Should I do my own timing belt?

[mavrick1903]

I've not bought a manual for my 07 v8 Limited yet. I'm ok with general maint, and down the not too distant road, I expect to do my own suspension lift. Anyone done a timing belt on a v8? I've done it for a transverse v6 SantaFe and it wasnt too bad. Wondering what I might be getting into.

I've got 94k on the truck now (bought used in Aug'14) and would like to wait till the weather warms up. What's the deadline?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/130732-2uz-fe-r-r-t-belt-water-pump.html

Decide for yourself how much work is worth it.

 

[gshadow325]

many have done it with success, many have also done it with major failures.

i have experience in changing tb and wp.....all that experience was on cars that are not daily drivers.

i bought all OEM red box toyota parts and sent my truck along with the parts to my trusted mechanic. 3.5 hours later and $275 less in my pocket i drove my truck home with no incident. that was 27,000 miles ago.

if you have a spare car to drive if this one doesnt start after your install, then id do it myself.

if its your one and only car, then send it to a TRUSTED mechanic with experience on the 4.7L v8.

 

[Ask10]

If you've done one before on a v motor before, then you're probably okay on the 4Runner. Nothing crazy about it, I just did mine two weeks ago plus water pump, fuel injector o-rings, VC gaskets and motor mounts. Took 2 days (because I was scrubbing every last part down and replacing every single hose and gasket I could find, but the t-belt part maybe 3 hours total, if that.

 

[GLP]

I did my own when it was at 140000 miles. Yea, I know thats pushing it but the belt was still in great shape. Waiting a few more months should be fine.

 

[MikeInNH]

Yea, I know thats pushing it but the belt was still in great shape.

Unfortunately that's not true. Timing belts may look almost brand new and then break the next day. I replaced a belt on my son's friend car that broke (luckily non-interference engine)...except for the place it snapped...the belt looked great.

 

[Ask10]

^^This happened to me on an Isuzu. Belt looked brand new but snapped, only problem was that it was an interference engine. Scrapped.