I just bought a 2005 4runner limited v8 4x4. It has 100k so its time for a new t-belt. I did a search before I posted. My question is has anyone has first hand experience of a broken t-belt or a water pump or other component that caused the belt to brake with a the 4.7L. When i searched i found lots of people posting how many miles they've gone on the original t-belt but no broken belts. I'm going to change the belt this weekend but was wondering how many belts actually brake. I've owned a few Hondas and I've changed those t-belts before and I've heard of lots of stories of Honda belts braking.
New Member Question about timing belt 4.7
- Thread starter r6dallas
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You don't want to be the first.
Let me tell you, you don't want to skimp on that and try to get away without doing it. Because when your belt goes, it will destroy your engine.
It may last another 15k, or it may pop in a month. You don't know and Toyota won't fix your engine when it pops.
Change it.
Let me tell you, you don't want to skimp on that and try to get away without doing it. Because when your belt goes, it will destroy your engine.
It may last another 15k, or it may pop in a month. You don't know and Toyota won't fix your engine when it pops.
Change it.
zerowkul98
New member
^ x2!!!
At the dealership i give my business to (and also did my t-belt + waterpump-change), there was a older Tundra 4.7L V8 that had the cab removed and was up in the air, suspended above it. I asked what the deal was with that, and the guy said the owner confused " Toyota reliability" with "that must mean i dont have to maintain it!"
Long story short, the t-belt broke at 119k and a rod blew (up or down, no sure...im no mechanic) and they are replacing the engine for a pretty-penny!
I changed mine out at 85k, but the rig was also over 8 years old, and it turned out the old waterpump WAS leaking a small amount of coolant into a chamber of the pump assembly, but it was crystalizing or burning off before it could be seen outside of the housing.
GET IT DONE!!!
If u afe intent on having a dealership do it, call the nearest 3-4 dealers shops, have them pit themselves against each other to get the best deal!
At the dealership i give my business to (and also did my t-belt + waterpump-change), there was a older Tundra 4.7L V8 that had the cab removed and was up in the air, suspended above it. I asked what the deal was with that, and the guy said the owner confused " Toyota reliability" with "that must mean i dont have to maintain it!"
Long story short, the t-belt broke at 119k and a rod blew (up or down, no sure...im no mechanic) and they are replacing the engine for a pretty-penny!
I changed mine out at 85k, but the rig was also over 8 years old, and it turned out the old waterpump WAS leaking a small amount of coolant into a chamber of the pump assembly, but it was crystalizing or burning off before it could be seen outside of the housing.
GET IT DONE!!!
If u afe intent on having a dealership do it, call the nearest 3-4 dealers shops, have them pit themselves against each other to get the best deal!
aha2988
New member
mine was changed at 70k but around 140,000 i had some debris and water get in the timing belt housing from off-roading. the belt was weak enough then to slip the crank pully luckily not enough to destroy any internals; however, the entire driver side of the engine wouldn't fire..
The timing belt is your friend until you turn your back then its your worst enemy
The timing belt is your friend until you turn your back then its your worst enemy
Thanks aha2988 that is the information I wanted to know. Like i stated in my first post, the t-belt will be changed this weekend. I just wanted to know how frequently do these belts fail. Its not a question about money for me.
Has anyone had bent valves after a t-belt broke, again I'm not interest in hearsay.
Has anyone had bent valves after a t-belt broke, again I'm not interest in hearsay.
aha2988
New member
its not a matter of hearsay.. Its when the belt brakes The valve trains become destroyed...
Timing Belt - the Forgotten Belt (by Dayco) - YouTube
check out that video for more info
ChaosStarter
New member
We had a '06 4R 4.7L come into our dealer. Only had 105k miles on it, but we had warned her multiple times at that point that her water pump was leaking pretty badly and needed to be changed. The belt broke on the highway and smashed valves on pretty much every cylinder. Bad enough, where it damaged some of the pistons (usually it's just the valves that need replacing).
We couldn't find a junkyard motor cheaper than $4k.
There are some facts for you.
We couldn't find a junkyard motor cheaper than $4k.
There are some facts for you.
bluemarlin04
New member
I've seen some go to 150K. There was a tutorial posted on how to change the belt that had 180K on his Land Cruiser before he changed it. I doubt they would build a belt to fail immediately at 90K. You can stretch it but it's on you if it breaks.
Thanks ChaosStarter that is good info. I take it you work at a dealership, how often do these t belts brake. do you have any stats:
how often they brake when under 100k -
how often they brake over 100k -
how often do they brake cause of the water pump -
how often do they brake cause of water from off roading -
how often do they brake cause of a bad tensioner or roller
how often they brake when under 100k -
how often they brake over 100k -
how often do they brake cause of the water pump -
how often do they brake cause of water from off roading -
how often do they brake cause of a bad tensioner or roller
ChaosStarter
New member
1. Never have personally seen one.
2. Sometimes. My buddy just did his on his Tundra at 145k and it looked great. But the WP wasn't leaking.
3. Depends on how long it is leaking, but sooner than those that don't have a leaking water pump.
4. Not common in my area so hard to answer. Never have personally seen one. We have one really worked up FJ (pretty badass looking) that comes in, but he has the 1GR chain motor.
5. Never have personally seen one. You really only need to change out the tensioners if it compresses in too easily or is leaking a good amount of it's internal oil. (I will probably do the tensioner/idler pulleys at the second timing belt change.)
Don't forget there is a recommended age limit to these belts as well. You may have 50k miles on a stock 2UZ, but if that truck is 10 years old, I'd change that belt. 7 years is a little quick of a recommendation by Toyota, I think 8 is ok, but I wouldn't go past that. Especially on trucks that have changed the first T-Belt already.
ChaosStarter
New member
Volkswagons don't seem to go much further than 90k, especially their POS water pump impellers. Daewooooo's don't like to go past their recommended 60k mile intervals.
Thank god for Toyota.
I'm a gambler so a part of me feel like not changing anything and if it does brake i can buy a used motor somewhere just to see how long the tbelt will last I found this one--
ENGINE MOTOR 2005-2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA SEQUOIA 4.7L 8CYL | eBay
ENGINE MOTOR 2005-2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA SEQUOIA 4.7L 8CYL | eBay
ChaosStarter
New member
So instead of paying the $700-1000 to get it done, you'd rather delay it and put a junkyard motor in And pay possibly 2-3 times as much with labor? To each their own I guess.
By the way, it took us 2 weeks to find that motor that we put into that 4R that I talked about earlier.
I've installed engines before not very hard just takes time, but what if the the belt goes 400k before it brakes and a junk yard engine is 2k and every t-belt change is 1k. So if i skip the tbelt change i would save 4k over the 400k miles. Minus the 2k for the junk yard engine I will save 2k and most likely get an engine with lower miles. This the best case scenario, but I'm sure it would make it to 200k on the original belt. So I will save 2k in belt changes minus the junkyard engine 2k I will bake even and get an engine with lower or the same miles.
I've removed and installed a 4x4 03 tacoma 3.4 engine, 96 tacoma 2.7, a 99 ranger engine 2.5, 02 blazer 4x4 v6 engine, 03 ranger v6 engine, Old chevy truck 350, a CRV engine, Honda civic engine, Ford escort, Taurus SHO (hard as hell). So I would just do it my self and save on labor.
I've removed and installed a 4x4 03 tacoma 3.4 engine, 96 tacoma 2.7, a 99 ranger engine 2.5, 02 blazer 4x4 v6 engine, 03 ranger v6 engine, Old chevy truck 350, a CRV engine, Honda civic engine, Ford escort, Taurus SHO (hard as hell). So I would just do it my self and save on labor.
ChaosStarter
New member
If you can do all that, you should be able to do the TB on the truck. Pay the $300 for parts (or whatever it is) and do it yourself. Save yourself the time and aggrivation of having to pull the motor.
I've owned 3 vehicles that had a belt brake. The first two were non-interference engine. So the only problem I had was pulling over to a safe place. One I just changed the belt right were I pulled off the highway. Found a parts store 1 block away.
The last time I had a belt break was on my 98 Pathfinder. It broke about 10k BEFORE it was due (OEM belt too). But I was very very lucky...NO ENGINE DAMAGE. I had it towed to my house and put the new belt on...and engine ran for another 100k miles til I did the belt again and gave vehicle to daughter for college.
Taking a chance on NOT replacing a timing belt is just plain foolish. The risk reward ratio is far too great. Replacing a belt every 100k miles is 10 times cheaper then waiting until it breaks and then buying a new/used engine. Not to mention lost time and inconvenience for not having a vehicle while it's getting fixed.
The reason you don't hear about too many people who have had belts beak on them is because MOST are smart enough not to let it go that long.
The last time I had a belt break was on my 98 Pathfinder. It broke about 10k BEFORE it was due (OEM belt too). But I was very very lucky...NO ENGINE DAMAGE. I had it towed to my house and put the new belt on...and engine ran for another 100k miles til I did the belt again and gave vehicle to daughter for college.
Taking a chance on NOT replacing a timing belt is just plain foolish. The risk reward ratio is far too great. Replacing a belt every 100k miles is 10 times cheaper then waiting until it breaks and then buying a new/used engine. Not to mention lost time and inconvenience for not having a vehicle while it's getting fixed.
The reason you don't hear about too many people who have had belts beak on them is because MOST are smart enough not to let it go that long.
well for me it's the lost time and the inconvenience of not have the vehicle while it's getting fixed. That is worth more than money to me. I'm changing the tbelt this weekend. I just want some info on belt failures for the 4.7 engine. I know hondas brake t belts all the time, i've see a honda passport brake a belt, It would have been easier to change the engine on that, instead of fixing the head like we did. But it seems that the 4.7 has better belts
