timing belt help for an '03 v8

[Mccalist]

Hi Folks,

I really want a 4runner. I am looking at an '03 with 90,800 miles. Another thread on this forum said the timing belt (not chain, because it's a v8) should be changed at 90k miles or 72 months, whichever occurs first. I am wondering three things:

1) The carfax indicates "drive belts replaced" at 60k miles (in october 2008 - 60 months after build date) by a Toyota Dealership. Does this include the timing belt? (It seems like replacement would've been premature according to either mileage or age.)

2) Carfax indicates "recommended maintenance performed" at 7.5k miles, 18.5k miles, 28.2k miles, 36k miles, 60k miles, 75k miles, and 88k miles. (The vehicle was "corporate" owned, so apparently they did everything by the book.) Would the recommended maintenance at 88k have included the timing belt?

3) Assuming it has not been replaced already, is there a way to tell if the timing belt has already ruptured by looking at and listening to the engine?

Any other thoughts are appreciated! Thanks for the help!

 

[Acidmeld]

1) The drivebelt is the serpentine belt that run the accessories. The timing belt is under the covers on the front of the motor.

2) If the timing belt had ruptured the engine wouldnt run and youd need new cylinder heads because all the valves would be broken. If its running the tbelt is doing what its supposed to.

 

[Lineman]

Hard to tell for sure. I would haggle down the price even more with them because there is no way to tell if the belt has been done. I'd try to come down $1200-$1500.

If you change the belt during your watch you'll always have that piece of mind.

Good luck

 

[Mccalist]

I think I'll call the dealer that did the work and see what they usually include with their "regularly scheduled maintenance" at 90k miles, and/or ask if they enter the timing belt replacement as a separate line item on the service report.

 

[zerowkul98]

Im going thru this 90k + timing belt replacement right now.

The 90k maint. service and the timing belt replacement are two seperate items. I was under the impression they were one in the same. The timing belt replacement is $300-400 at a couple of the dealerships out here in western mass. The 90k was over a grand.

Good luck!

 

[ur7x]

If the dealer did the timing belt there should be a white sticker on the front of the engine that will state the date and the mileage when it was done.

For whatever reason it is not uncommon to see this skipped by even "over maintained" vehicles.

Oh and taking Carfax as an accurate record of the servicing of the truck is very risky... Carfax is no where near as accurate as people think it is.

If you can figure out which dealer serviced the truck, head over, talk to the service manager and in most cases they will give you a complete and accurate printout of what was done to the truck.

 

[Acidmeld]

Look at the black bolts that hold the plastic timing covers on the front of the engine. If theyve been removed youll usually see some of the black scratched off to the silver metal underneath. Theyre rarely removed unless doing a timing belt or water pump. Its not a foolproof check but it should give you a good idea.

 

[the dutch man]

Just did my timing belt and water pump in the past month. I'm at $80K on my 03 4 Runner. The dealer charged me $676 total for a timing belt, water pump and thermostat.

 

[zerowkul98]

Like i said earlier, my ride is literally at the dealership as we speak getting the 90k service done, + timing belt replacement + opted for a new waterpump as well.

I went at lunch to rap with the them and poke my head into the engine, get the skinny from the guy who was doin the replacement as to his 2 cents. He said the condition of the timing belt was fine, unlike the serp. belt which had cracks, BUT he said that in his history with working on the 2UZ-FE V8's, he's seen some bolts rot or break that have to do with the waterpump assembly.