Timing Belts - Time versus mileage

[Shannow]

Gents,
I've got a 1990 4Runner with 3VZE engine. Car's just about to hit 200,000km.

Timing belt was last done mid 2000 (after the water pump siezed according to the mechanic), at 135,000km.

Toyota recommend timing belts at 96,000km, or 48 months.

Is time, or miles the most important ?

There's also an idler and a tensioner...should these go as well ?

 

[uconn1150]

I would say time, but honestly looking at your mileage and time, you are about due. While the belt is being replaced, you might as well do the idler, tensioner, and wp if driven by the timing belt. It is no fun to replace the belt, and then have to go back in a year later for another part. But then again, you enjoy working on it, well...

 

[Shannow]

I'd ordered the bits (upper and lower idler and belt) from the U.S. this morning anyway. I can get the lot delivered for less than the cost of the belt alone locally.

(They want $180 Oz for the belt, and nearly $400 for the two idlers...water pump I'm still looking for online, as it's $240 from the parts places).

 

[pepper32]

My Mazda Protege timing belt was replaced with 43000 miles after 11 years of service.

 

[Cutehumor]

hey pepper,

you would have replaced it twice in those 11 years.

my timing belt in my 92 mitsu mirage is 9 years old with 82k miles. but since it's a pos $300 beater, I'll just drive it until it snaps.

 

[Mokanic]

Water pump siezure was common on that engine. Anew pump is automatically figured in to one that I do for my customers. I also replace both cam seals as well as take a close look at the tensioner and idler. The tensioner is not as costly as the idler but they both wear out just like anything else.
The belt on that engine is easily capable of running 90K miles. If you go in and do everything needed you can button it up and not touch it again for 90K. It also is a free-wheeling engine so no valve damage will happen on that engine.
I have never seen time effect these belts;only miles. The best quality belts are made of HSN rubber. The cheaper ones are made out of butyle rubber and were only good for a certain time/miles.

 

[LARRY X]

Saw your post, I also have a 1992 mitsu mirage. I am doing the same thing, not doing the TB as I have put enough in that car. Can I ask, are your seals leaking like a #@$%!?

LC

 

[greaseball]

The owners manuals in the cars that I own, say to replace them at 100K. The engines they have are what is called 'interference' engines. Should the belt break, because of close tolerences, the valvetrain collides with the pistons, and you then have an expensive repair job. Not all engines with timing belts are interference engines. Some belts can break, then you would just be stuck, with no further damage. It is also advisable to replace the water pump at the same time if it is under the timing cover along with the timing belt. It's kind of like bitter medicine, but that's the way it is!!

 

[Gary Allan]

When I had the front of the engine refreshed on the 3.0 Mitsu ..the wrench said the belt was fine. That was 14years/165k. Naturally being a non interference engine ..it would be. Now an interference engine?? 6" after the recommended mileage and your valves are toast.

It's the law

 

[Shannow]

Mokanic,
I thought they were free revving (It was the first thing I searched when I found the previous owner had siezed a pump and snapped a belt).

Gary,
Murphy works in very predictable ways.

 

[Cutehumor]

Quote:

---

Saw your post, I also have a 1992 mitsu mirage. I am doing the same thing, not doing the TB as I have put enough in that car. Can I ask, are your seals leaking like a #@$%!?

LC

---

yep, they are a leakin. engine runs great though as long as their is oil in it.

 

[Lonnie]

In fleet service over the past 15 years the rule is that if the mileage has not been hit in four years the belt gets changed. We have data that suggests that at four years the chance of a belt failing goes up dramatically. It is our position that in a case like this we would rather change it with our mechanic and parts in our garage than have it fail on the road because we tried to get a bit more life out of the part. This four year period was developed with the help of the belt manufacturers, three of them. This we call our 80/20 rule and four years is the break for these belts. We change other parts using this rule. It sometimes looks like we dump a good part, but year after year we prove that it saves us money, time and breakdowns.

 

[Shannow]

Lonnie, good infomation.