lags76

When do you suggest the timing belt and water pump be changed? My mechanic says 110,000, I am at 85,000 now. We put very few miles on it, maybe 4,000 a year as we have a Jeep Wrangler we drive around town, it's a 2011 but only has 15,000 miles (bought it used with 10,000.

ALAN553

I had an 04 and now an 09, my manual says 90,000 miles for the timing belt. I would bet it says the same in your manual too. The water pump is not scheduled, just prudent.

tz693

I did my 04 at 110K/11 years old. By reading the thread in the forum, I guess the timing belt is less concerned than the water pump. The timing belt may still be in good shape at 100K while the water pump may develop leaking at age.

Barnesie

How long are you planning to keep the vehicle? If it's for a good time longer then I would go ahead and do the belt at around 90k otherwise just let it go for awhile longer since you drive the car so infrequently. Then sell it and let the new owner take on that job and price the vehicle accordingly with that work needing to be done. I did my belt when it was about 10 years old with 70k and the belt looked brand new....I remember a post on this forum some time ago where someone let their belt go in excess of 200k....in other words these belt and timing components last a long time. If you do intend on doing the work cause you plan to keep the vehicle for a long time then in my opinion go ahead and do it at 90k, which is the recommended interval per Toyota, and replace the water pump as well as the two idler bearings and tensioner. You will be good to go for at least another 90k.

cssnms

Toyota/Lexus recommends 90k - STICK WITH WHAT THEIR ENGINEERS RECOMMEND. I don't care how long someone else ran their GX before changing their timing belt, if the belt breaks you are out an engine!

Booyah

Speaking of timing belts, is the 4.7 a Non-interference engine?? Curious I was reading all the threads on timing belts and I never seen if this question came up or answered!

NTH

IIRC, it is an interference engine.

Morphyne

Yes it is an interfereance engine, which means if you let your timing belt break, it will ruin your engine. I had a coworker have theis happen two weeks ago to his dodge charger. It had 150k miles on it and he knew he was on borrowed time.

Funny thing is he went out and bought a 2015 charger to replaces it.

I've heard lots of stories about these timing belts going 150k plus miles with no problems. and have yet to read one confirmed story of them breaking. But I think that is mainly due to the fact that enthusiast on forums rarely let the maintenance on their vehicles go.

So get it done soon, but don't sweat it.

GreatHim

the 2uz is a noninterference motor, its close, but it is still a noninterference. that being said if you are up in the RPMs especially if you have a 05+(vvti) then its a gamble. but i have over 150k on mine with the original belt and WP. every tech i have talked to, who is not after my money including one who has worked for toyota for over 30 years tells me the water pump will start leaking before the belt will break or have issues. and to not replace the belt until the WP starts to leak. dealers do not make money on selling cars, they make money on servicing them. service intervals are very "cautious" in their times, they recommend most services well before the parts are known to have issues.

if you look into these and other toyota motor failures you will see more motors fail from oil pumps going out or connecting rods punching hole in blocks long before a timing belt snaps. those types of failure are much more common than timing belts breaking. infact i have never heard of a timing belt breaking of its own accord, nor has any tech i ever worked with or know(in the toyota world -i have seen them snap on audis and vws) we have all seen broken/stripped/shredded timing belts but its always been from another failure, such as a water pump seizing or a idler bearing seizing and then it snaps the belt. i had over 220k miles on a belt in a 3.4l the only reason i changed it was the water pump started to leak and you have to pull the belt to do the pump.

if you want to play it safe and go by the book, then do it every 90k, but know that the belt will be just fine and have no issues at all.

Morphyne

I agree with everything you posted except you are the only person saying this is not an interference motor. Everybody else says it is. But like yi7, I have never heard of a destroyed engine so maybe you are right. You are definitely right about having plenty of time left on the belt.

GreatHim

well of the 3 or so toyota techs i have talked to they all say its a noninterference motor, but that with the vvti it becomes questionable especially at higher rpms... to be safe toyota listed all vvti motors after 2006 as interference motors. but the 2uz did not change from 1999-2010 with the exception of the vvti...

Morphyne

I here you. and I don't have that answer either, and honestly, I hope to never find out.

I wish I would have realized the 5th gen upgrade before replacing both sets of calipers on my gx and 4runner. Take some pics and let us know how it goes?

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

stop worrying about it and change your timing belt every 90-120k with the waterpump and you will have nothing to worry about. you can pretty much go 120k on these motors and that helps keep costs down but if you like to keep on top of it then 90k. I would not skip it and anything above 140k the waterpump could fail at anytime and then you loose the belt and thats where damage can happen. if you have vvti it is 100% inteference, the older non vvti 2003-2004 is still debatable but even on those motors if you have carbon buildup even a non inteference can become inteference just from that so its best not to gamble with the 2uz.

BlackCat81

VVTi isn't so much dependent on RPM as it is engine load. So basically, if a belt were to break while accelerating from a stop light under normal circumstances, it could be more catastrophic than it breaking while cruising at 90mph. In reality, most VVTi motors can only advance or retard timing approximately 15 to 20 degrees, which equates to about a quarter inch or less of actual valve travel. I know the belts can make it past the 90k mark, but I've also never heard that the 2UZ is non interference, and I know several Toyota techs as well. I'm not saying you're right and I'm wrong, I'm just saying I don't think it's worth the risk to find out.