Timing belt

Hello all,
Those of you who have the 3.4 L engine (mine is a 2002), do you regularly change your timing belt after 100K mile intervals? I'm over 200K, so my mechanic recommended I change mine again. He said I should do the water pump while I'm at it.
Have any of you had timing belt issues? I've not heard of any from Tacoma owners, but I've heard reports from other auto owners that timing belts can cause problems with no warning.
Any feedback will be much appreciated.

 

Change it and the water pump. While it’s getting changed might as well put new crankshaft and cam shaft seals and a new idler pulley.

After getting the thorough run through of what the timing belt does and how it works you’ll understand why it can fail suddenly and the damage can be significant.

 

90k miles is the factory recommended interval.

The "good" thing about the 3.4L is that it is a non-interference engine, so if you do pop a belt, you won't damage the engine by running the valves into the pistons. You'll just be stranded.

Search around here, there are several threads on how to DIY, and there's an ebay seller who has kits with 100% OEM parts, including accessory belts, new seals, water pump, tensioner for like $300.

 

It's not terribly hard to replace. There are lots of resources here as well as some good youtube videos.

 

I have 205 on my truck and I just bought a complete timing belt kit from parts geek water pump timing belt AC belt the works it was less than $100 bucks I believe

 

Not changing mine until the water pump leaks or the belt breaks.

 

How many miles on your truck and miles on just the belt?
I’ve seen here and there trucks with a whole lotta miles on their timing belt.

I take my truck to super remote areas in the southwest and Baja,Mexico. Otherwise I’d be doing the exact same thing.
Although getting stranded on a remote beach in Baja wouldn’t be so bad.

 

Replaced the belt on my 21 year oid 70,000 mile replacement engine. The belt was fine. However the water pump had started to weep around the old RTV based seal. The new water pump kits come with an improved gasket. I was glad I replaced it at the end.

 

200K on the original belt? Just change it...and while your there, do the water pump. True, it's a non-interference motor, but when it lets go you'll likely be so far back in the woods that you'll have to come out to hunt....at that point it really doesn't matter whether or not you didn't trash the valve-train when it let go.
Just a suggestion.
Cheers, Jeff

Just saw you did change it at 100k...my bad....my comment still applies though IMO

 

Thank you everybody for your input! I suspected it might be time to get it all done.