Quote:
Originally Posted by weaves
FYI, here's a clear example of why you need to be careful when buying so-called "OEM" timing belt kits or any other OEM parts on eBay.
Genuine Timing Belt Water Pump Kit For Toyota Lexus 4Runner Tundra V8 4.7L OEM | eBay
At a quick glance, it looks pretty legit with the typical Toyota boxes and labels but if you look closely, there are several clues that these are counterfeit parts. The label on the serpentine belt says "Belt, Timing" which is an obvious misprint. Also, on the packaging for the camshaft and crankshaft seals, they used a thick, clear poly packaging which is vacuum/heat sealed and also has perforated edges to tear them open. I've never seen that type of packaging on any genuine Toyota parts. They usually just use a thin poly bag and tapes them shut with their labels or they all come loose in a seal kit.
FAKE:
GENUINE:
They also include a small square gasket that's supposed to go in between the water pump and thermostat housing. As far as I know, there was never a gasket available from Toyota and it is actually sealed up with FIPG, not a paper gasket.
And finally, just look through the seller's feedback. If there's just one mention of "fake" or "counterfeit", that's good enough for me to stay away. Unless it's a verified dealership selling on eBay, I avoid buying any parts from there because the counterfeits are getting more difficult to spot.
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Good info. I bought Aisin TKT-021 from Amazon for my Tundra. I don't think I would risk going any cheaper than that kit. Appears to be legit but I'll scrutinize further before install.
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