Year 2000 - Does This Use A Timing Belt?

[Tazio77]

A quick one.

I'm going to look at a May 2000 LS400, the owner says the later model doesn't need a cambelt change.

Is he right?.

[Keith Bowler]

Mine is a late 1999 and certainly has a timing belt.

I think it needs changing every 60,000 or so.

Min has just been changed at 99,000.

It's important to check when it was last changed as the VVT engine is an 'interference' engine so if the belt fails you can guarantee valve damage and a huge repair bill

[Tazio77]

Thanks Keith, from what I've been trawling through the web, he is wrong. He has had the car for 8 years and the maintenance is alledgedly all Lexus bar the last one, so we'll see when we get there.

[Malc]

I may stand to be corrected but the MK4 timing belt change is at 100k miles and the earlier models at 60k miles. Notwithstanding, I did read a report ( somewhere ) that failure of a belt would probably occur only at @150, 000 miles........................ don't wait to become another statistic tho '

Malc

[steve2006]

If the timing belt has been replaced it should be noted in the service records and there should also be a sticker somewhere in the engine bay providing th date of replacement and the mileage.

The owner may be genuine in not knowing, if it has a FLSH he may never have lifted the bonnet.

Just be aware that it is normally 100,000 or 10 years so either way it will need doing so take the cost of replacement into account when buying, some owners when faced with the upcoming bill will sell the car instead.

[gkkes]

My 2000 Mk 4 had its belt changed at 103k. Not expecting to change then until 250k

Cheers

[Malc]

Remember 100,000 miles and / or 10 year rule though !

My previous 1994 MK2 was cambelt changed at 3102 miles in 2004 !

Malc

[ambermarine]

Remember 100,000 miles and / or 10 year rule though !

My previous 1994 MK2 was cambelt changed at 3102 miles in 2004 !

Malc

Hello fellow lexuns

This timing belt issue is a variation on what causes a headache a night on the the booze or the wife,I had until very recently a mark I ls400 which had 187000 miles on the clock when I sold it .I bought it with 50 K on the clock way back in 96 and had the belt done at 60k I then had the belt done again 6 years later at 120 k and then at 131 k it failed because the water pump siezed cost £800 to repair but the engine was saved because the first engine were none interference. It ran great until its departure to another lexus fan last month.The replacement a 98 ls400 with 18000 on the clock had never had the belt done but after my experiences of the past it went straight to Lexus Glasgow( £325 including belt) now I can sleep soundly at night .

[steve2006]

I can't remember if it was discussed on this forum or another but there is actually no specified replacement interval mentioned in the handbook or suggested by Lexus for the timing belt.

Not sure if this applies to all models or just the early non interference engines.

It is generally not the belt but one of the pullies or as in Ambermarine's case the water pump that fails.

But to quote Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry "Do you feel lucky punk...well do you?"

[ambermarine]

I can't remember if it was discussed on this forum or another but there is actually no specified replacement interval mentioned in the handbook or suggested by Lexus for the timing belt.

Not sure if this applies to all models or just the early non interference engines.

It is generally not the belt but one of the pullies or as in Ambermarine's case the water pump that fails.

But to quote Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry "Do you feel lucky punk...well do you?"

Hi Steve You are right,The owners handbook for the Mark 1 1990 Lexus LS400 states;Timing belt does not require change unless the car is used as a delivery vehicle or a taxi this would of course refer to excessive start ups which puts enormous strain on the belt.but as you say my answer to Harry would have been ?

[passman53]

Hi Guys,

Sorry but I had a 98 mark 4 and it was quite clearly stated in the service schedule that the cam belt was due to be changed at either 7 years or 63,000 miles which ever came first, the same as the mark 3.

Contrary to what people have said the first cam belt change at 10 years/ 100,000 miles came with the 430.

I am sure that Lexus are conservative with the miles a belt will last BUT do you really want to take the risk?

Pete

[ColinBarber]

Hi Guys,

Sorry but I had a 98 mark 4 and it was quite clearly stated in the service schedule that the cam belt was due to be changed at either 7 years or 63,000 miles which ever came first, the same as the mark 3.

Contrary to what people have said the first cam belt change at 10 years/ 100,000 miles came with the 430.

I am sure that Lexus are conservative with the miles a belt will last BUT do you really want to take the risk?

Pete

It changed when Lexus moved to 10k service intervals. Don't know if that was in 99 with the MKIV or with the LS430.

I believe the belt has a 100k service interval in the US - same engine, same belt. Unlike the IS200, which has a design issue, most belts look fine when changed with no sign or wear and would last a lot longer.