Timing Belt done?

[dakota1975]

Hey guys.. I just got a 99 uzj100 with 89k. its got the locker, seats and rear air, i paid 17500. It was a mall cruiser/kid hauler, but its been very well maintained. The carfax shows it was serviced every 6 months or roughly 7000 miles. the trans fluid looks brand new as does the oil. This leads me to believe the truck had a recent service. My question is this.. is there any way to tell if the timing belt has already been done? if i call my local toyota dealer with the VIN can they tell me if its been done? also.. on a side note, the radio has "disc up" and "disc down" buttons, but i cant find a cd changer, any secrets as to where it may be hiding or if there is one at all? thanks in advance, this a great site.. i killed almost 5 hours yesterday reading all the posts. Thanks!!

 

[hank14]

The in-dash radio can accept a cd changer, it was probably a factory option, but they don't all have them (mine doesn't either). The radio is nearly the same as my wife's 98 Avalon, which does have a changer, which may mysteriously disappear from hers one of these days, if I can figure out how to wire it.

I'd say that was a good deal, but I doubt the 90K service had been done. I'd call a dealer and ask, if nothing else to get a quote on price. Have them change out the water pump at the same time, and maybe even the sealed timing belt pulleys.

 

[98LXand99LC]

FYI, my local dealer is charging about $340 for the timing belt. I thought that was pretty reasonable. I've go 78K on the ODO for both my 100's so will likely be doing this in about a year.

 

[sleeoffroad]

The timing belt comes with a sticker that should be applied to the hood or somewhere to show it has been done. Not sure if all techs do this.

 

[dakota1975]

thanks for the reply guys. im pretty sure the belt hasnt been done as there is no sticker and being that truck was a trade at a BMW dealer, im almost sure they didnt do the belt and THEN trade it in. id imagine they traded it in to avoid the belt. anyway.. i called my local dealer and he said around 500 for the 90k and another 1000( ) for the belt, he also suggested i do the water pump at the same time for another 300. Ive done most of the work on the 4 rovers ive owned previously, so im hoping i can DIY some of this. but damn.. $1800? maybe thats my "i live in CT" special price.

thanks alot i appreciate the replies..

 

[hank14]

Fluid changes are easy. Water pump probably do-able. Timing belt- many bananas, I would think. Order your parts from C-Dan, then take them to a dealer or good ASE shop.

 

[jp213a]

A timing belt change by the Toyota dealer in Nashville cost $325 for labor plus $50 for the belt. Dealer in KC charges $500 labor + $50 for the belt. I did it myself at 110K (had 107K when I bought it). The old belt looked to be in very good condition but I was nerveous for those 3k miles, since 90k was the recommended mileage. Still don't know if the 2UZ-FE is an interference or non-interference valve design but with 32 valves I didn't want to find out the hard way. Took 8 hours on Sat. to disassemble and 8 hours on Sunday to re-assemble. Drove it to work on Monday. Had a factory service manual I bought off E-bay for $58 (vol. 1&2). Didn't do the water pump and I'm at 130k hoping for 200k when I do the belt again. I did have access to a hydraulic press to compress the timing belt tensioner for reassembly and made a tool to keep the crank shaft from turning.

 

[jjbodean1970]

water pump is always a good idea when you're in there doing the t-belt, as a water pump usually has 1.5 time the life of a t-belt, so look forward to doing your water pump around 135k if not done when t-belt replaced. many toyota/lexus vehicles you can remove the top timing belt cover to inspect the t-belt for wear, look for cracks, moisture, etc. many times they will last past 90k, 100k, 105k are not uncommon. but do the water pump while you're in there. this buys you some time to shop around and find a shop you're comfortable with at the right price. if it's got 89k on it now i can assure you it hasn't been done yet.

 

[DMX84]

Since you’ve worked on Rovers, than you’ve had lots of practice! LOL
JK, Welcome to the board! I think you can do the timing belt yourself, but is it worth it? If the dealer screws it up than they fix it. If you screw something up, then you are SOL. I consider myself a mechanical person, and I had it done at the dealer. Although it was expensive, I won’t have to worry about it for a long time. I remember looking at the water pump when they had it off, and it was buried in there. (Didn’t look fun, especially if it were to leak or overheat)
My 2¢
Again welcome.
Dean

 

[jp213a]

"If the dealer screws it up then they fix it." I'd say your odds are 50:50 at best and that's if the problem surfaces in a week or two and you're willing to go to the mat with the service manager. From my experience, the service manager always has an excuss why it's not their fault. If you are mechanically inclined, the best insurance for a good job is buy the manual and do the work yourself using Toyota parts.

 

[jjbodean1970]

there's no way the dealer has a 50-50 chance of screwing up a timing belt job. come on! have you been reading the jiffy express lube thread on the 60/62 board? relax, man, probably odds less than 5-10% at a toyota dealer to mess up a t-belt.

 

[jp213a]

It's not that the dealer has a 50:50 chance of messing up a timing belt installation. But, if the dealer does mess it up, your chances of getting the dealer to take responsibility are only 50:50. Imagine trying to convience the service manager that one of the cam shafts is off one tooth and performance is suffering. I agree, the chances of the dealer's mechanic messing up are probably less than 10%, although they are working fast trying to beat flat rate. My confidence limit for doing the job correctly is 100% because I took my time.

 

[98LXand99LC]

......and another 1000( ) for the belt, he also suggested i do the water pump at the same time for another 300.........but damn.. $1800?

Even for CT, that sound way too high. I'd talk to some other dealers, of maybe find a good mechanic.

Do they throw in a reach around for $1800?????

 

[Landpimp]

I suspect if it didn't have 90k+ on it when you bought it the timing belt has not been changed, also seeing how it was sold/traded before 90K that leads me to beleive the 90K service has not been done, not alot of guys want to drop $500-1000k on a car they are trading in.

Me, my dealer is doing my t-belt, waterpump and tensioners(beucase I got em for CHEAP) I think Lexus does the tensioners as stardard, toyota does not. Problem for me is.....I forgot where I stashed the new tensioners

I will do plugs, t-stat and flush and fill myself.

Not sure about 98 but my 2000 has the indash 6 disc changer.

 

[tabraha]

Didn't see where this had been answered yet, but I noticed somewhere in this thread it was mentioned you probably didn't have the cd changer.

I believe you have the in-dash 6 disc changer as well. If you do there will be a load button on the head unit. That's how you will know.

 

[ace10]

not too sure about an in-dash changer. our lx is an 02 and it has the changer in the center armrest/console. i find it hard to believe that they (toyota/lexus) would have abandoned an elegant in-dash location for the big black box that i have...

 

[jjbodean1970]

ace, the reason you have the cd as a changer in the console instead of in dash is the nav system takes up all the room

 

[ace10]

i see.
but that's still a crummy reason for them put that crappy-ass changer in the vehicle. i'd gladly give back the navi in exchange for a changer that didn't have intermittant cd constipation, especially if it were in-dash. we've replaced it at least once and it still has problems. our 100 has been in for warranty work more times for stereo-related items, than anything else, including PMs.

thanks for the clarity.
aaron

 

[Landpimp]

my in dash unit(6 disc) has been replaced once(when I bought it) with a re-man, and the reman just started to act up, now its fine but I think I will have it replaced as the 1 year warnatte is almost up.

John

i see.
but that's still a crummy reason for them put that crappy-ass changer in the vehicle. i'd gladly give back the navi in exchange for a changer that didn't have intermittant cd constipation, especially if it were in-dash. we've replaced it at least once and it still has problems. our 100 has been in for warranty work more times for stereo-related items, than anything else, including PMs.

thanks for the clarity.
aaron

 

[tabraha]

intermittant cd constipation

Sorry for your situation but that is great wording!!!