ticking time bomb

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 3, 2011
Messages
1,426
Location
Golden Meadow, LA
My uncles 2004 Tundra with the 4.7 V8, which he bought new, has 381,269 miles as of tonight. Its been pretty [censored] reliable, original coolant, water pump, starter, alternator, spark plugs and tranny fluid. Lets just say he lacks when it comes to maintenance, but he does change his oil regularly and air filter. The problem is, and I've told him many times, is that he has 381,269 on the original timing belt. Could it snap at any moment? I figured if something catastrophic happens to the engine, he got his moneys worth over the past 11 years, so I quit telling him that he needs to change it.
 
For some odd reason people that don't give a rat's arse about maintenance, about their cars have lady luck look over them.
 
Last edited:
It's remarkable that the timing belt hasn't broke yet. Not to mention that the spark plugs are original?? Iridium plugs can go up over 100k miles and I've seen some people on here get 140k on them. But 340k plus seems a bit wild to me. Anyhow, yeah changing the timing belt, coolant, and spark plugs are obviously a great idea.
 
I have a hard time believing that it has the original plugs, trans fluid, and timing belt.
 
I am 100% sure its the original timing belt and tranny fluid, I say spark plugs also cause really the only time the truck ever went to the dealer was for a recall on a ball joint. I know my uncle wont get under the hood and change the plugs lol
 
Im not buying it. That thing has had more maintenance than just oil changes throughout its lifetime. I fully believe vehicles can last that many miles but the ones that do have been maintained extremely well.
 
Wow if that is in fact true he has the best Tundra i ever hear of.. Those 4.7 engines are ok but not that good we have seen them in for rebuilds from time to time. Compared to Toyota older engines of the 80's that outlasted almost all their vehicles they are just ok if you compare that engine to say a chrysler 2.4 or the older Cadillac HT-4100 then i would say they are great.
 
I think your uncle might be mis-remembering if he told you that his car got to 400k with no maintenance or repairs. That's silly.
 
I thought most places mark on the timing cover or hood when they change the belt? I don't know the interval, but with my luck, as soon as I was 1 mile over or 1 month over, the rubberband driving the camshafts would snap.
 
My Corolla had 315,000 on the original timing belt before it finally gave out....381,000 seems a bit far fetched but I suppose its possible.

My Sequoia (same 4.7 V8 as the one talked about here) I changed at 96,000 miles and the belt itself looked almost new (it wasn't). The water pump showed evidence of seeping and the idler was loose as a goose.

Changed the factory plugs at around 90,000 miles and the center electrodes were almost nonexistent. Almost 400,000 on original plugs? No way.
 
Toyotas are amazing vehicles. 381k on a timing belt amazing? Hogwash.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Donald
I think there is more to the story than we are being told.
Agreed. No matter how amazing a Toyota may be there is no way that it is still running normally on spark plugs which are nearly 400K miles old.
 
Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Originally Posted By: Donald
I think there is more to the story than we are being told.
Agreed. No matter how amazing a Toyota may be there is no way that it is still running normally on spark plugs which are nearly 400K miles old.


"Normal" doesn't have a universal definition
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
My uncles 2004 Tundra with the 4.7 V8, which he bought new, has 381,269 miles as of tonight. Its been pretty [censored] reliable, original coolant, water pump, starter, alternator, spark plugs and tranny fluid. Lets just say he lacks when it comes to maintenance, but he does change his oil regularly and air filter. The problem is, and I've told him many times, is that he has 381,269 on the original timing belt. Could it snap at any moment? I figured if something catastrophic happens to the engine, he got his moneys worth over the past 11 years, so I quit telling him that he needs to change it.


to answer your question, yes the timing belt could go out any time, whether original or not, it may start slipping too from being worn out. you will decide then what to do with it. if i could change it out myself(when it goes out) i would do that. it's up to you.
 
The only real repair he has had is when a ball joint let go when he was exiting on the interstate. Turns out toyota had sent a recall about it and he ignored it. It was fixed for free at the Toyota dealership in Lafayette, Louisiana.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
381,269 miles as of tonight. original Spark Plugs? i highly doubt it, 150,000 yep,200,000 maybe.... 381K? NO

Agreed, plugs won't last almost 400K miles...

I have seen a Y2K Chevy van with 264K mi on original platinum plugs, that one was towed into a friend's shop... Belongs to elevator Co next door and they aren't exactly maintenance minded with their vehicles(he gets them when they quit, wheel falls off, or have serious driveability issues)... It burned the coil wire through but with a fresh wire it still ran, though not what you'd call great...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top