Piyush

Hi all,

It's about my Lexus ES330 (2005) with 129,000 miles on it..

My Lexus dealer suggested as following, the writing notes from the dealer,

"C/S BLG CRANKSHAFT PULLEY INSPEC TION - COMPLETED CAMPAIGN INSPECTION ONLY

TIMING BELT REPLACE TIMING BELT, INSPECT WATER PUMP AND PULLEYS - PERFORMED T - BELT SPECIAL VEHICLE NEEDS VALVE COVER GASKETS AND CAM SEALS VALVER COVER GASKETS 605.93 CAM SEALS 544.89 ALL ITEMS ARE + TAX..........."

Now, We do not have Lexus service center in local and need to travel 200 miles to service my car.

My questions are as following :

1. The timing belt was replaced before 4-5 months by Lexus dealer but I am wondering why they have not replaced the "Valve cover gasket and cam seals" ? I've read in this forum that when changing the timing belt, the valve cover gasket Or cam seals advised to be replaced, OR vise versa....

2. Would it be good idea to let Toyota dealer inspect the car and check these parts and provide me the price break-up with labor+tax etc.

3. I'm not sure how the Toyota guys will perform on this.. But thinking that V6 is only by Toyota...

4. I've not got why Lexus dealer has provided me approximately charges with two different labors instead of just one, as I've studied that these parts can be replaced in single shot, I meant they are fixed in same compartment in engine..

VALVER COVER GASKETS 605.93 CAM SEALS 544.89 ALL ITEMS ARE + TAX.. (See above for further details).

Guys, I am sorry for NON-Mechanical writing, I'm the pure computer guy and not having knowledge on the cars much, but yeah, I always been interested to the DIYs on mechanical things which is most exiting..

Kindly advise me what I can do the best to perform this "surgery" of my loved car.. Your reply by tomorrow morning would be appreciated..!!!

Thank you in advance!!

LeX2K

Replacing the cam seals requires removal of the timing belt and the metal plate behind the timing belt components. This is a separate job for the most part than replacing the valve cover gaskets but if the cam seals were seen to be leaking at the time the timing belt job was done then the seals should have been replaced at that time.

A Toyota dealer will have no issues working on your Lexus engine.

speedkar9

129K miles on an 05 and leaking valve cover gaskets already? I'd get a second opinion, as the 3.3L engine in your car wasn't known to leak valve cover gaskets as badly as the older 3.0L engine.

Since you recently did a timing belt job, I'd skip the cam seals for the time being until the leak gets worse.

Piyush

Thank you both!

Well, I am going to drop my car at Toyota and they said they are gonna inspect the car first and then will give me a call what are the issues under the hood!!

Your replies are really important to make me decide what and how the jobs would be performed by those guys!! At least now I have idea that second opinion will be useful.. I will update the findings fro Toyota!!

Thanks a lot again!!!

BDSL

If it is not leaking oil right now, don't replace the cam seals. Replace them when at the next timing belt.

Valve cover gasket, you can replace them anytime as they don't need to remove the timing belt. Only replace when needed.

Piyush

Thanks BDSL!

So I've dropped the vehicle at Toyota local dealership, they inspected car and showed me the leaking oil which was indeed leaking and spillage all over the engine and other parts.

Well, it's definitely that valve cover gasket to be replaced and other "seals" which to be inspected later if they are bad/torn off too...

Also, they suggested to replace the spark plugs/Or spark plugs wires which will cost in this same labor and would add extra $100-$150 bucks which should be performed when performing this job.

So, It seems good so far and let me update you all when the job is done, if possible, will share some pictures after the job is done..

Indeed, the following thread helps me to understand the mechanism behind the job being performed! (At least I am not ZERO now after reading the thread..)

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...placement.html

Thanks all of you who replied this thread promptly and I am crossing my fingers that engine should be good after Toyota perform the "surgery".. lol!

mmatheny

If they're telling you that you need to replace the spark plugs wires, they're playing you - this model has coil-over ignition - the coils sit right on top of the plug!

LeX2K

I was about to post, what spark plug wires. But I would let them charge me for plug wires then rake them over the coals about it. BTW ALWAYS ask for the old parts back, many shops will have a check box on the invoice that you want them back. This way you can verify they actually did replace what they said they did.

speedkar9

Its a good idea to replace the spark plug tube seals and spark plugs when doing the valve cover gaskets on the ES330 since the intake plenum has to come off anyway.

To save some coin, order the spark plugs and valve cover gasket from RockAuto and have an independent mechanic install it for cheaper than the dealership.

Piyush

Well, I might be wrong for spark plugs wires if they just told me only spark plugs! But I indeed got very good info that it has direct coil sitting on spark plugs instead of wires!!

Will update the bills and cost soon!!

Piyush

Indeed good point on taking the old parts back from them, well, but what is surety that those parts came from my car and not from others!? Sorry if being Dumbo here but rarely I see we have any guarantee that they dont mess with our car until we have good friends working at dealership, we then just need to trust them that they did what they said!!!! Any advise on this is always appreciated as need to learn many from you all!!

Piyush

Good advise, thank you! I will do it next time, but had a worst experience when local guy put "Xw" engine oil instead of "5w" for my friend's es330 which got known when he was replacing the oil... I always have some feeling that dealers do better than local but I know I am wrong.. I think dealer has more knowledge working on their company products than locals... well, that is my old fashion thought but written with honesty!!!

Piyush

Alright Friends!!

My car has been serviced and they charged me total $575.93.

I can see clean and clear engine under the hood with fresh smell whereas it was all over oil spillage before the service.

I drove at I-20 and the acceleration jerking is very less now, and I can feel the power in the car. So I am satisfied with their service as of now after driving 20 miles...

The details with $$ is as following,

Job # 1 - Valve cover gasket leaking - Replaced the valve cover gaskets - PART nos. 11213-0A010 and 11214-0A010 + Labor = $388.98 + $15 for (shop supplies)
Job # 2 - Perform 6 CYL tune-up, Remove plenum, Removed and Replaced 6 platinum spark plugs (90080-91180), reinstalled plenum + Labor = $119.64
Job # 3 - Screw missing in air filter housing, installed (I actually notified them and they did fix the new screw at air filter housing) = $0

P.S. - Toyota labor is $85.00 per hour..

Searched the above part numbers in following link and found the price is matching...

http://www.toyotapartsdirect.com/allparts.html

Let's hope for the better ride in this vehicle.. and many happy miles (to me and all!) lol!!

mmatheny

" Screw missing in air filter housing" - I HOPE it was a screw installed BEFORE the filter and not after it!!
Had a friend with a Mustang, his wife came over to the house, car making all kinds of noise. Turns out the nut holding the filter on (late 70's Stang!) had come off and sucked into the engine - MAJOR overhaul!

Piyush

Thanks for your reply.. Oh! that was so critical the situation you presented here.. Yeah, So when I was checking the car under the hood and found the "screw was NOT at all there" hence requested Toyota to put it there and they did it for me..!