 1990 LS400 Burgundy in and out. It has 99,400 miles. The timing belt looked pretty good, for it's age. The ildler bearing was going bad and the water pump bearing was also making noise. I had to replace the water pump so did all the work noted.

I finished her tonight. started right up, idled at 1200 and as she warmed up came down to 650. I changed the oil, and will put the under carriage shield on in the AM, wash her and take her for a spin.

I just acquired the vehicle from a guy who has two places one in AZ and one in CA he would drive the Lexus when he came to CA for the last several years hence the low miles. He took good care of it except he did some dirt roads in it at some point and scraped up the underside and there was lots of seeds, sand and plant parts in the radiator and nooks and crannys. Not sure what he was doing. He replaced all the steering and suspension parts he damaged, and the steering pump has been replaced. I think he upgraded the AC to new stuff which became stock in 1993 I think.

Hope you have fun doing your timing belt. It's nice how all the pieces fit together and make sense when you put it back together.

My next project is to put 1995-2000 LS400 Calipers and rotors on the front. I have the single piston and want to go to the 4 piston front calipers. I can get refurbished calipers for $75 each, and rotors for about 135 each, and a set of pads for $55. That would be just under $500.

[AZ Mike]

I have a 1990 LS400 Burgundy in and out. It has 99,400 miles. The timing belt looked pretty good, for it's age. The ildler bearing was going bad and the water pump bearing was also making noise. I had to replace the water pump so did all the work noted.

Hope you have fun doing your timing belt. It's nice how all the pieces fit together and make sense when you put it back together.

My next project is to put 1995-2000 LS400 Calipers and rotors on the front. I have the single piston and want to go to the 4 piston front calipers. I can get refurbished calipers for $75 each, and rotors for about 135 each, and a set of pads for $55. That would be just under $500.

Was that the original timing belt? Mine is a '99 with 62,000 miles. My timing belt is past due by a couple of years according to age, but 28,000 miles short according to mileage. Everything runs and sounds great, but given that mine is an interference engine, I don't want to push it.

Have you tried www.irontoad.com for parts? That is who I purchased parts from when I did my 60K service earlier this year; had the best prices I could find. I don't know if they have refurbished calipers, but their front rotors for a '99 are $118; pads are $45.

[moosebeer]

I have a 1990 LS400 Burgundy in and out. It has 99,400 miles. The timing belt looked pretty good, for it's age. The ildler bearing was going bad and the water pump bearing was also making noise. I had to replace the water pump so did all the work noted.

Hope you have fun doing your timing belt. It's nice how all the pieces fit together and make sense when you put it back together.

My next project is to put 1995-2000 LS400 Calipers and rotors on the front. I have the single piston and want to go to the 4 piston front calipers. I can get refurbished calipers for $75 each, and rotors for about 135 each, and a set of pads for $55. That would be just under $500.

Was that the original timing belt? Mine is a '99 with 62,000 miles. My timing belt is past due by a couple of years according to age, but 28,000 miles short according to mileage. Everything runs and sounds great, but given that mine is an interference engine, I don't want to push it.

Have you tried www.irontoad.com for parts? That is who I purchased parts from when I did my 60K service earlier this year; had the best prices I could find. I don't know if they have refurbished calipers, but their front rotors for a '99 are $118; pads are $45.

Yep, original timing belt. If it were me I would wait until closer to 90K to replace the belts, assuming no bearing or water pump problems. I have seen stories on this site where folks have gotten alot more than 90K out of the original timing belt.

I took her for a spin yesterday and it was nice. No worries about any issues, except the low coolant light came on, so I may have to add a quart of coolant which I lost in the process. I'll check out Iron toad.

I'm going to wear out my tires before I do the brake swap, lots of good tread, and I'll have to get new rims and possibly tires anyway for the larger rotors and bigger calipers.

[Marklouis]

Thanks for the input, moose.

One additional question: what year is your LS400, and how many miles, and what was the condition of the old belt upon removal and inspection?

I have a 1990 LS400 Burgundy in and out. It has 99,400 miles. The timing belt looked pretty good, for it's age. The ildler bearing was going bad and the water pump bearing was also making noise. I had to replace the water pump so did all the work noted.

I finished her tonight. started right up, idled at 1200 and as she warmed up came down to 650. I changed the oil, and will put the under carriage shield on in the AM, wash her and take her for a spin.

I just acquired the vehicle from a guy who has two places one in AZ and one in CA he would drive the Lexus when he came to CA for the last several years hence the low miles. He took good care of it except he did some dirt roads in it at some point and scraped up the underside and there was lots of seeds, sand and plant parts in the radiator and nooks and crannys. Not sure what he was doing. He replaced all the steering and suspension parts he damaged, and the steering pump has been replaced. I think he upgraded the AC to new stuff which became stock in 1993 I think.

Hope you have fun doing your timing belt. It's nice how all the pieces fit together and make sense when you put it back together.

My next project is to put 1995-2000 LS400 Calipers and rotors on the front. I have the single piston and want to go to the 4 piston front calipers. I can get refurbished calipers for $75 each, and rotors for about 135 each, and a set of pads for $55. That would be just under $500.

Your 1990 LS only has 99k? thats very low city miles for an almost 20 year old car. it would have to be immaculant if it was garaged as well! my 95 has 190k, still a young pup.