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is 250 se cam belt or chain drive ?


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Definitely chain - there are three chains - a main one driving the inlet cams and two auxiliaries (one for each bank) driving the exhaust cams from the inlet shafts.

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56 minutes ago, Texas said:

Yes, maintenance free chain, one of the big pluses for me personally over a rubber cam belt!

paul m.

Apart from expense of getting it changed (which I know from personal experience is not to be dismissed), there is an argument that says a belt is better in that it is routinely inspected and replaced. Tensioners are routinely replaced with cambelts, but probably not even looked at in chain engines. Unless they are rattling, which could well be too late.

Chains can run for the life of the car, but not if oil is ever neglected for either level, age or mileage. Also dependant of course on quality of the maker; witness the problems BMW and VW have had with their chains failing. 

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Indeed +1 to that. Especially re the oil. Don't keep to Lexus oil change intervals - change at 5-6000 miles max.

A timing chain job will cost north of £1000 on an IS250.

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Thanks again for advice, always change oil and filter (Lexus own) every 5000 miles, it is the life blood of the engine.

Question  1)how often do you change oil in differential?. 

                   2) how often do you change fluid in auto gear box? 

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Diff - Lexus don't specify but I did mine a year or so ago at about 60K miles or 10 years.

Auto box - leave well alone, unless a fault or slow or snatchy change develops. That has only been reported here about once. The auto box is all but unbreakable and maintenance free.

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11 minutes ago, mikes5 said:

Thanks again for advice, always change oil and filter (Lexus own) every 5000 miles, it is the life blood of the engine.

Question  1)how often do you change oil in differential?. 

                   2) how often do you change fluid in auto gear box? 

You'll need one of these fine IS250 fellas to answer that definitively. But when I was researching IS250s, I think it was something like 50k for the ATF and 20k for the diff.

To be honest, in the 80k I did in my IS300, I had the diff oil done once; I think 20k is over-egging it a bit. 

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Hi the diff oil change is in the lexus major service ,every 20,000 miles according to the previous completed service sheets that came with my car ; 75/85 viscosity GL5 diff oil is specified . This can be difficult to find ,Lexus sell it in 1 litre bottles but I have used 75/90 Mobil .You will need just over 1 litre so need to buy 2. As previously stated leave the auto box alone ' if it aint broke don't fix it'  In my experience oil and filter changes every 5-6000 miles will prevent any timing chain or tensioner problems .
dave

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I seem to remember Jaguars lovely XK8 had a 'sealed for life' autobox with no means to inspect let alone change the oil. Turns out, 'sealed for life' was disappointingly for a life of only 80 to 90k...

I had a partial change (i.e., what will drain out unaided) done twice on my IS300's box, but that was admittedly older technology. Like Dave says, "if it ain't broke don't fix it"; changing old ATF (that might have been in the car since it was built) may actually dislodge some grunge that then moves - like a DVT - to somewhere more critical in the box. 

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Ah..yes - diff oil changes do feature in the Lexus service specs - oddly, not on the Service Data Sheet within the Workshop manual. I used Redline 75W85 - the 75W85 is the name of the product as well as the viscosity spec. It meets GL5 spec.

I notice that Febi Bilstein also do a 75W85 GL5 oil, slightly cheaper than the Redline. See the Opie Oils web site. (other sellers have one or both - eg Demon Tweaks)

Changing diff oil is a task which is somewhat poo-pooed in the motor trade (as is changing brake fluid). It's often not done and indeed, diff oil usually comes out looking pretty pristine when you do change it. The workshop manual doesn't actually cover changing it - just 'adjustment' of it.

Incidentally, you really need a manual pump to do the change - it is very difficult to get even a squeezy bottle into position to inject the new oil. Always remove the fill plug before the drain (to make sure that you can) and use new washers.

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Yes the older technology was a lot easier to live with ; the only mention of the auto gearbox on the lexus service sheet is to check transmission oil level every 4 years or 40000 miles .I do not think this is easy for a DIY person as there is not a dipstick and oil temperatures need to be taken.johnatg is correct in saying a manual pump is needed to make the job easier ,it also helps to get the car as high as you safely can as the plugs are on the side of the casting and not the rear which would be easier. With regard to the pristine appearance ,the problem is the extreme pressure between the meshing gears which breaks down the additives in the oil, there is no contamination entering  the system as with engine oi

Dave

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