So I come to you all knowing TWWers, asking what are the benefits/concerns of getting the timing belt replaced. I drive a 2004 Toyota Tundra, and we're at 93K right now. Toyota recommends redoing the belt somewhere around 90K miles, and I'm trying to decide whether its worth the money.

Thoughts?

Also, if its truly necessary to replace it, where around Raleigh should I take it?

1/8/2009 11:15:46 AM

u mean besides not having the timing belt break and potentially causing you to spend thousands of $$ in engine repair?


[Edited on January 8, 2009 at 11:27 AM. Reason : .]

1/8/2009 11:22:57 AM

If you like driving your car...

1/8/2009 11:27:21 AM

Quote :

"Toyota recommends redoing the belt somewhere around 90K miles, and I'm trying to decide whether its worth the money."

Depends on whether or not you're going to sell the thing in the next 5000 (NOT 50,000) miles. If you are, then save your money. If you are not, then man up and have it done. Because that engine is NOT cheap to replace. And if the belt breaks, replace it you will.

While you're at it, replace your water pump and your timing belt idler/tensioner pulleys. Cheap insurance.

If you don't want a Tdubber doing it, then I'd either take it to: Happy Jap's in Cary, Choice Auto Repair where Hillsborough runs into Western, Phil's Toy Store, ahh shit...take it to who's cheap and guarantees their work.

If you want to save a little money and have a good job done on it with the parts YOU choose, then there are several Wolf Webbers that can do it...myself included (and at the top of the list; shameless plug).

1/8/2009 11:33:32 AM

^ Thanks zxappeal. Any idea on what parts would be, and how much you would want for labor? I remember a shop at home quoting me roughly $800 for it.

1/8/2009 12:14:48 PM

which engine?

1/8/2009 12:21:13 PM

4.7L V8 if i remember right.

1/8/2009 12:33:40 PM

Have you even called the dealer?

1/8/2009 12:57:01 PM

TAO in Cary does good work.

If a TWW'er does it and wants a hand, i'm in for some $$$.

1/8/2009 1:29:37 PM

dan could smoke out a skunk in a clsoed garage

1/8/2009 3:18:53 PM

I'd say do it. I also second that TAO in cary does decent work with waranty. I made the mistake of not replacing mine when i bought a used car and spent ~1500 to get the motor fixed and running again + 2 weeks of downtime with no car. If you plan on keeping the car (truck) running then do it.

1/8/2009 3:47:42 PM

I can recommend ZXAppeal after getting him to do the same work on my 2000 4Runner. I went ahead and did everything since I'm planning to hang onto this truck for a while, but you could certainly save some of the parts I did for the 180k service. Most dealers I talked to do the water pump at 180k unless the customer asks to do it at 90k.

I highly recommend TRDParts4u.com for parts. I ended up saving a little over $200 on parts by buying from a combination of TRDParts4U and Carquest versus getting them from Fred Anderson. All the parts I used were OEM Toyota.

All told, these are the parts ZX installed for me:
Timing Belt
Water Pump
Cam Seals
Idler Pulleys
Belt Tensioner
Thermostat
All three drive belts (power steering, alternator, and A/C)

The idler pulleys are the only thing that came from Carquest. For whatever reason they were ~$90 total instead of ~$200 from the dealers. The rest was all cheaper online.

[Edited on January 8, 2009 at 3:52 PM. Reason : s]

1/8/2009 3:50:08 PM

hey i helped too

1/8/2009 6:03:45 PM

^Tr00. I just said ZX since he's the one I had contact with on the deal. Then I got there and he was nowhere to be found so you started working on it without him.

1/8/2009 6:08:14 PM