2003 4Runner Timing Belt

[mragin]

Hello all-

My 2003 4Runner just passed 90K miles and it's time to replace the timing belt and water pump. Got a few quotes but they all came in over $1000. It looks like I can get the parts for ~$300, so I'm going for it myself. I'm not all too experienced with cars, but my father-in-law is and he committed to helping me.

The purpose for this post: any advice for me? I'm hoping it'll only take a day, but will it take more? Any special tools we might not have around (we've got most "normal" tools)? Recommend that we don't even try? Feel free to comment as you see fit.

The plan is to download the full repair manual from Toyota's Technical Info System using the 24-hour pass. I'll go through each section and basically develop an index similar to what some people have suggested elsewhere on these forums. We'll get the parts from Advance Auto Parts; I'll call a week ahead to make sure they have them in stock. Assuming we're successful, I'll post a DIY guide here complete with pictures.

I put a poll up for your votes.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[NDRYDEN123]

If you do decide to do it on your own, take a few pics and go through the process. If you don't mind that is. Mine is really over due for one and am debating whether or not to do it myself or have toyota do it.

 

[A/V1]

If you feel confident your Father-in-law can do it (and he's not just saying he can do it), then go for it. Take your time and triple check things. If something isn't just right, it will be VERY costly.

I had mine done a couple months ago. I went to the two Toy stealerships here to price it, and both were outrageously expensive (I believe one wanted $980, and the other wanted around $1200. Those prices didn't include tax, and only included the labor, timing belt, water pump, and coolant). I ended up taking it to a reputable garage in town, and they did it for around $320 labor (or about $575 total, including the cost of the parts I purchased through 1st Toyota Parts (https://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/partscat.html. They had the least expensive prices I could find anywhere). I was going to do it myself, but to me, the $320 was definitely worth it to have a shop do it.

I also made the mistake of buying the Toyota brand coolant. I say it was a mistake because after buying two jugs of it, I researched it and discovered there is other coolant available that is just as good, at a third of the cost. Don't buyt it just for the name.

Check out my post about my timing belt adventure here: http://toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42504

 

[Nuke]

I'm often one to vote for trying it yourself. My recommendation, after having a 2nd gen and 3rd gen (guilty: all timing belt work done by the Stealership), replace the water pump and belt idler pulleys. Cheap insurance while you have it torn down.

 

[Mike07SE]

ALWAYS, I repeat, ALWAYS do the water pump during a timing belt job. Like Nuke says, it's cheap insurance and it's just a must do thing on this procedure.

 

[Benjamin Choi]

ALWAYS, I repeat, ALWAYS do the water pump during a timing belt job. Like Nuke says, it's cheap insurance and it's just a must do thing on this procedure.

nice tip thx bud

i'm still 20K miles away but looking forward to getting it done when necessary.

 

[drmorbius]

Hello all-

My 2003 4Runner just passed 90K miles and it's time to replace the timing belt and water pump. Got a few quotes but they all came in over $1000. It looks like I can get the parts for ~$300, so I'm going for it myself. I'm not all too experienced with cars, but my father-in-law is and he committed to helping me.

The purpose for this post: any advice for me? I'm hoping it'll only take a day, but will it take more? Any special tools we might not have around (we've got most "normal" tools)? Recommend that we don't even try? Feel free to comment as you see fit.

The plan is to download the full repair manual from Toyota's Technical Info System using the 24-hour pass. I'll go through each section and basically develop an index similar to what some people have suggested elsewhere on these forums. We'll get the parts from Advance Auto Parts; I'll call a week ahead to make sure they have them in stock. Assuming we're successful, I'll post a DIY guide here complete with pictures.

I put a poll up for your votes.

Thanks for the advice!

You don't have a sig. so just checking, V8 or V6?

 

[Benjamin Choi]

Re: Re: 2003 4Runner Timing Belt

You don't have a sig. so just checking, V8 or V6?

i'll bet you $1m it's a v8

 

[mragin]

Now how did you know that? Yeah, V8 2WD.

 

[SimonSez]

He knew it was a V8 because the V6 engines don't have a timing belt, only a timing chain that requires no additional maintenance. That's one of the benefits of the V6.

I have wondered about doing the timing belt on my '04 (still have 10k to go). The parts don't seem that expensive, but I don't want to shell out $700 bucks for labor most likely. I've replaced quite a lot of parts on quite a lot of cars over the years (I've had 20+ vehicles), so I feel somewhat confident on doing it myself. It is somewhat nerve-racking when you do a repair like that on a car worth that much. I don't like the idea of replacing the entire engine if I make a mistake. If you feel like you can do the timing belt, along with all of the other parts involved, then do it yourself. It will be a very good learning experience.

 

[Benjamin Choi]

He knew it was a V8 because the V6 engines don't have a timing belt, only a timing chain that requires no additional maintenance. That's one of the benefits of the V6.

I have wondered about doing the timing belt on my '04 (still have 10k to go). The parts don't seem that expensive, but I don't want to shell out $700 bucks for labor most likely. I've replaced quite a lot of parts on quite a lot of cars over the years (I've had 20+ vehicles), so I feel somewhat confident on doing it myself. It is somewhat nerve-racking when you do a repair like that on a car worth that much. I don't like the idea of replacing the entire engine if I make a mistake. If you feel like you can do the timing belt, along with all of the other parts involved, then do it yourself. It will be a very good learning experience.

if replacing the water pump is good practice and access to it is shared with the labor covered by timing belt replacement... not sure how much of an "advantage" it is to go with the v6 over v8 ignoring the myriad other reasons why the v8 is superior to the v6.

 

[SimonSez]

If you read the post you quoted, it says that it was a 'benefit' not advantage. I don't think our V8s are at any disadvantage to the V6 engines. There are plenty of threads about the differences. However, I do agree that it the V8 is better than the V6. But that's just my opinion, not absolute fact.

 

[Will816]

Yeah, I wish all cars had timing chains...

Timing belts cause a lot of engines to go clunk

My first car was an 81 Ford Escort that my dad got for free after the timing belt snapped. It was owned by some rich couple who had stopped going to their winter resort home for about 15 years, and in 2001 with only 3,000 miles on the car they were driving it to see if it still ran and dry rot reared its head and let the belt break. It was hard to imagine liking a 20 year old POS but that thing was immaculate, it was show room quality! Perfect metallic blue paint, spotless interior, etc. We rebuilt the head, put a new timing belt in it, and I had wheels.

My second car (in 2002) was the one that got my 4Runner addiction going. This one was an 85 and had 230,000 miles on it and the good ol 22RE and wouldn't you know it but the timing CHAIN tensioner broke and the chain skipped a few teeth and let the pistons kiss the valves. So same deal: My dad got it free, we rebuilt the head (out of my pocket this time) and I had my 4Runner

My 3rd (98) and 4th (03) 4Runners I unfortunately had to pay full price for, but they, as always, were well worth the money.

Good luck on the DIY, there's not a lot you can mess up unless you try really hard to, its just a long, tedious job (I did my V8 in the driveway)

 

[LandRvr Convert]

I'd be really careful if I were you and trying to do it myself.

I think your best bet would be try to find a reputable independant shop that specializes in Lexus and Toyotas. You'd probably save a few hundred bucks by not taking it into a stealer, but you'd still (should) have a guarantee on parts and labor. It seems like the standard is 12mo/12k miles.

Remember if you do it yourself, be VERY careful. I agree with the previous poster........if you don't do it exactly right, you could really do major damage to your engine that would cost you alot more than having this repair done by a professional. This is major surgery, it's not like changing plugs or an air filter.

Good luck