Hi all, I am looking for recommendations for a shop on Vancouver Island who can do my timing belt/water pump. 2001 Prado.
Thanks,
Sue
Thanks,
Sue
Looking for recommendations: VI shop to do my timing belt
- Thread starter SueK
- Start date
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Well, seeing as no one else has replied, this thread was from a year or so ago, and has some names to try ?
forum.ih8mud.com
LandCruiser Mechanics on Vancouver Island?
forum.ih8mud.com
Timing belt and water pump is like a 2 banana job.
Any “mechanical working on yer junk” kinda shop should (ymmv) be able to do this. It’s not a space shuttle.
Basic hand tools and a flat of your favourite frosty beverages… easy enough to do yourself in your driveway over a weekend.
Seriously, the majority of us do our own work.
Cheers
Crusty
Any “mechanical working on yer junk” kinda shop should (ymmv) be able to do this. It’s not a space shuttle.
Basic hand tools and a flat of your favourite frosty beverages… easy enough to do yourself in your driveway over a weekend.
Seriously, the majority of us do our own work.
Cheers
Crusty
The majority of us are cheap canutes.Timing belt and water pump is like a 2 banana job.
Any “mechanical working on yer junk” kinda shop should (ymmv) be able to do this. It’s not a space shuttle.
Basic hand tools and a flat of your favourite frosty beverages… easy enough to do yourself in your driveway over a weekend.
Seriously, the majority of us do our own work.
Cheers
Crusty
This might affect our decision making
@SueK - Isn’t there that JDM importer by Coombs on the old highway to Port Alberni?
Can’t recall their name. What I found. These guys are close to you, give ‘em a call.
www.ccautos.ca
Can’t recall their name. What I found. These guys are close to you, give ‘em a call.
Coombs Country Autos - Western Canada's JDM Vehicle and Parts Source
Canada's JDM Parts Source, Vancouver Island's Delica Specialists
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks you,@SueK - Isn’t there that JDM importer by Coombs on the old highway to Port Alberni?
Can’t recall their name. What I found. These guys are close to you, give ‘em a call.
Coombs Country Autos - Western Canada's JDM Vehicle and Parts Source
Canada's JDM Parts Source, Vancouver Island's Delica Specialists
Yes they are. I was just looking around fur options! Coombs Country Auto.
I’ll give them a call again.
Sue
Not untrue... and I have been very careful the few times I have brought my Fj40 anywhere. In Victoria, I've had Searles repair A/C lines and charge my A/C in my Ambo. I was happy with their work and they have a good reputation. Coombs is a tad out of the way from here, so, I've never been in there.The majority of us are cheap canutes.
This might affect our decision making
On the matter of cheap... I happened to click on the link to Coombs Country Auto...
Now... I cant help but think I could buy an identical washer for 1/10 of the price... Obviously it wouldn't be "genuine" though.
Amazon has a very Similar one for $0.28... but you have to buy 49 spares with it...
I'd have to say after 33 years, quite a few parts on my 40 aren't "Genuine" or original. For the most part I'd like to think all the changes are for the better, but some may disagree. It probably should have been a parts truck rather than the starting point... but it is what it is. I lost count at around 36 vehicles have contributed to make it what it is today. Where it gets complicated is I don't remember what parts came from which vehicles and I can't say how many vehicles parts still remain attached to it. For example the SBC I swapped in, back in '96, is gone, but the Pitman arm for my P/S conversion came from that same Bel Aire built on September 16, 1969. Also... given we are on an island... there's no way of telling where the donor parts may have come from originally, and potentially, some parts think are from vehicle 34 may have been donated to vehicle 34 by vehicle 28. so enough of my 2 am rambling... It's not original as in OEM original... It's a Franken-Cruiser and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Now, my apologies to all the well rested sober people...
Unfortunately I can't blame the latter... but I will blame the former.
For some reason this didn't post after repeatedly clicking on the 'ADD TO CART' button above.
In reality, I only clicked on it once... or at least that's my story and you can't prove otherwise.
- Thread starter
- #8
If I were more mechanically inclined I would. I took it to one shop and they saw that it was right-hand drive and gave me a hard "no".Timing belt and water pump is like a 2 banana job.
Any “mechanical working on yer junk” kinda shop should (ymmv) be able to do this. It’s not a space shuttle.
Basic hand tools and a flat of your favourite frosty beverages… easy enough to do yourself in your driveway over a weekend.
Seriously, the majority of us do our own work.
Cheers
Crusty
Thanks
- Thread starter
- #9
Thanks! Yes, the cost of the timing belt kit if I purchased myself is half the price, but not many shops are willing to use client purchased parts. But I might need to bite the bullet and just pay for it.Not untrue... and I have been very careful the few times I have brought my Fj40 anywhere. In Victoria, I've had Searles repair A/C lines and charge my A/C in my Ambo. I was happy with their work and they have a good reputation. Coombs is a tad out of the way from here, so, I've never been in there.
On the matter of cheap... I happened to click on the link to Coombs Country Auto...
View attachment 3687304
Now... I cant help but think I could buy an identical washer for 1/10 of the price... Obviously it wouldn't be "genuine" though.
Amazon has a very Similar one for $0.28... but you have to buy 49 spares with it...
View attachment 3687306
I'd have to say after 33 years, quite a few parts on my 40 aren't "Genuine" or original. For the most part I'd like to think all the changes are for the better, but some may disagree. It probably should have been a parts truck rather than the starting point... but it is what it is. I lost count at around 36 vehicles have contributed to make it what it is today. Where it gets complicated is I don't remember what parts came from which vehicles and I can't say how many vehicles parts still remain attached to it. For example the SBC I swapped in, back in '96, is gone, but the Pitman arm for my P/S conversion came from that same Bel Aire built on September 16, 1969. Also... given we are on an island... there's no way of telling where the donor parts may have come from originally, and potentially, some parts think are from vehicle 34 may have been donated to vehicle 34 by vehicle 28. so enough of my 2 am rambling... It's not original as in OEM original... It's a Franken-Cruiser and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Now, my apologies to all the well rested sober people...
Unfortunately I can't blame the latter... but I will blame the former.
For some reason this didn't post after repeatedly clicking on the 'ADD TO CART' button above.
In reality, I only clicked on it once... or at least that's my story and you can't prove otherwise.
Thanks,
Sue
- Thread starter
- #10
ThanksWell, seeing as no one else has replied, this thread was from a year or so ago, and has some names to try ?
LandCruiser Mechanics on Vancouver Island?
I know that pandemic really bit into smaller shops. Used to go to Tims' Auto in Nanaimo but gov't basically regulated
them to death during pandemic. They would take care of Teri's RAV4 meticulously and were always so honest and fair.
I do most of my own stuff too. Not sure what engine you have, presuming 2LT?
I have a friend in Vancouver doing mobile mechanics who'd do it in your driveway but it's just too far for him. I took
my 4.7 Tundra to him and we did the timing belt kit, water pump etc in his driveway at 2C in February. As much fun
as it sounds...
Post up some pics of your truck, let us know who you use and how it goes. I'm buried in axles and lockers on my 60.
- Thread starter
- #12
2*C... makes for great memories. I've probably still got rust spots on the inside of my timing chain cover... I had freshly cleaned it and a couple snow flakes landed on it while I was putting it on.
In January, while I was installing the axle housing I'd picked up from you, it was -10*C. The one good thing I have to say about that is that I wasn't overheating when working on it... although 2*C would probably have accomplished that.
Best of luck Sue... I hope you succeed in finding a shop that will treat you fairly. It sucks that the shop you first went to wouldn't work on it because its RHD. It's not like a Landcruiser gets easier to work on after --> the wheel is moved to the L side.
That said... I've been told many mechanics will refuse to work on my "E350 Ford" because it came with a 7.3 diesel (stock from the factory). That said, rebuilding the fuel filter housing (which would take 1-2 hours on a truck) becomes a nasty 6-8 hour job. It's ugly enough that one diesel shop, that does informative videos on maintaining them, uses it as a skills test for new diesel mechanics they hire. If the new mechanic can complete the job, they're hired... If not, they get the boot.
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GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
From the only one of us that actually knows! LOL
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Can't help with a shop recommendation, but the 3.4L 5vz-fe engine is the V6 in every 1st gen Tacoma (1994-2004)and 3rd gen 4Runner (1996-2002) that didn't have the 4-cylinder. It's actually an incredibly simple replacement, although it's recommended to replace any pulley tensioning wheels and water pump while you're doing the belt replacement. Have to say that RockAuto has become my go-to for any 4Runner parts we need.
Surf side automotive in errington is a good spot. They are busy so expect to wait a few weeks to get in.
I’ve had them work on my domestic truck. They do good work and are fair.
Cheers
Crusty
I’ve had them work on my domestic truck. They do good work and are fair.
Cheers
Crusty
These guys suck… btw.@SueK - Isn’t there that JDM importer by Coombs on the old highway to Port Alberni?
Can’t recall their name. What I found. These guys are close to you, give ‘em a call.
Coombs Country Autos - Western Canada's JDM Vehicle and Parts Source
Canada's JDM Parts Source, Vancouver Island's Delica Specialists
- Thread starter
- #20
I ended up using a local retired mechanic!
