Replacement Timing Chain Gs450H

[Richard Jackson]

Hi,

My Lexus is in main dealer hospital with a yellow light warning on the dash. I have paid £190 to get it checked and the engine taken apart. I've just had a call saying the problem is that the timing chain is 'stretched' and that eventually it will go completely and needs to be replaced. The warning light will remain until it is.

I have been quoted £3,000 to fix this with a replacement timing chain. The cost of the chain is approximately £1k with £2k labour.

This seems pretty extreme to me and I would appreciate any advice as to whether this cost is reasonable or if I could get it done without the main dealer for considerably less.

Thanks in advance of your time.

[steve2006]

You don't mention how many miles your engine has covered but I assume it is quite high. Timing chains were all but abandoned with the problems of chain stretch and the introduction of the cam belt but are now making a comeback with new technology to avoid chain stretch or so I was LED to believe.

Replacing a timing chain is more expensive than a belt as there are usually more expensive parts involved and a lot more labour doing the job.

From what I've read it's at least the front end that needs to be removed for access and in some cases an engine out job.

With Lexus charging say £150.00 an hour it wouldn't take long to hit a £2K labour bill.

Unless you know and trust a non Lexus garage capable of the work involved you may have to take the hit although I would be asking why the chain has stretched in the 1st place if the services were all carried out when required.

If you have several dealers within easy reach it may be worth getting quotes from all of them, if they are part of the LOC gold members discount scheme it may be worth joining for an average 10% discount.

Lexus Cambridge offer a 10% Gold LOC discount on parts and labour so spend £30.00 and save £300.00 :)

Also if the engine is still in bits ask for the £190.00 already paid to be discounted ( little point in reassembling to strip down again to do the chain)

[InIgo Lexus]

Mine snapped and broke the engine two months ago, see thread. Cost from Lexus _ 16800+VAT. Third party cost, 5k.

Advice?

Get it sorted but join my argument that there is a design issue as these are not serviceable parts. There is no service interval. Lexus should be looking at this, I suspect it shall become a growing and expensive issue for 450H owners.

[Richard Jackson]

Hi all

Sorry for the delay. OK so the car has done 187K. I haven't serviced main dealer all the time because I planned on owning it forever or for all the forever it had left!

I have had the oil replaced properly and always use a good make of the proper grade.

I feel for the previous post. 5k bill. Ouch! Can I ask where because a lot of local garages independents or Halfords etc say they won't touch it.

I did ask them if it should fail at this age and sensed the answer was a bit cagey but wouldn't expect them to admit anything else at this stage.

[messi]

187000? My brothers vr6 corrado has done over 220000 miles and no timing chain issue with his car

[InIgo Lexus]

My car had done 157. I bought it a year ago and have had it serviced with Lexus since then....hence why I am miffed.

I found a specialist engineering firm to rebuild the engine because it is either that or no wheels. Parts are impossible to source in the UK if you have to do camshaft and fiddly bits.

I get the car back next week. Will be able to offer a reference then.

[doro708]

Hi Mark,

For parts i would suggest you to check the amayama website and for a good garage i would recommend westfield motors in essex rayleigh as they are independent toyota & lexus specialist and they also modify quite a few japanese cars.

[InIgo Lexus]

Thanks for that, I sincerely wish you had seen my post months ago but it is good to know both the site and the company. I shall only recommend the guys I am using now once I ha've got my wheels back.

[ZXSpectrum]

I have a CEL on my Dash with an error P0017. Asked them to check it at Lexus when I had my recall done and they told me nothing that I didn't already know for £138 and wanted to strip the engine down and check the cam chain. The car runs and drives fine and I think I would notice is the timing chain had skipped a tooth. The Light comes and goes randomly at its own accord. That said it may not be related as my car has just gone over 50K.

I must say though that for 5K I might have just looked at stripping the hybrid components and selling them for decent money (They can fetch more than the whole car now) and stuck in an engine/ECU from a GS300 or a big V8.

[messi]

I'm not sure if it's a design issue as I used to know someone who had a 2005 gs300 with over wait for it 300000 miles and no timing chain issue with his

[Mihanicos]

I got a quote from Lexus Cyprus for the timing chain of a Lexus GS 450H 2011. I could not get it for your car because they need the VIN number of the car.

The cost is just over 100 Euro!!!

Lexus Cyprus spare parts tel No.: 00357 22 400001.

I have replaced the timing chain on other cars and it is possible if the replacement chain is with a removable link.

The timing marks of the engine must be accessible and visible before attempting the replacement.

You need a replacement compressible link which can be compressed by a special tool so the new chain is endless like the original.

Never ever attempt to run the engine with the removable link, it may snap or come off.

If you are interested, I can tell you every detail step by step.

My number is : 00357 99 671096 [Cyprus] .

Hope to have been helpful.

regards,

Chris.