Go "all the way" and replace the FAN BRACKET with a timing belt, water pump, tensioner service on engines with over 200,000 miles. (2 Viewers)

[OwnerCS]

My first fan bracket failure occurred on the LX at approximately 230,000 miles. I pay attention to any belt/pulley noise and nip it in the bud.

Recently, I purchased another 2UZ (GX) with 250,000 miles. The fan bearing failed and let steel bearings fly into the timing belt. This caused the belt to jump off.

No engine damage (e.g. bent valves) followed. A luck break of sorts.

The bearing failure caused damage to any pulley hooked to serpentine belt to the point of bending the alternator mounting bolts and sending the fan into the radiator.
Much destruction occurred on the wake of bearing failure. This could have been avoided with preventative maintenance when the timing belt was changed at approximately 235,000 miles.

I cringe when I think about how this could have been a lot worse on a VVTi engine. Now that our 100s are joining the Quarter Century Club, consider taking the next step with maintenance items and look for things that could leave you stranded or bring $1,000s in repairing to other damaged components.

UPDATED 7/16/25 - Fan bracket ball bearing resting inside the pulley. This was after the belt was repositioned post jump.

 

[excessive]

couldn’t agree more, whole you’re in there doing a timing belt , just replace all the pulleys

 

[Mike NXP]

Agreed, I am seeing more and more posts about folks trying to diagnose engine noise and it being fan bracket ( myself included ) and a bunch of other posts about belts getting shredded recently due to worn out bracket bearing...not a typical item to think about replacing during timing belt so good call on getting the word out, it should definitely be done as failure / bearing wobble seems to be a re-occuring theme on MUD

 

[RapidRob]

Yeah, I understand some folks are trying to save money but when I did my timing belt job I just replaced everything I took off.
Pulleys, tensioners, Belts, hoses, radiator. It's a great feeling to have all new (OEM) parts up there for another 100,000 miles or so.

 

[bkfj40]

When I replaced the one on my wife’s 100 at 220k, you could feel the fan bracket bearing was beyond its life as it was ratchety. If you’re in there anyway, replace it for sure. It is not the time to cut corners. Did the radiator and all the hoses at the same time.

 

[Goslow]

The bracket on my ‘01 started failing at 155,000 miles. Perhaps they don’t last as long as we think they should. I agree with the previous posts; change it while you’re in there.

 

[GTV]

IMO most components (pulleys, etc.) don’t need to be replaced at every timing belt interval. If you want that extra piece of mind and have the extra cash to throw at it, sure, go right ahead. Replacing them at every other timing belt job is good enough the vast majority of time, most of the failures I’ve noticed on those parts happens between ≈200-250k miles. They are also reasonably easy to access on their own.

That being said the fan bracket is fairly buried in there and the stakes are high if your fan gets friendly with the radiator. I like to replace that with every TB.

 

[OwnerCS]

Every 200,000 miles for sure.

 

[Nardulli]

Absolute newbie here. I just purchased my first Land Cruiser. A 2001 model with 130,000 miles. I looked for a long time for this vehicle. The low miles, its owner history and the fact that carfax showed oil changed every 2,500 miles made it my choice. Bought it without seeing it in person. Had it hauled from Lincoln, NE to my shop in St Louis.

I put it on the lift yesterday. There is some moderate surface rust which we will get after with CO2 blasting then rust converter and finally paint. No leaks. The bushings I inspected seemed to be OK. No dry rot or looseness.

Anyway, I'm posting on this thread because the timing belt has never been changed. As this is an interference engine, I plan on doing this immediately. I bough the "kit" which appears to contain everything - water pump, timing belt, tensioner, fasteners, gaskets...

What are you guys referring to when you mention a "fan bracket"? It's odd to me that a bracket would have a bearing.

Finally, anyone have a line on a good workshop manual for this beast?

 

[3_puppies]

Anyway, I'm posting on this thread because the timing belt has never been changed. As this is an interference engine, I plan on doing this immediately. I bough the "kit" which appears to contain everything - water pump, timing belt, tensioner, fasteners, gaskets...

What are you guys referring to when you mention a "fan bracket"? It's odd to me that a bracket would have a bearing.

Finally, anyone have a line on a good workshop manual for this beast?

2001 is NOT an interference engine

the fan bracket is what the fan clutch spins on, that is its only purpose, the fan bracket needs to be removed when doing the timing belt
I hope the "kit" purchased was from a known vendor, there have been some poor quality stuff sold online from Amazon, etc

along with the "kit", I would replace all coolant hoses and the heater "T"s

best manual is the Toyota factory service manual. I think there are downloads available somewhere here on mud

 

[Nardulli]

Thanks for the info. I was told it was an interference engine, and I'm glad to be set straight. Heard on the hoses and "t"s. I tend to replace everything I can when I have something apart.

 

[whodoe]

got my 100 November last year, tensioner pulley seized at 224k miles , timing belt due

 

[OwnerCS]

Absolute newbie here. I just purchased my first Land Cruiser. A 2001 model with 130,000 miles. I looked for a long time for this vehicle. The low miles, its owner history and the fact that carfax showed oil changed every 2,500 miles made it my choice. Bought it without seeing it in person. Had it hauled from Lincoln, NE to my shop in St Louis.

I put it on the lift yesterday. There is some moderate surface rust which we will get after with CO2 blasting then rust converter and finally paint. No leaks. The bushings I inspected seemed to be OK. No dry rot or looseness.

Anyway, I'm posting on this thread because the timing belt has never been changed. As this is an interference engine, I plan on doing this immediately. I bough the "kit" which appears to contain everything - water pump, timing belt, tensioner, fasteners, gaskets...

What are you guys referring to when you mention a "fan bracket"? It's odd to me that a bracket would have a bearing.

Finally, anyone have a line on a good workshop manual for this beast?

Here's a back view of the bracket. The original bracket dumped ball bearings into the timing belt area causing the belt to jump.

Note this happened on a 2UZ that I purchased as a non-running vehicle. I changed the one on my LX a few years ago when it started to make noise.

The bracket on my 03 LC is quiet. I will be giving it a check since I cannot determine when it was changed.

 

[Nardulli]

I'm learning that there's a bunch of peculiarities to these Toyota drive-trains. I really appreciate any and all bits of knowledge. I've been building small block chevy and LS engines for a very long time - these Japanese engines are another breed altogether.

 

[3_puppies]

Thanks for the info. I was told it was an interference engine, and I'm glad to be set straight.

Toyota claims it is an interference engine, but it isn't
@2001LC proved it is not
the later VVTI engine is an interference engine

 

[leveeguy]

Absolute newbie here. I just purchased my first Land Cruiser. A 2001 model with 130,000 miles. I looked for a long time for this vehicle. The low miles, its owner history and the fact that carfax showed oil changed every 2,500 miles made it my choice. Bought it without seeing it in person. Had it hauled from Lincoln, NE to my shop in St Louis.

I put it on the lift yesterday. There is some moderate surface rust which we will get after with CO2 blasting then rust converter and finally paint. No leaks. The bushings I inspected seemed to be OK. No dry rot or looseness.

Anyway, I'm posting on this thread because the timing belt has never been changed. As this is an interference engine, I plan on doing this immediately. I bough the "kit" which appears to contain everything - water pump, timing belt, tensioner, fasteners, gaskets...

What are you guys referring to when you mention a "fan bracket"? It's odd to me that a bracket would have a bearing.

Finally, anyone have a line on a good workshop manual for this beast?

https://forum.ih8mud.com/resources/2001-land-cruiser-repair-manual-rm795u.258/

 

[2001LC]

We can't say 4.7L 2UZ-fe (98-05 100 series) is not an interference engine. But, Yes I have demonstrated they don't interfere We have many cases (in ih8mud) of breaking timing belts, at high RPM and under load, without any interference. But under the right condition, who knows, Toyota warns us it is!

The 2UZ-fe VVti, is by all accounts an interference engine. Just time wrong, set timemraks/sprocket in wrong position or spin crank/cam with belt off. Valve will be bent. If belt breaks will engine running, will also like damage piston maybe even connecting rod.

 

[Coin]

I’ve turned a VVTI with the belt off with no damage. It was in my wife’s ‘05 GX. Engine runs like a top. It’s the only part of her car I am jealous about. My lx being a non-VVti.

 

[2001LC]

I’ve turned a VVTI with the belt off with no damage. It was in my wife’s ‘05 GX. Engine runs like a top. It’s the only part of her car I am jealous about. My lx being a non-VVti.

Turned what and how many degrees?

There is a VVTi case of interference, now in ih8mud. Where wrencher turned to crank 360 degrees, while belt off. P0300 (IIRC P0307) shortly after starting. One cylinder no compression.

We've other cases in mud of VVti, with interference.

 

[Coin]

Turned the crank 360. Maybe I got lucky, just wanted to add my data point.