I am sitting at 99,953 miles right now. I purchased my 4Runner a few months ago with 90,xxx miles on it for an "ok" price. But everything on it is like brand new minus the paint being horrible IMO and getting screwed out of the master key. I have no maintanence records on the vehicle but i am 99% positive the timing belt has been changed or at least inspected. I know this because you can see the corners on some of the bolts on the timing cover are rounded indicating it had been removed.

It currently runs like a top and never misses a beat, but having never owned an interference engine (except my Audi but that was purchased with a good warranty) before I am weary on timing belt failure. I am confident I could perform the required work myself, with the exception I live in an apartment with no place to wrench. So what I am asking, I am positive I know the answer too. But am I crazy if I assume it has been serviced? What would you do?


Toyota owners website thing has no record of my vehicle at all btw.

I was in a similar situation a few months ago and I had the timing belt and water pump changed. Yeah, it sucked spending the $900 (dealership), but it's better than ruining the engine.

$900 sounds steep even for dealership work...I know everyone is going to say to go ahead and replace it regardless of the timing cover being removed, just for peace of mind.

If you don't replace it, you'll wonder about it every time you go on a long drive, give it a little 'extra acceleration' or hear a strange noise.

You may never even sleep well or be able to 'perform' with a woman again.

I found a Toyota Dealer mechanic via Craigslist and had him change everything out using OEM parts for total $400 + 12pack of diet soda.

He even put the maintenance sticker on the block like the dealer would have... Saved me a pretty penny B/C it needed done anyway...

I recommend trolling Craigslist for Toyota mechanics looking for a weekend buck. It may feel like a gamble but be sure to meet with him first and be sure of his quality of work... bad place to get stuck in if he cannot afford to replace a warped block. otherwise I got a steal of a deal.

do mechanics seriously whore themselves on craigslist? where do i look? personal encounters?

I would buy the parts and beer if someone local had a garage and wanted to lend a hand. i am decent with a wrench but need a driveway or something...

If the tb was replaced by the dealership then there should be a sticker on the silver engine cover with the miles at which it was done. I'd have your mechanic check it out and see what he thinks.

I am usually my own mechanic, I dont think any service was ever done by the dealer because Toyota website has no record of it. However i will look for the sticker tomorrow, I dont think it has one though because that seems kinda obvious when looking under the hood. A lot more obvious than noticing the bolts had been removed on the timing cover at some point.