Ls 430 Advice (04 Plate)

[CB1300]

Its also worth remembering that of all cars its the luxury market that takes the biggest hits.

This is because people who can afford to buy new luxury cars do just that, buy new.

This means from new price the cars take a huge nose dive in depreciation as the dealers try and tempt those of a lesser status to part with their cash.

Luxury cars make for excellent value, I paid just £3k for a mint 98` LS400 series 4 with full Lexus SH and just 86k on the clock.

The rear of the car hasn't even been sat in !And it still wafts of new leather.

So what else could I have have bought for £3k ? I don't even need to go there.

[ManicMark]

Hi cb1300

thats a blinding deal on that mileage I paid £2350 for my 98 132k full lexus history not mint (1 door has had paint) drives like new ,back seats unused aswell.

You had a previos post about a cam belt if yours has got full history it should have been done at 67k or 6 years either way it aint due yet.

the Lexus dealer it was serviced at should have a record if it has been done as it might not be noted in the service book. also check the service book & see if a c has been written in at the 60 or 70 k service.

ta Mark

[ManicMark]

Hi cb1300 ignore that just looked at your first post you have already confirmed its not been done, seems odd that it hasn't though have you tried to contact the previous owner on the log book he might have had it done outside of lexus.

[Jackdaniels]

It should also be written on a sticker on the engine cover when the belt was changed.

[ManicMark]

Hi agreed, but they often go awol if the engine bay is steam cleaned

[CB1300]

I actually paid £2900 with 12 months tax, 12 months Mot and full Lexus history up to Nov 2008.

The previous owner who was only the second owner of the car ( he purchased it at just 14 months old)and I would say was in his late seventies, had full documented history with the car, However he had written quote from Lexus Bristol for £340 for the cam belt change but was told it didn't need changing on this model until 100k ? He was also American and was moving back to the states so perhaps he thought leave it to the next owner " Me ! "

I am having it done including water pump this Friday.

[ManicMark]

Im amazed

the Lexus dealer said 100k, page 26 of the service record states 63K on this model, maybe it is the same belt as the 430 which is 100k & they have revised the schedule for the mk4 400. when you get your belt done can you ask if its the same belt.

ta Mark

[Haylands]

Hi

The early 400 up to 1993 was 60,000 then it was 63,000 until the 430 when it went to 100,000.

I think you will find this has little to do with the actual belt and more to do with Lexus realising that they could stretch the change time, they, like all manufacturers were trying to make ownership seem less expensive and advertise the "Major Service every 100,000 miles" selling point.

I've never heard of one snapping and there was a thread a while back when this was discussed, nobody else had heard of one so it seems that 63,000 was a very conservative figure....

Mind you changing the belt is probably about 10% of the cost of an engine rebuild so why chance it....

I suppose if the car has been driven in a relaxed way then it would last forever, constant grand prix starts is what will snap it.....

Lucky I got rid of mine when I did!!!

Pete

[GoldfingerLS]

Hi

The early 400 up to 1993 was 60,000 then it was 63,000 until the 430 when it went to 100,000.

I think you will find this has little to do with the actual belt and more to do with Lexus realising that they could stretch the change time, they, like all manufacturers were trying to make ownership seem less expensive and advertise the "Major Service every 100,000 miles" selling point.

I've never heard of one snapping and there was a thread a while back when this was discussed, nobody else had heard of one so it seems that 63,000 was a very conservative figure....

Mind you changing the belt is probably about 10% of the cost of an engine rebuild so why chance it....

I suppose if the car has been driven in a relaxed way then it would last forever, constant grand prix starts is what will snap it.....

Lucky I got rid of mine when I did!!!

Pete

I totally agree with Pete here. Often I think main dealer service intervals are about making the car seem less expensive to maintain. With a timing belt better not to take the chance. I had the belt replaced by lexus at 54,000 miles, although the car had not reached the magic 60k miles, it was 7 years old at the time and i didnt want to take the risk due to the belt ageing. Also even though the car may not have reached the 60k interval, bear in mind that this is ONLY AN INDICTAOR. Cars which do city miles (rather than motorway miles) still have the cambelt turning and taking load even at low speeds and when the car is idling in traffic, yet clocking up not many miles.

And as for the 9,000 mile oil change, personally i think it is a joke. For motorway miles maybe but, not when most driving is city driving and lots of cold starts. When going to see cars for sale there is no point looking at stamps in a book. Also check if the person has supporting invoices and if the servicing was done on time or over stretched. I remember going to see a couple of LS400's for sale and they were stretched between 11,000 and 15,000 miles between oil changes. I just walked away. With my car i change the oil every 4,500 or 5,000 miles.

As for timing belts snapping, I went to my mechanic back in November to get the MOT done. While i was there he had a Mk1 LS430 in which he noramlly looks after. The owner had the car LPG'd and used it for chuffering, with 180k miles on the clock. When I asked him why its parked up with its engine out, replied timing belt broke. He said it was changed on time every 60k but the tensoner had never been changed despite the car being on its 3rd timing belt. Apparently the bearing on the tensioner went, slack came into the belt, belt snapped, the rest was history. They had managed to source a replacement engine for the owner at a cost of a few thoundand pounds. Perhaps a lesson to learn always change the tensioner aswell ??

[ManicMark]

Hi

The early 400 up to 1993 was 60,000 then it was 63,000 until the 430 when it went to 100,000.

I think you will find this has little to do with the actual belt and more to do with Lexus realising that they could stretch the change time, they, like all manufacturers were trying to make ownership seem less expensive and advertise the "Major Service every 100,000 miles" selling point.

I've never heard of one snapping and there was a thread a while back when this was discussed, nobody else had heard of one so it seems that 63,000 was a very conservative figure....

Mind you changing the belt is probably about 10% of the cost of an engine rebuild so why chance it....

I suppose if the car has been driven in a relaxed way then it would last forever, constant grand prix starts is what will snap it.....

Lucky I got rid of mine when I did!!!

Pete

I totally agree with Pete here. Often I think main dealer service intervals are about making the car seem less expensive to maintain. With a timing belt better not to take the chance. I had the belt replaced by lexus at 54,000 miles, although the car had not reached the magic 60k miles, it was 7 years old at the time and i didnt want to take the risk due to the belt ageing. Also even though the car may not have reached the 60k interval, bear in mind that this is ONLY AN INDICTAOR. Cars which do city miles (rather than motorway miles) still have the cambelt turning and taking load even at low speeds and when the car is idling in traffic, yet clocking up not many miles.

And as for the 9,000 mile oil change, personally i think it is a joke. For motorway miles maybe but, not when most driving is city driving and lots of cold starts. When going to see cars for sale there is no point looking at stamps in a book. Also check if the person has supporting invoices and if the servicing was done on time or over stretched. I remember going to see a couple of LS400's for sale and they were stretched between 11,000 and 15,000 miles between oil changes. I just walked away. With my car i change the oil every 4,500 or 5,000 miles.

As for timing belts snapping, I went to my mechanic back in November to get the MOT done. While i was there he had a Mk1 LS430 in which he noramlly looks after. The owner had the car LPG'd and used it for chuffering, with 180k miles on the clock. When I asked him why its parked up with its engine out, replied timing belt broke. He said it was changed on time every 60k but the tensoner had never been changed despite the car being on its 3rd timing belt. Apparently the bearing on the tensioner went, slack came into the belt, belt snapped, the rest was history. They had managed to source a replacement engine for the owner at a cost of a few thoundand pounds. Perhaps a lesson to learn always change the tensioner aswell ??

A good time to change the water pump also, it runs off the back of the belt, a friend of mine put his into lexus for his first belt & tensioner change, a couple of thousand miles later the bearing in the water pump failed & shreded the belt, fortunately for him his ls is a mark2 so is a non contact motor, he done the job himself then replacing the lot again. It could have been a coincidence the pump failing or it could be with a new belt & tensioners more pressure was on the pump bearing. If it had been a later model it would have been bye bye engine.

[CB1300]

Im amazed

the Lexus dealer said 100k, page 26 of the service record states 63K on this model, maybe it is the same belt as the 430 which is 100k & they have revised the schedule for the mk4 400. when you get your belt done can you ask if its the same belt.

ta Mark

Im not having the work done by lexus but by the chap who has looked after most of my cars for the past twenty odd years.

However it should be on his system so will let you know.

Im actually having the idlers and water pump changed at the same time, but going back to main dealer advice.

When I inquired at Lexus Exeter about my cambelt change the service guy couldn't understand why I would want the idlers and water pump changed on a cam belt service ?

It was certainly not part of the scheduled cam belt change service on their system and their quote for doing the lot was a staggering £700 !! If I remember correctly ?

Perhaps somebody would like to clarify this by getting a quote from their local Lexus dealer ?

[ManicMark]

Im amazed

the Lexus dealer said 100k, page 26 of the service record states 63K on this model, maybe it is the same belt as the 430 which is 100k & they have revised the schedule for the mk4 400. when you get your belt done can you ask if its the same belt.

ta Mark

Im not having the work done by lexus but by the chap who has looked after most of my cars for the past twenty odd years.

However it should be on his system so will let you know.

Im actually having the idlers and water pump changed at the same time, but going back to main dealer advice.

When I inquired at Lexus Exeter about my cambelt change the service guy couldn't understand why I would want the idlers and water pump changed on a cam belt service ?

It was certainly not part of the scheduled cam belt change service on their system and their quote for doing the lot was a staggering £700 !! If I remember correctly ?

Perhaps somebody would like to clarify this by getting a quote from their local Lexus dealer ?

£700 isn't a bad quote from a main dealer, the original parts must be in excess of £350 & its not a quick job by any stretch of the imagination to change a belt, It took my mate a whole day non stop to do his & he is a very competent mechanic.Its got to be at least 4 or 5 hour s labour at lexus seeing as they do them on a regular basis.One of the bills that came with my car was for over£1800 for a service & cambelt replacement & that was in 2003.

It was a big deciding factor for me when buying mine the belt,idlers ,water pump,discs & pads all round & some suspension work had all been carried out within the last 3,000 miles. So many I looked at were due their second belt or there was no record of their first belt being done. I ended up bying mine knowing one door had been painted , a couple of minor supermarket dints & quite a few stone chips ( motorway miles ). I thought I got a blinding deal at £2250. Mind you I think youve done better with yours 80 k mint 7 if it only costs you £350 to get the belt idlers 7 pump done. Youve got a fantastic deal at £3250 all in.

As I said in a previous post my mate had his belt done & then his water pump packed up a couple of thou later, On your engine it would destroy it. It would be the same for idlers, It may not be nessesary, but its precautionary as its open you may aswell do them,after all the bearings are 10 years old, if you put new in they should last anouther 10 years. The main dealers probably don,t change them as a matter of course but on a if nessesary bassis to keep customer costs down.

[CB1300]

Manicmark.. I came across this old post http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...showtopic=16355

Is the engine in the series four definitely interference ? Or is Colin Barber wrong ?

[ManicMark]

Manicmark.. I came across this old post http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...showtopic=16355

Is the engine in the series four definitely interference ? Or is Colin Barber wrong ?

Hi I firmly belive that he is missinformed the mark 1 & 2 are non interference from then on they are not, hence more power ,my mate from Liverpool Knows his ls 400s inside out & is on very good terms with the lexus workshop up there, I think he said the later models have a longer stroke. I personally trust his info on this & wouldn't want to put it to the test.

It would be great if he was wrong, but i somehow doubt it. I hadn't ruled out buying a mint mark 2 for that reason.

If you are Difinitively informed different please post it.

[Haylands]

Hi

There is a lot of misinformation about this, Autodata shows all 400's and 430's as interference engines, i.e. damaged if the cam belt snaps. I have read quite a lot on Forums and would have to say that the most popular opinion is as stated, Mk1 and 2 are fine from then on it's not.... Like I said I've never heard or read of one snapping on its own apart from cheap replacements and lack of new tensioner etc.

If you think about it Lexus have to err on the side of caution, if you did 63,000 miles of town driving with every start being flat out the belt will have to take this punishment, constant full throttle must put and enormous amount of torque loading through the belt...they have to take into account this abuse when giving replacement intervals, 63,000 miles on a motorway would give next to no strain on the belt at all....

So let’s hope we never find out if the engines get damaged if the belt snaps.....

I'm OK now my new Toyota's got a chain, hope I don't snap that.....

Pete

[jsj24uk]

Mine has just come up to 69,000 miles. I think I will get it done just before the warrenty runs out which is in a year and a half's time. I am mostly gentle with mine, (buying four tyres makes you like this) appart from using the grunt on motorway slip roads (which is fun). It's good to hear that the belts they use seem to be of good quality.

Why don't they use cam chains though? The Micra has one of those and there is no specified time for it to be changed so I'm assuming it wil last the lifetime of the engine. I know it requires frequent oil changes but I get mine done every 6,000 miles rather than the 12,000 that Nissan recomend. I also get the oil changed in the LS every 6 months. I probably don't have to but it makes me feel better.

Jim.

[Haylands]

Hi

I think they use a belt instead of a chain because from the first revolution a chain is stretching, they can use a tensioner but imagine the stretch on a chain needed for a V8, they are very long, see below. They can then time the engine to a finer degree with a belt which doesn't stretch so much.... Anyway chains do snap and the resulting damage is usually terminal for the engine as the chain destroys most of the front, saw a picture a while ago with the chain stuck right through the bonnet!!!!

Lexus LS400 Belt

Nissan Micra chain

Pete

[CB1300]

Just came across the PDF service schedule for a 1998 LS400 on the USA site.

It states timing belt every 90,000 miles ?

The mystery deepens !

Link on USA site : HERE