1997 timing belt kit deal.

who's done it? I found a kit for $300 that includes.
Timing belt
Water pump
seals
Three belts (fan, air, pwr steering)
thermostat
tensioner, race bearing

what do you guys think?

 

Toyota OEM?
probably worth to spend a little more for oem stuff

 

^Definitely, your timing belt and component parts are one of the last places you want to skimp on.

 

I'd get the Toyota T-belt, for sure. The bearings are all the same, if you can find 'em cheaper, get 'em. Water pump is most likely the same from aftermarket, so if you wanna save some more cash, get thatoo.

I've been a Toyota mechanic for a while, and I've used the aftermarket bearings and water pump with no problems. The T-belt I'm sure is all right, but I've always been scared to use anything but OEM.

 

I'm curious to know what *seals* are?? Or are they referring to....a tube of silicone sealant?

I'm not necessarily sure you need a tensioner / bearing either. When I changed mine, it was fine.

 

He's talking about the 2 cam seals and the crank seal which should be done when doing a t-belt job because if those seals leak everything comes off all over again.

Sure your tensioner and bearings may have been fine when you last checked but who's to say they'll be good for the whole timing belt interval. It's cheap insurance to replace everything behind the timing cover.

 

You might as well do the bearings, if you're gonna do the belt. Cheap insurance against having to do the job twice, if one fails.

 

Is that something the dealership performs as part of their timing belt work?

Just curious... Not argueing againest what you've said...

However - if you're getting that technical about doing all that work, then you might as well hand the keys over to the dealer (or experienced mechanic). Afterall - if you don't install the seals or bearings properly, you're gonna be doing it over again anyway (or paying someone to do it).

 

True, I am a professional mechanic and doing the timing belt the right way isn't for a do-it-yourselfer or shadetree mechanic in the first place. The bearings are just remove and replace but there is a correct tool for the seals to do it right. I've seen so many many timing belt jobs come into our shop because their friend or themselves did just the timing belt and now one of the seals leaked and oil got on the belt and the belt snapped. Now they have to pay us to do it all over again, and now they have to do it complete because we don't do half-ass jobs because we never want a come-back job.

And to answer your question, most dealerships do not replace everything behind the timing cover, simply because most customers only see the dollar signs and don't have the foggiest of how an engine and it's parts work. My .02

 

Yeah, what Kuma said. A lot of people cheap out on the bearings, and the water pump. Then they come back and tell the service manager what a crappy job I did, because they now leak water, or have a noisy bearing.

I always recommend both, but most of the time they get declined.

As far as doing the job yourself, the toyota 3.4 is one of the easiest t-belts to do. If you're mechanically inclined, it can be done at home. The crank pulley is what stops most people, since you need a chain wrench to loosen the bolt. Other than that, it's pretty straight forward.

 

Toyota should have just gone with some sort of chain setup or gear setup for the v6. lol. I just did my timing belt, water pump, cam idler, tensioner, had the heads re done, did the head gasket, and a good tune up for my 3.0. It helps to have the right tools and some common knowledge of the engine. I did it and Im an electrician!

 

all the parts ore OEM except the Bando belts for the air, steering and fan. The kit comes with a Mitsoboshi timing bet and Aisin water pump. I think it is a good deal. The truck has 113k on but I plan to drive till she rusts to the ground. The truck is actually in really good shape. NO RUST.

 

sounds like a good deal then

 

I'm surprised, that is all OEM parts, the Bando belts are OE Toyota, good deal.

Yes the 3.4 is one of the easiest t-belt jobs but as with any timing belt job, a lot can go wrong if you don't know what you're doing.