Peacebay

Johnhav430

My car was a 2006 with 86k by the time I had it done.....in 2/17.....old belt does look brand new. imho failures due to age are not common. Not sure where you are in CT, this likely won't help you, but I do know of an excellent indie in central NJ. imho again? Worth driving 2 hours.

I too feel reasonably mechanically inclined, I've done a BMW ABS pump job, but I have not done the timing belt on the 3UZ. Don't feel I have the room to spread out....

Good luck on your decision--if you do want a NJ indie, let me know....

edit p.s. as a general rule, sometimes it's not the belt, but an idler or a pulley or a pump that causes an issue...(not necessarily on this engine but in general)

2KHarrier

Well, Since I've just completed my second belt, I can add some input here...

There's not much to be afraid of with doing this job, as long as you follow the couple of great threads that have step by step instructions. It was a huge help for me, both times.

My 2005 had 59K on it when I did my belt and it definitely could have gone much further, but you really don't know until you get it opened up and look at everything. I figured I'd rather be safe with changing the belt at it's current age. Even the belt on my 2001 with 93K miles on it really didn't look that bad. It's the water pump, tensioner and idler rollers that if they fail, could spell disaster.

I haven't heard of a belt failing, and there's a few threads discussing cars that have not had belts changed in excess of 200K miles with no ill effects.

2KHarrier

John, most of the work is done inside the engine bay, so room really isn't an issue.... There's nothing to it, but to do it!

Jim

Mbodall

I can't help you with an indie shop, but I can tell you how to save a couple hundred while still using all genuine OEM parts. I buy all my parts from parts.com (creative name, I know lol). Their parts are all genuine Toyota parts sourced and shipped to you from Lexus/Toyota dealers across the country. I had my timing belt/WP and everything else listed below replaced about 3 years ago and still have all the part #s saved in an email to myself when I was researching which website had the best prices:

If I remember correctly, parts.com didn't have one of the o-rings, so I just paid the dealership that did the labor the $3 or $4 for them to sell it to me. Regardless of whether you still want a dealership to do the labor, or an indie shop, or do it yourself, buying all the parts online is the way to go in my opinion. Over the almost 5 years that I've owned LS430s, I've saved probably somewhere between $500-$1000 buying my parts through that website vs what my dealer quoted me for parts.

aufenscuht

I would not gamble with it, however the best is very thick and can withstand easily over 100k. Being an interference engine though, it is better to be safe than sorry. Do your cam seals as well. Just be careful when sliding the phaser off. It can potentially smack your radiator.

toddmorr

you will hear lots of angst about changing belts when they get "old". But I've never read of a belt failing at low miles, high years and I doubt anyone else has either. Heck, we *might* have one or two cases of a belt failing at all on these forums, regardless of age or miles. Extremely rare.

Make sure your water pump sounds and looks healthy, no leaking, and you'll be fine.

all the obsession about belts is just a waste of money, IMHO. I'm at 102k miles on an '05 and might get to it next year. Not worried in the least.

Peacebay

XJSFan

On my 2006 GS430(same engine) I did the timing belt and other parts at 37K miles... The belt looked new but the other parts were ready to be changed.

Johnhav430

On the indies, I could not find one in Phila., if you can believe that....there is still this "boutique" type of indie, you know, costs same as dealer kind. One did not want to do my LCA bushings (said doesn't want to spend all day on it and get burned--means never did it b4), another said no, you don't install your parts, and no, we don't see too many cars like yours. Japanese specialists! lol

So I did find one where yes, I can provide my parts, yes, you will show me my car on the lift, yes, you seem to know everything that this forum knows, yes, you charge $900 for what a dealer quoted $1,600, yes, the tech comes on the phone if I call the shop, etc. Just good all around. Sitting in the lounge, some customers have been coming there for 30+ yrs. Amazing.

BMW, so easy to find indies, moderately difficult to find an excellent one, Toyota/Lexus was very very hard for me to find one. In CA and TX bet it's easy...

Don't want to mention any names, one was recommended here, and my buddy went to that shop and had an awful experience, so it's just not that easy...

Romanova

If you're mechanically inclined, DIY then. It really isn't that difficult and there is plenty of information out there on how to do it, tips and tricks, and what tools are needed. I would bet $100 that your 13 year old belt would last at least another 70k without issue, but then with the overall cost of replacement, why risk it? When mine was done at 80k, it still looked new. Peace of mind is worth something though.

Just make sure you use quality parts!

Mbodall

Just out of curiosity, I'd call your local dealer and ask what they would charge you for just labor if you provide your own genuine OEM parts still sealed in the original box/packaging (my dealer said they would honor any applicable part warranties in addition to their labor if the parts I provided were still sealed and clearly not tampered with). You know it'll be done right, and in the very slim chance that it isn't, you know they'll bend over backwards to make it right. Plus, you can snag some good free coffee/cappuccino/latte and a muffin when you drop your car off, and drive off in a free loaner car to drive to work (or where ever) for the day. Icing on that cake is that you'll get your car back freshly washed and vacuumed. I paid $579 for labor at my local dealer to have all 11 of those parts installed that I listed. For the piece of mind and convenience of the dealership experience, it was worth every penny to me.

Peacebay

Johnhav430

I can give you the quote I got for them doing it--the 90k change, without idlers/tensioner, $1,400. So what's the timing belt kit go for Lexus OE, maybe $400? That implies $1k labor. You get the part yourself, say for $200. You've only saved $200, but are now an exception. Is there a full warranty on customer provided parts? Not with an indie there isn't. Is that worth $200 savings? Or maybe have an indie do it all for $750 to $900.

The thing that I prefer to avoid, is going out of the ordinary. LIke my buddy took his NX200t (wife's) to Toyota for a synth oil change. The sticker they put on the glass said 5k. Now he starts doubting what was done, said can he test the oil to prove it was synth. Car has recommended 10k intervals.

In some strange sense to even care about the job, we are odd. But we are also odd to be driving 2001-2006 cars! Meaning, the avg Joe today leases a car, returns it in 36 mos. The car is under a full warranty the entire duration, so if something is not done right, it's not even his car who cares. Give me a loaner and fix it. Point being good chance a tech treats a car like a leased car, whereas an indie treats the car like it's your car, or their car. Just my .02.

I know Toyota was willing to do my LCA bushings for $700 labor, huh? That was with me providing the parts. He told me look, we have done it on Avalon, Highlander, so we're not going to just change the bushings without taking out the arms, you can't do it that way. lol

Mbodall

Noooooo. Their parts are going to be way more than that. The total for all 11 parts purchased online was right around $415. My dealership did my labor for $579 including the idler and tensioner. They wanted $1600+ for everything if I bought parts through them. That's over $600 in savings. And absolutely with a warranty on parts and labor. As I said in my last post, the dealer told me as long as I supply genuine Toyota parts that are still sealed in the original packaging, that they would honor any applicable warranty.


And that right there is a good reason to not go to a Toyota dealership for things like our somewhat unique suspension lol