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"Case must be cracked"? This is a trans. shop that was recommended by an independent Lexus shop? I can't believe that they are guessing the case must be cracked. I would think any competent tranny guy should be able to TELL if it was cracked or not. Good Luck- looks like you're between a rock and a hard place- at least you know where not to go back to for any future tranny work.

lahermano- I agree with the other poster- it would be EXTREMELY unusual for all 3 of those to go bad at once- they're expensive and not like engine oil- I wouldn't change them unless they are actually BAD. How many miles on the vehicle? How does it run? Unless it is running really bad, I would do a little more research , you might find out you spent all that money and effort for nothing. The 1st. codes that come up don't necessarily tell the story, sometimes not at all. Hate to see your pockets turned inside out by the parts fairy and still not solve the problem. Good Luck!

The only way to know is to PROPERLY charge it and load test it. How old is the battery? I have ruined more than 1 battery by accidently allowing a small drain for a period of time. Doesn't have to be much of a drain but 2 weeks, 24 hrs. a day will do it. The sad part is if the battery has any age at all a full discharge is often enough to kill the battery so that it can not successfully be brought back. To jump start a car and charge it with the alt. is not an adequate way to charge it. A lot of people think because they SEEM to have gotten away with it that is OK. Not so. Charge it with a slow charger (I personally use a "Smart charger" which does a good job- it truly has a pretty good brain in managing the charge). Then have it load tested and you'll have your answer. Good Luck!

What artbuc said is true- very little chance of needing to change the tensioner. They put some amazingly good parts on the front of that engine.

Pablo- How many miles do you have on it? I don't have the parts numbers but unless you have a lot more than the recommended 90k mi. you probably don't need to change any of it, at the very most the timing belt. When I changed my DIL's timing belt at 97k it looked like it had 20k on it. (it was the original belt) I did not change the water pump or idler pulleys and when I checked them at 120k they still felt like new. They put some VERY robust parts on these vehicles. I would personally only use original parts. It's your money and your car but you probably won't be changing them because they're worn, just to give you a warm fuzzy feeling. Good Luck!

RPN- It has been debated on this and other Lexus forums whether the RX is an interference or non- interference engine. I'm not sure because the places I looked it said interference but others chimed in and said Toyota mechanics had said non-interference. Don't believe it was ever resolved. I have a factory manual on DVD and that never gave any indication which it is. Report back to us which it is if you are able to positively determine which it is. I would think from the way it turned over when you tried to start it you could tell if it was rolling over on 1 cyl. Maybe not if the belt jumped enough that it was out of sync. with pistons.

RPN- Didn't mean to get you upset, was concerned about other aspects of her driving with limited comprehension of what an illuminated oil or check engine light meant. You, being a mechanic, know the consequences of running without oil. It's very easy to pull the front valve cover and check for jelling. The moment you pull the cover it will be very easy to tell if you have it and it will definitely cause oil starvation. One other thing I would consider among things to consider is pulling the lower pan. Easy to pull and check the oil pickup screen. I don't know the exact reason for it but though the screen is maybe 3 in. in diameter, it has over the opening a metal disc that only has about an 1 1/2 in. hole in it. If there is tendency because of jelling or sludge, varnish, to clog, it would be much more prone to clog because of the small opening. It was mentioned that the automatic timing belt tensioner may be weak- I suppose that is possible- it isn't adjustable, it's just spring loaded to a given tension once you get the belt on and remove the pin that keeps the spring retracted, it is free to apply that tension to the belt system. My guess would be that the added friction on the cams allowed it to jump the spring tension. The small pickup screen opening because of the disc is one reason I would be very leery of using an engine flush in these engine for fear that it would easily overwhelm the oil screen pickup.

Grumpa- If you can put that stick back in and wait 5 seconds before you pull it out and read it, my hats off to you, your a better man than I am. I normally have to stab it about 3 or 4 times and look at both sides of the stick to feel that I have an accurate reading. It normally takes that many times because of all the splatter in the pan. Many times when you pull it out all you get is splatter running down the stick. I try to stab and pull as quickly as possibly to limit the splatter as much as possible. How about the rest of you guys that check your own trans. fluid? I'm willing to learn.

My sympathies to you RPN but in all seriousness, should your wife be driving? What does she think an oil light means? I would be strongly tempted to take the keys away from my wife if she pulled that. I hope for your sake you don't have to buy an engine, but you, being a mechanic know that with an oil light on for 2 days before it stopped the 1st. time and she drove it with the oil light on again to try and get home- if you dodge this bullet , I'd go play the lottery RIGHT AWAY! Good Luck, you're gonna need it.

I didn't change my WP when the belt was done at 90k and won't change it when the belt is done again at 180k. This is based on info I received from multiple Toyota techs claiming the WP does not fail and changing it is a waste. I think Lexus techs have a better comp plan because they always want to change as many expensive parts as possible. JSmith- I will guarantee that you will get those that will say that the sky will fall if you don't replace it per Lexus recommendations. I am not going to argue with them but in working on my DIL's RX I have to say they put some impressive bearings in the stuff they hang on the front of that engine. And the seals don't normally go out because of the anti-freeze that they use. When I did a bunch of maintenance at 97k (none of this stuff had ever been changed before), the anti-freeze looked absolutely brand new and at 120k when I was back into the timing belt area, all of the bearings, including water pump felt like brand new. (none had ever been changed) It is totally your decision but I tend to agree with Mickey. I have two vehicles with the 3.0L V6 engine - 99RX and 99 Avalon. I agree with 58 that the TB idler and tensioner bearings are super heavy duty as are all of the belts. I replaced all of mine when I did the TB replacement at 85k and 88k miles respectively even though I could not honestly tell the difference between new and old bearings. I did not replace the crank and cam shaft seals and I did not replace the RX WP. However, I did replace the Avalon WP because the bearing was slightly sticking. Since both vehicles have the exact same WP, this is some evidence that the WP is not invincible. OTOH, perhaps my Avalon WP would have run almost forever with no other problem than a sticking bearing. I change coolant every 2 years (roughly 20-24k miles) using Toyota factory red. Artbuc- That Toyota red is some impressive stuff. My son's '97 Suburban was pretty nasty rusty at about 85k with factory Dex-col (never been changed) and my DIL's 99RX was absolutely pristine at 97k with factory red (never been changed). I actually gave my son a gallon jug of what I took out to use to add to the overflow if it ever ran low because it was crystal clear. I got after my son for not taking better preventative car of the cars- but he didn't get my mechanical genes.

I didn't change my WP when the belt was done at 90k and won't change it when the belt is done again at 180k. This is based on info I received from multiple Toyota techs claiming the WP does not fail and changing it is a waste. I think Lexus techs have a better comp plan because they always want to change as many expensive parts as possible. JSmith- I will guarantee that you will get those that will say that the sky will fall if you don't replace it per Lexus recommendations. I am not going to argue with them but in working on my DIL's RX I have to say they put some impressive bearings in the stuff they hang on the front of that engine. And the seals don't normally go out because of the anti-freeze that they use. When I did a bunch of maintenance at 97k (none of this stuff had ever been changed before), the anti-freeze looked absolutely brand new and at 120k when I was back into the timing belt area, all of the bearings, including water pump felt like brand new. (none had ever been changed) It is totally your decision but I tend to agree with Mickey.

Their made by LittleFuse. http://www.littelfuse.com/data/en/Data_Sheets/897.pdf Dealer charges 3 to 4 times actually cost. I found some at an electronic distributor store. If the device thats plugged in is blowing this fuse, be sure you turn the car off before removing the adapter. Yozh- They are also made by Copper- Bussmann- or "Buss". Those are the 2 major manufacturers of fuses ( "Littlefuse" and "Buss" ) You still shouldn't have any problem finding them in your area (I would still let my fingers do the walking). Hope that maybe you have located a source by now.

Sorry yozh- I was unfamiliar with the low profile mini fuse - must not be very widely used. I'm sure if you got the yellow pages out and let your fingers do the walking there are surely parts stores in your area that carry them. It doesn't seem that they are used widely enough to be carried by a lot of the stores. My experience is , from working in the automotive field that if you can find a parts store that sells to the dealers or independent shops that they will most likely carry them. (In your area) If you can find 1 that sells to Toyota or Lexus dealers (yes even dealers have to buy parts sometimes from independent parts stores), they will most surely carry them. Or for certain, Toyota or Lexus dealers would carry them. Good Luck!

A-dog- I spent my whole life in the automotive repair field and my opinion is the Lexus purists are going to tell you that nothing but Lexus glass will equal the quality of the original glass. They are probably wrong about other things too. Not all glass is created equal but Lexus does not make their own glass- somebody has to make it for them, (and whoever that is is not sitting there waiting for the Lexus order to come in to the exclusion of all others) I have dealt with Safelite (have no connection to them) and they are a very good company to deal with and all of their glass is supposed to equal the original. Having said that, if you are able to get the original Lexus glass for about the same price as Safelite installed, and that would make you happy (and have the tools and knowledge to install it), by all means go for it. It's your money and your right to spend it anyway you want to- who can fault you for that? (not all glass installers are created equal either). Good Luck! :)

I went to Strauss and they didnt have fuses like that. And cutting down a fuse its not a big deal, its just a conductor thats passing current and if its smaller or bigger doesnt metter, but it just doesnt fit in to the slot.... Not being from the east coast I don't know what Strauss is but I assume it's an auto parts store. I have never heard of an auto parts store not having mini fuses- that's just crazy! Are you sure this isn't a furniture store or a pharmacy? Go back again and look the guy in the eye and ask if this is a auto parts store and if he has mini fuses. If he tells you yes and no to your questions- back away slowly and turn and run. That's just crazy!

bbell- If you go with Rockauto, the # you SHOULD need is Denso 2349009- same as original Toyota/Lexus 89467-41011. If you take a mirror (if your lucky, the # is facing up, if not, you'll need a mirror), the # is laser etched on the barrel of the sensor and isn't real easy to read but with a flashlight and good eyes you CAN see it. The front and rear sensors are the same so you can double check the # on the front sensor but the sensor you probably need is the rear. They are mounted in the exhaust mainifolds, front and rear. The one in the cat. conv. outlet is different. The code that you read with the obdII scanner will tell you whether it is front or rear. I believe you are much better off using original eq. Denso sensors- from whatever source you choose to get them. B2S1 will be front (easy one) and B1S1 will be the rear exhaust manifold. Good Luck!

www.factorylexusparts.com $150.

Funky- I have to agree with the guys that say those parts likely do not need replacing at 90k-as Lexus recommends. The orig. eq. are some of the best parts I've ever seen. I replaced them on my DIL's RX but would not if I had examined the parts before I bought the new ones. You originally asked about the GMB parts, and I simply answered that question. Having said that, do remember that it is an interference engine. (if the belt breaks it may do quite a bit of damage) I would not replace them at 90k in my own car if it was a Lexus or Toyota- the parts are almost like new at those miles but the desision is yours. There are those on this and other forums that will tell you that the sky will fall if you don't follow the manufacturer's guidelines, it's just not true- but that desision is yours.

funky- I have had experience 3 times with GMB water pumps and it was not good. They were all new pumps and with lifetime warrantee but the bearings went bad in all 3. Decided no more GMB pumps for me. I would definitely use original eq. in a Lexus. The orig.eq. timing belts, water pumps, idlers and tensioners on Lexus are outstanding quality and I wouldn't use anything else. You can find Lexus dealers on this site and other Lexus sites that sell discounted and also aftermarket sites on Google that sell orig. Lexus parts discounted. With a little research effort you will find you can use the very best orig.eq. parts for no more than aftermarket, and sometimes less! Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Don't misunderstand what I am saying. I was not saying buy Bosch. I was saying buy a name brand part and when I needed them the Bosch worked in my Honda and Ford. I categorize Denso the same way as a principal subcontractor and I will use their parts whenever possible. I had not hear the Bosch problem with Toyota products though. Yours was the first instance I have heard where a Gates timing belt was the culprit. Fwiw, I put one in my Acura Legene 30000 miles ago. Of course, we are talking about a test group of one now. I will suggest that using quality parts is the way to go but this group and other boards will sometimes give reports that one brand or another doesn't work well in a specific fleet. If that is the case with Bosch then I will cross them off of my short list of potential candidates for the RX. As a final note, I will say that I have never and will never buy a replacement part off of eBay. The quality, source, and applicability are in question. If I get a part that is wrong, doesn't work properly, or is manufactured wrong, it is easy to take it back to my FLAP and get it exchanged. Can't do that easily with eBay. Are there other brands of parts that don't work well in our cars? The RX is now over 40000 so I need to keep a list of which one work and don't work. Gary Hi Gary- I buy a lot of stuff online- some of it from e-bay, but a lot of it from other sources that sell orig.eq. parts at discount. I'm a stickler for detail, so I do a lot of research. I used a Dayco a/c,alt. belt on my last belt fiasco because the orig.eq. belt is a Toyota- made by Dayco. After a few days my DIL informed me that it had developed a bad screetch for 1/2 to 1 sec. at startup. I thought it was the a/c comp. going bad (120k), but when she said it did it even with the a/c shut off I started looking elsewhere. 1st. thing checked was the new belt tension- less than 1/2 in.deflection with pressure. No problem there. I spent the next 1&1/2 days pulling the front of the engine off to check water pump, idler pullys, alt, comp., every thing I could possibly think of with a stethescope, and visually. Tearing my hair out, I could find nothing wrong. The thought came to me to put the old belt back on (was in good shape). Installed it with the same tension I had used on the new belt- problem gone! I was not a particularly happy camper. In examining the new belt (even micing all dimensions) it appears the angle of the cut on the grooves is slightly different than the old belt or the grooves in the pully. To top it off, I paid $22.+ at Pep Boys and Lenore said he bought the same belt from Tex. Lexus dealer (orig. eq.) for something like $12.+, retails for $15.+. There are a lot more reasons why I try to stick with orig. eq. :( Roger

Gary- have you ever priced compared your choice of aftermarket parts with Lexus/Toyota orig. eq.? Believe it or not there are times when the Denso, Aisin, Mitsuboshi, etc. are actually cheaper than the aftermarket. I have found for the most part the orig. eq. L/T parts to be some of the longest lasting, best parts you can buy. I have spent my entire life in automotive work and can only say that anyone that feels that ALL aftermarket parts that meet the manufacturers specs. (they should) are equal to orig.eq. hasn't been paying much attention. That simply isn't true! My experience is that there are good aftermarket parts and there are bum aftermarket parts. I would bet a ten spot that all 3 of the aftrermarket belts that I have had to scrap because of problems met manuf. specs. Two were made by Gates and 1 by Dayco. I buy aftermarket parts but when it comes to Toyota/Lexus, the orig eq. is of such known high quality, I'm going to stick with them. Just my 2cents worth.

Your mechanic was right- don't use anything in the way of sensors, spark plugs or the like but orig.eq. Having said that, you don't have to pay that kind of money for orig. eq. You can find orig. eq. from Lexus online for $150. ea. (if you in fact need both of the front sensors, they are the same). Make certain before you spend that kind of money that your mechanic WAS ACTUALLY RIGHT! By the way, the reason I advised you to use only orig. eq. is because the aftermarket people have done a terrible job of getting the sensor thing right on these cars. No such problem with orig. eq., they work where aftermarket may or may not work properly. There is an excellent site for information on sensor trouble codes and what the cure is as well as a million other automotive problems at www.AA1Car.com

Jens-Do you have mechanical experience? More importantly- do you have airbag experience? I have worked on airbag systems and they are very diverse from vehicle to vehicle but also VERY COMPLICATED. Some cars you have to replace the sensors, some cars they automatically reset. Some cars have sensors in the module with a particular model and if the module is not replaced with the front sensors it may very well blow the air bags on you when you plug them in. (God forbid that you should unsuspectedly be in the way). Some cars have as many as 3 fuses in the air bag system and it may blow 1 (almost certainly) or 2 of the 3. When I say they are VERY COMPLICATED and no 2 alike (and can be very dangerous), that is not an idle statement. If you actually are going to do it yourself, I would get a complete education on YOUR PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR unless you have already worked on them and are experienced in air bag work. Not trying to be harsh- just that I always had a healthy respect for them and you should too. :(

I agree with Lenore on every point- Those things might just make the difference. The people that tell you that are getting incredible mileage on an RX would lie about other things too. :D :D :D Seriously, those suggestions are the BEST place to start. :)