Timing belt/water pump

[uaskd4it]

I've searched but not really found a lot of definitive info about the timing belt change. However, I'm told by the stealership that if it goes on the V8 it could be signif more damaging than on the 6 cyl. In the same breath, I'm also told that they could barely remember one ever actually breaking on the V8s and that it may very well hold juuuust fine. I'm getting the feeling from reading the little that I have on this forum, that the belt is like, PARAMOUNT after 90-100K miles! One mechanic I spoke with at the stealership said that most of the ones he's changed are actually still in great condition.....

4 bills is quite the ticket to get the job done! Has anyone had an alternate mechanic do it vs at the stealership? I hear the 8s are more expensive to do....

Also...is the water pump also a weak link in the toyota lineage, or is it just convenient to do since the motor is already in pieces?
Thnx

 

[ur7x]

I just had mine done on a 2003 iForce V8... 105,000 miles... dealer charged me $350.00 including tax etc... Took the dealer all of 3 hours to complete the work...

Truck went in at 8:00 this morning and the shuttle picked me up at work during lunch.

 

[Jeff4runner]

The timing belt on the V8 all depends on your driving habits, conditions, weather, and mechanical problems. For instance, if you baby you engine (which in some cases is good), accelerate easy, and keep it under a roof, you may not need one until 120-150,000. However, if you run that thing into the ground, mash the accelerator, and had it overheat once, then do it at the 90,000 mark.

The water pump is just a convenience, and you might as well do it along with the gaskets and thermostat.

Most mechanics should be able to do this job, but it is a good idea to take it to a reputable shop, especially one with a warranty. Its all a major hassle, but part of having the beefy V8. Lucky for me, the V6 has a chain, and will hopefully never be touched.

 

[Andy04]

I just did mine at 110k miles. The belt itself looked almost perfect; just a little bit of wear on the sides. The idler pulleys and water pump all looked and felt nearly perfect as well. I've only had my 4runner for 7000 miles, and it seems like it was well taken care of... but it also seems like these are very well-designed engines. They're not necessarily the easiest to work on (of course, the newer a car is, the more stuff you have to remove in general just to do anything). It took me 12 hours total more or less by myself... 8am to 8pm on a Saturday. If I did it again right now it'd probably take half that.

$3-400 sounds really low to me- parts alone cost me around $250: $30 each for the idlers, $40 for the t-belt, $110 for the water pump, $25 for a gallon of toyota pink coolant, and a few seals, then + tax. Sounds to me like a price of $300-400 would only be the t-belt, and not the idlers or water pump.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I agree $400 is rather low, they must be quoting you only a timing belt replacement, I would go ahead and get the waterpump and T-Stat done as well since you will have the front of the engine dissasembled anyways.

Also one small thing to point out, Timing Chains are not Invulnerable. They are reccomended to be replaced after a certain number of miles. A timing chain can and will stretch over time, guide rails wear out, and so on, you may not have one snap but it can stretch enough to be a couple teeth out of time. I've seen plenty of chain driven engines that have been fine for a long while without needing a chain and I've seen engines where it was amazing the chain looked fine but was stretched enough to bring the engine out of time.

 

[uaskd4it]

Hmmmm...well, I don't really know how the guy before me drove this vehicle. He has a Trans Am and a Charger too, so I'd like to think that he took his heavy right foot over to those. He did however do regular oil changes, alignment when nescessary, and what not, which is about par for anyone who cares about their vehicle to any degree. The interior looks like an 08! Tires are Bridgstone Dueler H/Ts and only have 15K on them with about 40K+ left. Paint is in good-very good condition and black as the devil's soul. He did not do the belt/pump service though. He drove it from 04 till yesterday.

YUP...I'm a 4th gen guy now too ..!:biggrin2: I may give it till 120K...or till I have an extra 4-500 bux to spend. Funny concept isn't it..."extra money"

I know it's off topic, but while your here, has anyone had the "dash cluster assembly" problem, or the incessant sunroof rattle?

Thnx

 

[zerowkul98]

In one way, $300-$400 for the timing belt replacement sounds about right, but i'll exaplain why:

Ive been calling around to the dealerships for the 90k maintenance, and a couple broke down the 90k into 2 specific bills when I was under the impression that it was all one in the same. I thought the 90k service INCLUDED the timing belt replacement, but i guess that isnt the case.

A dealership here quoted me $365 for the timing belt replacement and $985 for the 90k service. Im still a bit undecided, but ill call the dealerships back to see if they can beat each other's prices.

 

[ur7x]

Let me be clear... $350 was not a quote.. it was the price I actually paid, with tax, out the door. The dealer, replaced the belt and the idlers but not the tensioner or the H2O pump. He stated that they only replace the pump if the truck is ready for its third belt (180,000 miles) or if it shows signs of failure. He stated that he has never had a problem doing this.

The service manager added that if you replace your coolant every other year or so, the water pump will literary last forever. He also stated the they only replace the seals on the crank or the cams if they are leaking and they rarely do.

 

[scottm]

There are a few writeups on changing the timing belt on this engine at IH8MUD. Here's mine: Timing Belt for Dummies writeup

The problem with letting the waterpump go is that the timing belt runs on the waterpump pulley, and if that pulley seizes and takes out the timing belt you'll need a new engine. My son-in-law recently wanted me to look at a small oil leak on his Audi. I found a weeping water pump and suggested he get it looked at. The next day he took it to a friend's shop, where they found the waterpump seized and the timing belt tattered. He got lucky.