My LS 400 has 315K and it is time to change the Timing Belt. I'm gonna change the belt, water pump and both cam seals (as they are slightly leaking) and both idler pulleys. Should I change the tensioner? Parts guy says they "never" change the tensioner as a part of regular timing belt maintenance. Any additions or suggestions?
Changing Timing Belt '98 LS400
- Thread starter Gebo
- Start date
I always change the tensioner as part of a timing belt job, and that includes Toyota’s I’ve owned. I don’t know that I would take the parts guy’s word on this one...
I would wait and see what Trav or Clinebarger say, but my vote is to change the whole set, tensioner, idlers, and belt.
I would wait and see what Trav or Clinebarger say, but my vote is to change the whole set, tensioner, idlers, and belt.
Never mind... Was confusing tensioner with idler and tensioner pulley.
I replaced the one on my Sienna at some point but only because it was old, not because it was leaking or anything.
I replaced the one on my Sienna at some point but only because it was old, not because it was leaking or anything.
Do it all while it is apart
I am with you! While in there do everything, no half stepping.
The Aisin hydraulic tensioner is only $25.79 on Rock Auto. After 22 years I'd be inclined to replace it for $26 unless you're planning on getting rid of the vehicle sometime really soon.
C'mon....kschachn....LOL
You know I can't buy anything but Toyota OEM. My arm and brain lock up if I don't.
Can't get to my wallet.
Genetic predisposition issue I think.
I am thinking about counseling to see if I can get set free and delivered from my Toyota/Lexus OEM parts fetish.
And I'm going for 500K minimum.
You know I can't buy anything but Toyota OEM. My arm and brain lock up if I don't.
Can't get to my wallet.
Genetic predisposition issue I think.
I am thinking about counseling to see if I can get set free and delivered from my Toyota/Lexus OEM parts fetish.
And I'm going for 500K minimum.
Everything in the Aisin kit is OEM. Koyo bearings, Aisin water pump, Mitsuboshi belt and Koyo hydraulic tensioner. I'm like you actually, I've had my share of non-OEM part headaches as well. But in this case the parts are the same.
And I'm well on my way to 500k too.
And I'm well on my way to 500k too.
When did this sort of work for a living, I always changed the tensioner.
You may be correct. Have you seen some of the YouTubes on guys examining the Aisin Kits and comparing them to Toyota? The castings
look suspicious. Well, that was their conclusion. Like the shell on the tensioner and the water pump looked a little rough. IDK....
My definition of OEM is in a Toyota bag or box from a dealer I trust. So....my definition is more defined but that does not make it true for most people.
No, but then again I don’t go to YouTube for anything much less something like this. Considering the cesspool that YouTube is I trust an OEM suppler like Aisin to do what’s right way before I’d ever make a product decision based on some dood on the Internet.
My old Accord doesn’t use Aisin OEM parts but the timing belt and water pump kit I bought from them was like a work of art. Better than that the water pump hasn’t leaked in nearly 65,000 miles so far - unlike the stupid Napa one I first installed.
My old Accord doesn’t use Aisin OEM parts but the timing belt and water pump kit I bought from them was like a work of art. Better than that the water pump hasn’t leaked in nearly 65,000 miles so far - unlike the stupid Napa one I first installed.
You may be correct. Have you seen some of the YouTubes on guys examining the Aisin Kits and comparing them to Toyota? The castings
look suspicious. Well, that was their conclusion. Like the shell on the tensioner and the water pump looked a little rough. IDK....
My definition of OEM is in a Toyota bag or box from a dealer I trust. So....my definition is more defined but that does not make it true for most people.
Aisin kits are very good. In many applications they are the OE supplier, I just did an 06 Toyota water pump that was Aisin OE. In any case the bearings, tensioner are all going to be first quality and double roller bearings if that was what was installed OE, no junk in their kits.
It is also possible there are knock offs out there.
I agree with everything you are saying. A while back I got a Koyo wheel bearing off Amazon and "saved" a bunch of money. It went bad right away and the Lexus mechanic told me the internals were different from their Koyo bearing. I did get a refund from Amazon but I had to pay him for his additional labor. If I KNEW I was getting a real 100% genuine Aisin kit, I would buy it. Cross my heart and hope to die, pinky promise, etc.
I don't trust Amazon or Rock Auto. I am gonna roughly pay about $100 more to the dealer so that ain't so bad. About $2/month additional. My baby's worth it.
With a laser scanner, I can replicate the "casting" surfaces of a part with no issues. That's a small investment for companies that either want to knock-off counterfeit parts or actually make quality replacements.
I changed several timing belts on various 528es . Sometimes the tensioners had dry bearings that growled when spun. Others were like new, The kit was 30 bux and an afternoons work. Cheap insurance in an interference engine
The Aisin kit comes with a tensioner, so you might as well install it
You're not the only one that insists on OEM parts from the dealer (I'm not a dealer-only person myself), so I don't understand why they don't offer a complete kit like the aftermarket does. Why can't they offer the timing belt, water pump, and other stuff?
Ford and Honda finally sell OEM quick struts (which everyone else needs to do also), so why not everything else where more than one thing needs to be replaced commonly?
If you have to replace the timing belt, you might as well replace anything you have to remove to get to it.
Replacing the tensioner is a must for someone that wants the car to last 500k minimum.
You're not the only one that insists on OEM parts from the dealer (I'm not a dealer-only person myself), so I don't understand why they don't offer a complete kit like the aftermarket does. Why can't they offer the timing belt, water pump, and other stuff?
Ford and Honda finally sell OEM quick struts (which everyone else needs to do also), so why not everything else where more than one thing needs to be replaced commonly?
If you have to replace the timing belt, you might as well replace anything you have to remove to get to it.
Replacing the tensioner is a must for someone that wants the car to last 500k minimum.
