Ok, all you OCD maintenance mudder folk have talked me into it. (With pics)

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BullElk

BullElk

SILVER Star
10 Year
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Location
Saraland, AL
With 326k miles on my perfectly fine timing belt, water pump and assorted parts, they’re finally getting replaced.

My AC compressor finally did go out with 446k miles. I’m going out of town for a week and figured this would be a good time to get my LX hundy as up to par as all you other mudder peoples.

However, if my LX gets some new infection after this elective surgery, it’s all your fault.
 
97 AZ LC said:
What could be next - wheel bearings?
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Naaaa. Wheels still roll fine. I keep them greased. However, I do need to change out washers. Bearings did get loose and noticed groove in washers. Just got them but haven’t installed.
 
MongooseGA said:
I'm sorry...

Did I read that to mean that your have 326k on the current timing belt?
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That is correct. Last service was at 120k miles in 2007 I believe. “Maintenance” money saved is beaut.
 
MongooseGA said:
You sir, are a daredevil. I like the cut of your jib.






How's them heater tees looking?
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Heater Ts are good. I do maintain things that are important and needed. Daredevil? If you guys didn’t replace all those timing belt parts so stinkin quick you would see how long they really last and the money you don’t “need” to spend. Can’t argue with success.

However, I do not use that recipe with my VVTI ‘06.
 
BullElk said:
Heater Ts are good. I do maintain things that are important and needed. Daredevil? If you guys didn’t replace all those timing belt parts so stinkin quick you would see how long they really last and the money you don’t “need” to spend. Can’t argue with success.

However, I do not use that recipe with my VVTI ‘06.
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Yeah, those VVTs are pansies. I think it's OK to replace the timing belt and pulleys at 326k because it's a hundred dollar job. Just don't go replacing the water pump unnecessarily. That would be just like burning money.
 
Condition pics of timing belt service parts at 326k miles. Except for clutch/pulley, the AC compressor is original with 446k miles.

The water pump bearing is completely silent and never leaked….With plastic propeller. The other two bearings in pulleys make a slight noise when spinning. Of course I can’t even tell the brand new ones are spinning in hand due to being so silent.

The belt looks pretty good to me with nothing alarming other than perhaps it does say Toyota but made in USA. Never heard of such. But quality it sho is.

Replaced tensioner pulley due to too much resistance in spring.

This timing belt service cost cost me $520 labor and about $250 in parts.

Also pics of mechanic using diesel/gas/compressed air to clean gunk as well as wire brush to clean hose connections. As usual, this guy doesn’t cut corners.

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MongooseGA said:
I don't think I'd say that belt looked OK.
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I don't see anything showing damage or worse wear than pics I've seen of belts with 100k miles.

And based on the condition of these parts, I will continue my MO of not changing these components on my other nonVVTI Lexii until I have a problem.
 
Fan bracket or other pulley's seems to go first. Where's all the gunk coming from? Small oil leak somewhere?
 
Patassa said:
Fan bracket or other pulley's seems to go first. Where's all the gunk coming from? Small oil leak somewhere?
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I had replaced the fan bracket so it was fairly new. I believe the gunk is from valve cover gasket seep.
 
BullElk said:
I don't see anything showing damage or worse wear than pics I've seen of belts with 100k miles.

And based on the condition of these parts, I will continue my MO of not changing these components on my other nonVVTI Lexii until I have a problem.
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Sorry can you clarify what you mean by not changing timing belt "until you have a problem"? Curious as to how potentially blowing a timing belt on non VVTI is better option than changing it within maintenance schedule? Is there significant warning signs that tell you when? Seems like playing with fire?

Again, asking out of ignorance not anything else as I also have non VVTI LX. Thanks
 
Foehammer said:
Sorry can you clarify what you mean by not changing timing belt "until you have a problem"? Curious as to how potentially blowing a timing belt on non VVTI is better option than changing it within maintenance schedule? Is there significant warning signs that tell you when? Seems like playing with fire?

Again, asking out of ignorance not anything else as I also have non VVTI LX. Thanks
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Having a timing belt break is possible but extremely rare. And being a nonVVTI noninterference engine, I’m not concerned and haven’t been for several hundred thousand miles with no regret. So that isn’t the “problem” I’m referring to.

I mean a “problem” as in the designed warning signs such as water pump weeping or hearing a bearing when wearing too much. I have heard a bearing make its sound before and the timing belt service completed. However, in many years, many hundreds of thousands of miles in 14 different LX/LCs, I have never had a water pump leak. I have heard a water pump bearing going out once but that was right after the previous owner had it replaced and there’s no telling what parts were used. So not sure about that one.

Because it is very possible, I would rather do again what I did in saving $2500-3000 or more not doing the TB service every 90k miles….Because I don’t think it is playing with fire, at all.

I can use that money to pay for more timely TB services on my ‘06 LX.
 
I honestly had no idea that timing belt breaking was that rare. As someone who just got into this game; I'll take your advice and probably leave mine alone for now. It was definitely changed at some point in its life and being that it only has 200k miles; I think it's fine. Thanks.
 
Foehammer said:
I honestly had no idea that timing belt breaking was that rare. As someone who just got into this game; I'll take your advice and probably leave mine alone for now. It was definitely changed at some point in its life and being that it only has 200k miles; I think it's fine. Thanks.
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That’s what I would do but I would say most mudders are more OCD than I. And I know the cost of ownership can be much lower if desired.
 
BullElk said:
That’s what I would do but I would say most mudders are more OCD than I. And I know the cost of ownership can be much lower if desired.
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You're obviously welcome to maintain to your own level of satisfaction and nobody really has any say so in it.

But I would say this: if I was in the market, and a seller had a truck with grossly overdue maintenance items like TB, that truck would absolutely not be in my search group any longer. OCD and unnecessary expenses aside, it is very telling to me when scheduled maintenance isn't done. I know you keep your trucks forever so no concern there, but to anyone else reading and feeling the same: don't do this and then expect high interest from folks who know better.
 
There's also the big difference between doing your own work vs. paying someone to do it. Changing your timing belt yourself can be time consuming but it's cheap. Paying thousands for someone else to do it certainly changes the equation.
 
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