90 Ls400 Timing Belt Replacement Question

[sebastor]

So i just got 1990 ls400 with 167,000 miles on it and it was involved in minor accident as i saw it on autocheck and also i see radiator was replaced and i saw o-ring replaced on receipt. I looked at engine sticker and didn't see timing belt change. I think i see on one of the receipts that water pump was replaced as well but i'm not 100% sure if it was or not.

Here is a question. At 167,000 miles would timing belt be replaced at least once at some point OR possibly had to be replaced after that accident.

I'm trying to determine if it was done at least once ??? Having hard time believing that it would run 167k without change???!!!

P.S

Engine runs like a honey. I mean i had 1991 lex with 230k and 1990 this is is so much sweeter. Radiator upgrade made the car heat up faster so after few minutes in winter it's warm in the car which is not the case with original radiator.

Not sure about timing belt and the costs at mechanic shop ?

[ROYT]

Think early series belt change is every 60,000 miles

[SteveLS400]

So i just got 1990 ls400 with 167,000 miles on it and it was involved in minor accident as i saw it on autocheck and also i see radiator was replaced and i saw o-ring replaced on receipt. I looked at engine sticker and didn't see timing belt change. I think i see on one of the receipts that water pump was replaced as well but i'm not 100% sure if it was or not.

Here is a question. At 167,000 miles would timing belt be replaced at least once at some point OR possibly had to be replaced after that accident.

I'm trying to determine if it was done at least once ??? Having hard time believing that it would run 167k without change???!!!

P.S

Engine runs like a honey. I mean i had 1991 lex with 230k and 1990 this is is so much sweeter. Radiator upgrade made the car heat up faster so after few minutes in winter it's warm in the car which is not the case with original radiator.

Not sure about timing belt and the costs at mechanic shop ?

If you have no proof of timing belt change, change it now! Every 60,000 is the recommended limit. I cannot see why a timing belt would be replaced after a minor shunt. These engines are beautiful; but not after the failure of a timing belt.

[Ruud]

The change interval for the UK is 60k, for the rest of the world 100k.

Luckily the 1990 engine is non-interference, so if it breaks, you're just stuck without any further engine damage.

[cleverdick]

Out of interest, has anyone on here actually experienced a timing belt breakage on an LS400?

[Ruud]

Out of interest, has anyone on here actually experienced a timing belt breakage on an LS400?

I think I've read of someone having their water pump bearing seize which broke the belt.

I haven't heard of the belt itself breaking though.

I've read about a guy in the US who had his original belt changed at just under 200k and said it still looked like new :)

[simontaylor]

My old MK-III had the timing belt changed at 62k when I purchased it.

At 150k, I took a lot of the front end of the engine off to prepare to change it. On one of the idler wheels where the belt is bent outwards, I could clearly see the teeth. They were in perfect condition, no damage, no wear and no cracking at all. The belt is so well burried and protected, it was dry and only covered in a little dust.

The car went on to 190k and still ran sweet as ever and I drove that car hard now and again.

That was 130k on 1 belt.

My plan is to never change the belt on my current LS400 MK-III, it seems a pointless exercise.

BTW, my old car failed with a starter moteor problem in the end and now it is being broken up for parts.

[JellyBean]

My plan is to never change the belt on my current LS400 MK-III, it seems a pointless exercise.

I have never heard of an LS 400 timing belt breaking because of normal wear. If Lexus recommend changing at 100,000 miles, there will be a BIG margin of error built in. I seem to remember someone saying that his LS had just reached the specified mileage interval and was asking if it was alright to drive the car, as if the belt would snap at 100,001 miles!

[Malc]

My plan is to never change the belt on my current LS400 MK-III, it seems a pointless exercise.

I have never heard of an LS 400 timing belt breaking because of normal wear. If Lexus recommend changing at 100,000 miles, there will be a BIG margin of error built in. I seem to remember someone saying that his LS had just reached the specified mileage interval and was asking if it was alright to drive the car, as if the belt would snap at 100,001 miles!

Hi,

I read a while back from Lexus I believe somewhere, that the recommended change at 60/65,000 miles was just that: a recommendation. Breakage would NOT occur at 90k miles but you shouldn't go beyond that. Lexus ran the original cambelt to 160k miles ( I think ) when it did eventually snap !

Lots of leeway then !

Malc

[Ruud]

My plan is to never change the belt on my current LS400 MK-III, it seems a pointless exercise.

I have never heard of an LS 400 timing belt breaking because of normal wear. If Lexus recommend changing at 100,000 miles, there will be a BIG margin of error built in. I seem to remember someone saying that his LS had just reached the specified mileage interval and was asking if it was alright to drive the car, as if the belt would snap at 100,001 miles!

Hi,

I read a while back from Lexus I believe somewhere, that the recommended change at 60/65,000 miles was just that: a recommendation. Breakage would NOT occur at 90k miles but you shouldn't go beyond that. Lexus ran the original cambelt to 160k miles ( I think ) when it did eventually snap !

Lots of leeway then !

Malc

Then how do you explain that the rest of the world have 100k as a change interval? :)

Personally I think the 60k interval here in the UK is nonsense.

[JellyBean]

Personally I think the 60k interval here in the UK is nonsense.

Certainly is. I had a letter last year from Lexus, stating it to be 100,000 MILES.

[Malc]

Personally I think the 60k interval here in the UK is nonsense.

Certainly is. I had a letter last year from Lexus, stating it to be 100,000 MILES.

Hi Is that 100k miles and not kilometres ? and is it on this model too ?

Should save us all a shed load of money methinks !

Thanks

Malc

[Ruud]

Personally I think the 60k interval here in the UK is nonsense.

Certainly is. I had a letter last year from Lexus, stating it to be 100,000 MILES.

Hi Is that 100k miles and not kilometres ? and is it on this model too ?

Should save us all a shed load of money methinks !

Thanks

Malc

Yes, 100k miles on models upto 1997. I believe the MKIV is also 100k miles here in the UK

[JellyBean]

Hi Is that 100k miles and not kilometres ? and is it on this model too ?

Yes, miles (which is why I used upper case!); mine is a '96 Mk 3.