PlatES300

iTrader: (1)

not sure if there was an actual issue with it, but I did buy a kit from ebay and had no problems with the water pump at all. however, the gasket it came with was literally some flimsy paper material. there was no way I was putting that on there after taking everything out just to get to it. The OEM gasket is a thick metal gasket, which I trust much more than the paper one I got with the kit. The OEM gasket is 6 dollars so it's not like it will set you back much. The paper gasket may or may not fail, but are you willing to take everything back out just to replace the gasket later on? I'd rather just spend the 6 dollars and have peace of mind.

MikeLex

Agreed. Also use only OEM cam and crank seals.

BDSL

Not all gaskets are the same (i.e. material, thickness, tolerance, etc).
It is like saying all running shoes are the same.
Or all tires are the same.

MikeLex

Yes, there's no point in replacing a rear valve cover gasket with a non-OEM part.

PolishJoe

I've installed THOUSANDS of gaskets of different brands for all makes and models of cars throughout the years and I've never had a problem with any of them. I don't care if it's a rear main seal, valve cover gasket, cam seal gasket, etc.

I guess it may depend on the level of a persons mechanical aptitude, but if there's a chance someone might screw it up on installation, an OEM part is not going to save them.

PolishJoe

And why is that? You need a better explanation than that.

MikeLex

Correct!

I don't doubt it at all.

My point is different though: I'm a car owner, not an auto mechanic. As such, it's not just about fixing a problem. It's also about durability and reliability. After 12 years my rear valve cover gasket started leaking. I don't think that would be a wise decision to replace it with a non-OEM gasket that could fix the leak for 1 or 2 years, especially considering the high $$ of labor paid. As you can see, car owners and auto mechanics have different point of views and that's the way life is...

PolishJoe

MikeLex, I'm not an auto mechanic, though I do have an engineering degree and work as an elevator mechanic/installer. I have however worked on cars as a hobby for the better part of 20 years. Many of my friends are auto mechanics or also interested in working on cars as a hobby.

The bottom line is that parts, especially such as gaskets (rubber, paper, metal, etc) will have very little to any difference in quality or tolerances when compared to OEM parts.

If you go to Lexus, of course they will install OEM parts in your vehicle. But most folks take their car to their local shop or mechanic. Those shops will 90% of the time use an aftermarket part from their local parts store if it's available, without any problems or reliability. If these aftermarket parts caused problems, don't you think these shops would avoid this and use only OEM parts?

Like I said originally, if a competent trained person with mechanical aptitude works on a car, it makes little difference if aftermarket or OEM parts are used. As an example, look at the aftermarket parts industry. Many folks are happy to swap out their OEM parts for some aftermarket piece advertised to increase power, handling, fuel economy, etc. Look at how many people choose to replace their stock OEM suspension with lowering springs, drop spindles, larger tire and wheel combinations. Do those folks think by altering their suspension geometry they know something that works better than Toyota engineers designed? I could go on with more examples but I think you get my point.

BDSL

There are many types of rubber.
http://www.merl-ltd.co.uk/2003_materials/rubber12.shtml

Each have their chemical compatibilities, temperature range, etc

Same goes with metal. They have different grades and specs.

The thing is that you might not want to risk using some "aftermarket" parts for critical and "labour" intensive areas. i.e. front / rear main seals, cam seals. If they do crap out, it would cost a lot. Is it really worth saving the money? And people don't usually keep their cars that long or push their vehicles to max limit to see the reliability of the part. If it is something easy to get to (i.e. valve cover gaskets, thermostat gasket, brake pads/rotors, etc) by all means, save a few dollars there.

Btw, I am a mechanical engineer by degree. I have worked in aerospace/defense/water treatment/rail/security sector for a while now. I too have a hobby car (MR2 +330rwhp) and work on all sort of vehicles. And I have spent a lot of time and money fixing mistakes done by previous auto-mechanics because they were using improper sealants/gaskets...causing turbocharger failure and other problems $$$$..... I just do my own work now. I don't trust most mechanics....

PolishJoe

I hear you BDSL, I don't trust too many mechanics either and that's the main reason I learned to work on cars. Though I do have some friends that are great mechanics and they've showed me a thing or two throughout the years.

But it's always nicer to do things yourself if possible, knowing you can take your time, do it the right way and save some money.

BDSL

That was mainly the reason why I learned to work on cars too. First, it was too many mistakes/damages (i.e. long down time, expensive, and then potentially dangerous). If I am going to die in my car, at least I was the cause of my death....not some careless mechanic who just wants your money.

At first it was a learning curve with some initial cost (i.e. tools, mistakes, manuals, etc). But once into it for a while, everything is smooth and quick.

tomf

I started doing my own repairs because my repair shop would over torque the studs whenever they installed a wheel. I would get a flat and have to break the stud off to change the tire.

My next big repair will be a timing belt water pump replacement.

BDSL

Well, it is your choice to go aftermarket or OEM parts assuming you know the potential risk....

techtalk

Ugh, I just want to express my discontent with eBay knock-off timing belt/water pump kits- I bought an after market kit for my Aunt's '97 ES300 and thought that the craftsmanship of a knock-off brand should be up to snuff. Much to my dismay, the welds on the water pump were sloppier than a drunken Tara Reid at a frat party Furthermore, the timing belt kit didn't even include the belt tensioner! Needless to say, I'm sticking with OEM Lexus parts from now on. If you shop around and buy the parts from Craigslist (new and local pick up only of course) or lexuspartsnow.com then the price disparity between OEM and after market is negligible.

Rant-off for now