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Removed OEM timing belt to extract and rebuild VVTI cam phasers.....indexing markings were still perfect.
They look imperfect to my eye. I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. It may just be randomness. I don't know how the ink is applied, but it might just be that the ink is low at the end of a run of belts and less ink is applied. Maybe one belt was not as clean and therefore the ink is more prone to coming off. At any rate, I think it's of little or no consequence.
They look imperfect to my eye. I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. It may just be randomness. I don't know how the ink is applied, but it might just be that the ink is low at the end of a run of belts and less ink is applied. Maybe one belt was not as clean and therefore the ink is more prone to coming off. At any rate, I think it's of little or no consequence.
The timing belt from AISIN is new. The timing marks wore away in less than 50 miles.
I had to remove the belt again to do cam seals....unlike the origina OEM l timing belt, there were no marks, so purchased another belt...from Lexus.
Removed the new replacement OEM Lexus belt to rebuild cam VVT-i phasers and the marks were perfectly legible.
The take away here is without access to another timing belt, I could not finish the work when I had time...and then had to waste another 3 hours to purchase another belt from Lexus.
If a suppliee is going to advertise brand equivalency, then they have an obligation to perform their due diligence....that did not happen.
While Aisin QC overlooked this detail, they acknowledge the problem, which is a good first step towards rectifying it.
The timing belt from AISIN is new. The timing marks wore away in less than 50 miles.
I had to remove the belt again to do cam seals....unlike the origina OEM l timing belt, there were no marks, so purchased another belt...from Lexus.
Removed the new replacement OEM Lexus belt to rebuild cam VVT-i phasers and the marks were perfectly legible.
The take away here is without access to another timing belt, I could not finish the work when I had time...and then had to waste another 3 hours to purchase another belt from Lexus.
If a suppliee is going to advertise brand equivalency, then they have an obligation to perform their due diligence....that did not happen.
While Aisin QC overlooked this detail, they acknowledge the problem, which is a good first step towards rectifying it.
The marks on the belt are not required for proper installation.
Many companies provide parts to Toyota for factory assembly of new vehicles. Denso Koyo Aisin are a few of the most prominent. The parts these brands sell to consumers as OE replacements are quite often not to the exact same quality spec as the part that was originally installed at the factory. I'm not saying it's not a quality part but it's not "exactly" what the LS rolled out of the factory with.
That said, all those Denso Koyo Aisin (examples) parts are the same no matter where you buy them. The Denso ignition coil you buy from Rockauto is EXACTLY the same as the Denso ignition coil you buy from Autozone or Amazon. Rockauto has NOTHING to do with the quality of the parts these companies produce.
Many companies provide parts to Toyota for factory assembly of new vehicles. Denso Koyo Aisin are a few of the most prominent. The parts these brands sell to consumers as OE replacements are quite often not to the exact same quality spec as the part that was originally installed at the factory. I'm not saying it's not a quality part but it's not "exactly" what the LS rolled out of the factory with.
That said, all those Denso Koyo Aisin (examples) parts are the same no matter where you buy them. The Denso ignition coil you buy from Rockauto is EXACTLY the same as the Denso ignition coil you buy from Autozone or Amazon. Rockauto has NOTHING to do with the quality of the parts these companies produce.
I had ZERO issues with my AISIN timing belt kit on my 97'. Stop spreading this misinformation. Why are you removing the belt after 50 miles? This isn't normal. It sounds like you didn't plan properly and are wasting twice the amount of labor. Also, do they claim you can use the timing marks multiple times? Installing the belt the first time for 90,000 miles should be the proper procedure had that major service been done correctly.
I have used the Aisin Timing kits on both my 97 and 98 LS400's (slightly different kit #'s for each) and have had 0 problems. I agree the screen printing on the belt is not of the same quality as the OEM, but that alone doesn't worry me. All the bearings, idlers, and the water pump looked top quality with no defects. I've put something like 30,000 miles in 2 years on my 97 after the timing service and it has been flawless, the 98 has also had no issues in the 5,000 miles since its service.
I will say that my 98 had 150,000 miles and I believe 15 years on its last Lexus-installed timing belt and I do not expect the Aisin kit to stand up to that sort of neglect. It had slight cracking and all the bearings were gritty and rusty. I also won't be neglecting it like the previous owner did.
I had ZERO issues with my AISIN timing belt kit on my 97'. Stop spreading this misinformation. Why are you removing the belt after 50 miles? This isn't normal. It sounds like you didn't plan properly and are wasting twice the amount of labor. Also, do they claim you can use the timing marks multiple times? Installing the belt the first time for 90,000 miles should be the proper procedure had that major service been done correctly.
Hey der "stop"
Show some respect.
I said machine shop (dial indicator) information shortly.
The bearing is wobbly and will post that information after I visit with shop during business hours.
I've posted earlier the differences between Mitsuboshi Toyota drive belt and Mitsuboshi aftermarket drive belt - they were like day and night. OEM one was more rubbery, so more friction, and it was a tad shorter; aftermarket one was longer, lower quality production as evidenced by poor stitching and less friction (it had more felt, less rubber). And yes, the screenprinting was inferior too. (just so happens that my father's best friend owned a screenprinting shop and that was my first job when I was 16 years old, so I know a thing or two about it; there is a world of difference between high quality print job like that and an inferior one, sort of like printing money and printing junk mail.)
Now, does that mean that the aftermarket one will break or give me headaches? No one can tell for sure, but to say "I've installed the inferior one and had no problems" means absolutely nothing. It only means that you were lucky, the way that all those Space Shuttle astronauts were lucky when they survived their launches prior to the Challenger disaster. There were engineers warning about the potential troubles with the rubber seals on rocket fuel tanks and guess what - they too were told "We've been using them like this and had no problems, so shut up."
No part will fail every time; it is the likelihood of it failing that matters. Is the part built to highest standards with ample room for wear and tear and unpredictable problems or were the corners cut to save a buck or two? And which one would you rather use then - the equivalent of those rubber seals on the Challenger Shuttle that worked just fine all those years prior to January 1986 or perhaps the improved ones which could stand a lot more stress and lower temperatures?
This attitude of "I've used the crappy one and had no problems" is exactly why you are being shafted: for as long as our expectations are in line with some bean-counter's methods to improve the bottom line, they will continue lowering the quality and you will be paying more for a product that is inferior. Marketing geniuses already know that it is the PERCEPTION that matters, not the truth, so they focus on giving you a good impression, while taking you for a ride.
If the aftermarket quality was just fine, Toyota and Lexus would be using those products. They don't. That must mean that either they are crazy or maybe they know something that those who say "I've used it with no problems" don't. Most people will not be happy to admit they used an inferior part which failed, so we never hear from them, only from those who "had no problems". I did that too, but I admitted it because i hate to see anyone else waste money and time the way I did.
Insist on getting the best and you will eventually get the best; settle for "good enough" and you may as well drive a Yugo.
Many companies provide parts to Toyota for factory assembly of new vehicles. Denso Koyo Aisin are a few of the most prominent. The parts these brands sell to consumers as OE replacements are quite often not to the exact same quality spec as the part that was originally installed at the factory. I'm not saying it's not a quality part but it's not "exactly" what the LS rolled out of the factory with.
That said, all those Denso Koyo Aisin (examples) parts are the same no matter where you buy them. The Denso ignition coil you buy from Rockauto is EXACTLY the same as the Denso ignition coil you buy from Autozone or Amazon. Rockauto has NOTHING to do with the quality of the parts these companies produce.
Rock Auto is a supply chain partner and facilitator of aftermarket parts sales...they post aftermarket supplier ad information.
No one said they are deliberately attempting to undermine.
The issue is when after the problem is identified, what do they do about it.
Rock Auto sells Moog Upper Control Arms for our LS400...and there is a real problem with substandard nut and cotter pin hole being in the wrong place;
"Rock Auto is providing other LS400.parts that do not meet expectations;
1.) Radiators without necessary foam seals, 2.) Aisin timing belt/water pump kits with timing belts that appear inferior to dealer purchased, 3.) KYB shock absorbers that are NOT the same as OEM quality ride, and on information, not as durable, 4.) Oxygen sensors that are not to OEM specifications.( wiring sheathing)
Enough aftermarket crud."
If Rock Auto is going to infer they are providing an OEM quality part then they should verify what they buy and sell.
As an aside....
When purchasing any superceded Toyota P.N. from Lexus dealer . it makes sense to inquire what you are receiving, and origin.
I had ZERO issues with my AISIN timing belt kit on my 97'. Stop spreading this misinformation. Why are you removing the belt after 50 miles? This isn't normal. It sounds like you didn't plan properly and are wasting twice the amount of labor. Also, do they claim you can use the timing marks multiple times? Installing the belt the first time for 90,000 miles should be the proper procedure had that major service been done correctly.
Revisit the original post.
The owner of the 1998 requested after the Aisin aftermarket waterpump kit was installed to rebuild the VVti cam phasers...(Replaced internal o-rings/seals) and this requires removal of intake camshafts..and timing belt so only 50 miles were driven before that decision was made...neither VVti unit was leaking, but the seals were Rock hard brittle and disintegrated when scraped away.
O-rings much less expensive than replacing VVti units.
10-09-17, 11:26 AM
