'04 Tundra low mileage and timing belt

[thinshavings]

What to do....I have a 2004 DC with 45,500 miles.
Owners manual says to change the timing belt at 90k or 5 years.
Consensus of this forum in the past has been to change water pump and other related items uncovered to access the belt but with this low mileage should I just do the belt??

[packeroni]

Why would you even do the belt at this time? That seems to me like excessive prevention, but hey, I'm guilty of that too! I would say if that is something you were going to do, go ahead. If you are going to take in and have done, seriously re-consider spending that cash on this measure so soon into your mileage.

[thinshavings]

Originally Posted by packeroni

Why would you even do the belt at this time? That seems to me like excessive prevention, but hey, I'm guilty of that too! I would say if that is something you were going to do, go ahead. If you are going to take in and have done, seriously re-consider spending that cash on this measure so soon into your mileage.

Owners manual says 90K OR 5 Years......It's been 5 years.

Better safe than sorry??

[cheapskate]

Originally Posted by thinshavings

Owners manual says 90K OR 5 Years......It's been 5 years.

Better safe than sorry??

Does the tundra have valve clearance to the pistons? If some vehicles if the timing belt lets go, you can smash the valves. If there is clearance with this engine maybe its not such a big deal to let it go for longer. Find out what damage, if any, can be done if the belt lets go while your driving. Ask Mustang67408 (not sure about the number after his name there) he is a toyota mechanic.

[packeroni]

thinshavings,
Yes safe is better than sorry with the interference engines. I guess the question you have to answer and be comfortable with is risk. You have half the miles on the belt, but the years up is there. I suppose the age could have an affect but I believe wear not age in this case takes precedence. Would I wait another 5 years til you hit 90,000, no, but I probably wouldn't think about it for another couple of years though. Just my 2 cents.

[Jack McDermott]

In a sense it boils down to how much of a gambler you are. I have a 02 Tundra and changed the timing belt and thermostat at 7 years, but only 39K miles. My timing belt and thermostat still looked brand new when they took them off the vehicle. It cost me circa $800, but now I have peace of mind for a long time, and I intend to keep the truck. My 02 Tundra has an interference engine, so if the timing belt breaks, it will wipe out the valves and cost me a new engine. Thus, I opted for safety. You should consider checking at [url=http://www.gates.com] to see if you have an interference engine, then make your decision. Personally, I've had good results, reliable vehicles, and peace of mind by doing what Toyota recommends - not necessarily what the Dealer/Stealer recommends.

[Chandler1323]

I would imagine that the 5 year recommendation takes into account the Tundra owners in Alaska and other parts of the world where the weather can get extremely cold and harsh. I would think that the belt would prematurely fail in these types of extreme weather conditions. I really dont think I need to follow that 5 year rule here in mild weathered CA but you're from Wisconsin so....

[lleroux5]

I have a 2002 Tundra with 88,400 on it. I am changing the belt, waterpump, tensioner and pulleys on mine this summer. Seven years.....have I been lucky.....I don't think so. From all that I have read it is very rare to have a timing belt go and the one's that have gone had excessive milage/years and with all the Tundra's on the road it's still hard to find someone who had it happen. I just had my truck at the Toyota dealers for a fuel problem and they didn't even mention that I needed it done.

[Jack McDermott]

Certain of you tend to suggest ignoring the timing belt situation, but YOU will not be responsible to pay for the other fellow's new engine if his timing belt breaks. Thinshavings, the fellow who posed the initial question, has an interference engine and, if/when the timing belt breaks, it will destroy the valves in his engine and require a rebuild. Toyota has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in engine and vehicle design. They really KNOW what they're doing and they build superb vehicles for us. To NOT follow Toyota's maintenance recommendations, after you have invested thousands of dollars in a Toyota vehicle, would seem to me a foolish bet. You will have nobody else to blame if you ignore Toyota's maintenance recommendations and your vehicle fails. Incidentally, I have absolutely no connection with Toyota or any Toyota dealer, I'm just trying to make good sense here.

[ToyTun21]

I changed my belt last weekend. 93000 miles, 7+ years old. The belt and water pump looked new. I think you can wait a couple more years.

[mustang67408]

Originally Posted by Jack McDermott

Certain of you tend to suggest ignoring the timing belt situation, but YOU will not be responsible to pay for the other fellow's new engine if his timing belt breaks. Thinshavings, the fellow who posed the initial question, has an interference engine and, if/when the timing belt breaks, it will destroy the valves in his engine and require a rebuild. Toyota has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in engine and vehicle design. They really KNOW what they're doing and they build superb vehicles for us. To NOT follow Toyota's maintenance recommendations, after you have invested thousands of dollars in a Toyota vehicle, would seem to me a foolish bet. You will have nobody else to blame if you ignore Toyota's maintenance recommendations and your vehicle fails. Incidentally, I have absolutely no connection with Toyota or any Toyota dealer, I'm just trying to make good sense here.

Very well put.