Cam Belt

[CB1300]

Just been quoted £415 by Lexus Exeter for a cam belt change, would have thought seeing my car has full Lexus Bristol SH it would have been done, but they confirmed earlier that it hadn't .BTW price quoted by Bristol £370 so a fair difference between stealerships there.

Local ex Toyota dealership using genuine Lexus parts + Courtesy car.. £250 !

Just waiting for my man to come back to me now with his price.

His system shows two special tools so he is awaiting a call to find out what exactly they are ? Anybody here know ? Its for a LS400 98 series 4.

[ManicMark]

Hi £250 sounds like a bargain, make sure it includes the idlers, while its off change the water pump also, a friend of mine didn't

and a couple of thousand miles later the pump seized & striped the belt, not a problem on his as its a mark 2 & is a non contact motor, the mark 3 & 4 isn't so its a disaster if this happens.

[Haylands]

Hi

I'm pretty sure the special tools are to stop the cam shafts moving whilst doing the job, they are not essential if you are used to changing cam belts

Pete

[CB1300]

Cheers chaps for the answers.

When replacing the cam belt what also usually gets done ? IE whats usually included in the cam belt kit ?

Does the water pump have to come off when replacing the cam belt ? If so I guess it would make sense to replace it.

[ManicMark]

Hi I belive its all seperate, cam belt 2 idelers, water pump does not have to be removed but is accessable with the belt removed,

it is 100% worth replacing the lot & with genuine parts. It is done for 63000 miles then.

[randyreindeer]

My belt is due for renewal now so I'm gonna stuck in in the next few weeks. I was in the same situation with my 300ZX and the water pump. Its seems daft not to do it when its all in bits in front of you.

No doubt the hardest part will be cracking the Crank pulley nut.

[CB1300]

Anybody know of a good place or site in the UK to buy a water pump for a 98 ls400 ? I believe that the OE is made by Bosch ?

They run at about £145 from the states ( at the present exchange rate ) with shipping and UK Vat.

[aido]

Might be worth trying these guys as I got a water pump from them recently and they were very helpful:

http://www.ace-auto-parts.co.uk/index.html

[CB1300]

Might be worth trying these guys as I got a water pump from them recently and they were very helpful:

http://www.ace-auto-parts.co.uk/index.html

Cheers Aido.

£84.95 from them for genuine part.

Does the LS400 water pump require a gasket set ? Their pump doesn't come with one so they assume it doesn't require it ?

[aido]

I've got to admit I'm not sure there - I did pick up a genuine Toyota one for mine as well but never actually looked in the box to see what came with that one and the garage have fitted it now so I don't know?

[CB1300]

I was about to go ahead with my local Toyota dealers quote when I queried their price of £250 ? Turns out the Woman on the service desk quoted me for belt only, I specifically stated cam belt kit !!

Their price for full cam belt kit including the idlers was £470 ... £55 more than Lexus !!

But my man has come back to me now, Full Blueprint ADL timing belt kit ( with tensioners etc ) + Quinton Hazell Water Pump for £315 all in( supplied and fitted ).

[aido]

Winner! Sounds like it's come right in the end :D

[Mike_B]

Quick question in response to a comment by ManicMark up above:

Is the water pump really driven by the cambelt? Is it not driven by the accessory belt?

[ManicMark]

Hi, it is driven by the cambelt at least on the mk2 & 3 models I can see no reason why it would differ on a mk4, I also Know that my water pump was changed when the belt & pulleys were changed, 1500 miles before I bought my mark 4. It would be better if it was driven off the serpentine belt.