AZ Mike

Whew! Timing belt is still on!! I was sweating bullets thinking that I had f'd up. Can I loosen that nut with a socket driver with jack handle over driver (my poor man's breaker bar)? Or do I need to find a friend with an air driver? What are cam locks? I get the idea that they prevent the pulleys from moving, but I have not heard of them before. Is that a loaner tool, or something I should go out and buy?

1999 Lexus LS400 - interference engine - in attempting to loosen crank bolt, the pulley moved in CCW direction. I am thinking that this is a bad thing. Is it?

Like I suspected, I was able to remove the alternator by removing the pulley only from the power steering pump. However, after nearly 10 years, the pulley was seized on to the pump shaft/teeth pretty good. A couple of days of intermittent sprays with PB Blaster and tapping with a rubber mallet finally freed it up. I definitely see some places where I will apply some anti-seize when I put it back together!

The bearing isn't gone, but the fact that I can hear anything is a sign of wear. When I removed the pulley and shook it, I could hear just a little play in the bearing. I didn't want to wait on a part mail order, so called the dealer. I know from looking at online parts that the MSRP on the pulley is in the $70's. Local dealer quoted me $121!! Called AutoZone; they had a GoodYear replacement pulley for $21. I decided to save the $100 on a serpentine belt idler pulley.

You are referring to either the fan or fan clutch. I got those off easily. I am referring to the fan bracket, which is what the fan clutch mounts to. I didn't realize that it shared a bolt w/ the a/c compressor. Once I got that bolt out, it popped right off.

Attempting to change timing belt on '99 LS400, and have to get alternator off of the stud in order to remove drive belt tension bracket, the tab of which is on the same stud as the alternator, but behind it. The problem I am having is that I can not figure out a way to get the alternator off of the stud without either removing the power steering pulley or the pump itself. So of course, I can get the nut off of the front of the power steering pulley. Only problem is, that the pulley will not slide off. Corrosion adhesion perhaps? Can't think of a good method I haven't tried to get the pulley loose without damaging it. I am stumped on the pulley for the time being. Now, on to the pump itself.....one nut, one bolt....should be easy. Except that the nut is behind the pulley and there is not enough room for a socket in there, and I can barely fit in a box end wrench, with which I have had zero luck loosening the nut. For anyone who has removed the alternator on the '98-'00 LS400 and has any suggestions, I am all ears.

Only got part way into the project last Saturday, picking up again today. The alternator needs to slide off to allow the serpentine tensioner to come off. In order to get the alternator out that far, it appears that I need to move the power steering pump as the pulley is in the way. Is this correct, or am I missing something?

Last Saturday, I got part way into the TB/water pump replacement on my '99 LS400 before I had to put everything on the back burner until today. My question has to do with the idler pulley for the serpentine, or drive belt (not timing belt). Specifically, the pulley attached to the tensioner arm. When I spin it with the belt off, it spins nicely, but there is a faint noise....sounds like the ball bearings are moving just a bit. I presume that the ball bearings should be seated in the race and not moving, right? If that is the case, I would want to replace that pulley while I have everything apart on the front of the engine, right? Or is it not uncommon to have just a little noise, and it's failure would not necessarily happen shortly?? All my parts for the TB/WP job are OEM Toyota parts. If I replace the serpentine belt idler pulley, I need to go pick up the part today (no time to wait on mail order). For the serpentine belt, does it really matter much whether I get a Lexus pulley or the version that they sell at Checker Auto?? This car only has 62K miles, but I have gone past the time interval on the TB by nearly four years.

anyone?

I'm in the process of breaking down the front of the engine bay in order to replace my timing belt, etc. I have hit a point of confusion and am wondering if anyone can offer a word of advice. I have been following the service manual steps in removing parts from the front of the engine. I am to the fan bracket. The service manual states that after removing two nuts and two bolts, it can be removed. I removed the nuts and bolts, and it isn't budging. Has anyone run into this? Is the order of breakdown in the manual incorrect; i.e., am I supposed to remove some other parts first that appear after the fan bracket in the manual? If all else fails, I will begin dismantling things around it that also must come off; for peace of mind I was trying to stick to the order as presented in the service manual.

I have seen threads referencing www.techinfo.toyota.com. What would I find there? Does it have better information than the factory repair manual?

OK....realized there was a cap nut in the center of the cover that the shop manual did not reference. Doh! Now to the fan bracket, which I am assuming is the part that the fan pulley is attached to. The shop manual says that there are 2 bolts and 2 nuts holding it on. So far, I removed those and couldn't budge it. I removed a 3rd bolt and still can't budge it. Any tips to removing the fan bracket??

OK......so I have removed four bolts, sensor, etc from driver side timing belt cover, and the thing doesn't budge. Odd, since the passenger side came off easily. Could the gasket have cemented the driver side TB cover on? Any problems with using a screwdriver as a wedge to break the seal? Or is there something else holding the cover on that I don't see in the repair manual?

I have no plans to replace the starter. I figured that while I was in that deep that I may as well replace the water pump, pulleys, tensioner, tstat, etc. so that hopefully I don't have to do this for another 6 years. :D I already have all the parts. I will inspect as I go. Options are to leave original parts in good condition in place and save new parts for later, OR (and my more likely choice) install the new parts, and keep functioning original parts as backups. I realize that it may be a waste, but nearing 10 years, I am nervous about the timing belt despite the low miles, AND, I would hate to have to go back that deep into everything in a year if a pulley decided to !Removed! out then. But, if there is a consensus opinion that I am an idiot for changing the pulleys, tensioner and water pump this early, I am certainly open to suggestion!! Apparently, I missed the water inlet housing o-ring in my parts order. Factory only part, or is it just a plain 'ol o-ring that I can match up at Ace Hardware? As for the water pump.......apply sealant to the facing metal, then on the pump flange, with gasket in between? Or is a bead not required on both sides of gasket? If both sides, it is difficult to believe that the little 0.5 oz tube of water pump sealant is enough. Then again, I am usually guilty of buying too much rather than too little.

I have all the parts, and will be tackling the timing belt on Saturday. 2 questions: 1) Is the small tube (0.5 oz) of the Permatex water pump sealant enough for the water pump, or do I need the larger tube? 2) I have seen posts referring to o-rings when replacing the timing belt. What o-rings need replacing?

I am not suggesting that everyone perform a used oil analysis. If you are comfortable with your interval and your car is performing well, great. If you either doubt the recommended interval that Lexus provides, or for other reasons the decision of your oil change interval keeps you up at night, then get your used oil analyzed so that you know exactly how your oil is performing at specific intervals, thereby removing the guesswork from the equation. A basic used oil analysis at Blackstone Laboratories runs $22.50.

Directly from my 1999 Owners Manual Supplement: "OIL CHANGE INTERVALS - The maintenance schedule log book has been designed to provide you with the flexibility to allow either 5,000 or 7,500 mile oil change intervals depending on your circumstances. Use 5,000 mile oil change intervals to help ensure proper engine lubrication under most driving conditions or if you primarily operate your Lexus under the "special operating conditions" described on page 70. Use 7,500 mile oil change intervals if you primarily operate your Lexus under light, non commercial duty for distances greater than 5 miles in temperate climates (above freezing and below 90)." No offense to Landar or anyone else who prescribes 3,000 mile oil change intervals, but personally for me that level of frequency is a waste of resources and dollars unless I have a specific problem with sludging, etc. According to Lexus, the proper interval is 5,000 miles, with the ability to stretch it to 7,500 miles when the majority of driving is longer trips in locations that are not exceptionally hot nor cold. If you have a really difficult time deciding the proper oil change interval for your specific situation, get a UOA (used oil analysis) from a reputable outfit like Blackstone Labs. That will take the guesswork out of it.

How similar/different is this to a '99, which has an interference engine, no rotors, caps, etc? Does anyone know of a similar DIY for the '98-'00?

At what age/mileage do the starter motors typically fail?

My '99 LS400 has a mere 63,000 miles, but is "in service" for 9.5 years. I am going to be putting a lot more miles on it than I have been, and am planning to replace the timing belt as I have exceeded the time interval by 3.5 years (even though I have not hit 90K miles). Based on what I have read, it sounds as though these are all recommended replacements while you are in that far, even if they have not failed/show signs of wear yet: 1) timing belt 2) idler pulleys 3) tensioner 4) front crank seal (cam seals apparently are a totally different beast than on earlier year models) 5) thermostat 6) water pump 7) serpentine belt Am I overlooking anything? Other than the fact that my model does not have distributor/plug wires, is this tutorial the same/similar for a '99?: http://www.lextreme.com/timing.htm What is the best/cheapest source for a factory service manual and/or access to pages for this maintenance? Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

I will do a search for DIY on cam seals. If anyone has bookmarked a good one, please share. Spark plugs are a 90K item, so since I only have 62K, I think I will leave them be. I just replaced the air filter a few months back, and I believe that the '99 has coils on each plug and therefore no caps and rotors.

bump

When attacking the timing belt on a '99, I presume it is a good idea to replace the water pump, idler pulleys and tensioner while in there?? Is there anything else that should be considered?

LexLS shared this link with me a while back; a step by step DIY: http://www.lextreme.com/timing.htm This is for a '96, which I think is more or less the same as '00......but welcome comments. What is the difference between '96 and '99? Is it primarily the individual coils on plugs and no caps/rotors? My '99 only has 62K miles, but I have surpassed the time (7 yrs, right?) interval for the timing belt. I am about to start driving it a lot more, so I am planning to change it just to be safe. Smart, or overkill?

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.