eBay Timing Belt Kit

[fenrisx]

Should this be avoided? Timing Belt Kit (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyota-4-Runner-V6-Timing-Belt-Water-Pump-Kit-5VZFE-3-4-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQfitsZModelQ3a4RunnerQQhashZitem 2a08ef86b2QQitemZ180538541746QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fT ruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)

Just wondering if anyone on here has gone this route vs buying from a dealer? Or are any of these brands that's included with the kit to be avoided?

Looking to save money obviously. I'm going to pay the stealership to put everything on still because I don't have the time or experience to try and tackle this myself.

Thoughts?

[CJM]

FWIW its a true pain in the ass to do the job, I didnt even take off the whole belt or the waterpump when I had to retime my motor recently and lemme tell you what, I rather have paid to do it and saved myself the 50 for the tool too.

On the other hand, if I were to do it, dealer only for the parts.

[corax]

Link doesn't work for me. I'm not sure about the e-bay kit, but most parts stores will give you a good price on a timing belt kit which contains the belt and pulleys that you need (yes, you should replace the pulleys also). The one I just got last week for a side job had a Gates belt in it, which is the same name that came off the car. As far as the bearings in the pulleys, they should be Timken although there's another common brand name that I can't remember at the moment which is just as good - and it'll probably be one or the other anyway. So basically, price out the parts store kit and compare to the dealership - sometimes the price isn't much different and with the dealership parts you get some kind of parts/labor warranty should something happen. If it's too much at the dealership get a timing belt kit locally and ask what name is on the belt.

[fenrisx]

Sorry, link fixed.

[Okie81]

haha, mitsoboshi timing belts are hard to find

[fenrisx]

One of the accessory belts on the Runner right now is a mitsuboshi, or mitsoboshi, or mitsubishi.. something like that.

[4x4mike]

One of the accessory belts on the Runner right now is a mitsuboshi, or mitsoboshi, or mitsubishi.. something like that.


Yep, I got a Mitsubishi belt from the dealer. I forget which one it is but I've got one and it's been fine.

[rworegon]

Those are all quality brands and, in fact, the same brands that Toyota repackages into Toyota boxes.... The only brand I'm not sure about is the seals.

[rworegon]

A great thread with all the 'good' brands:
www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=2241.75 (http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=2241.75)

[fenrisx]

Thanks for the link.

I emailed the dealer for a price quote on just labor to replace everything in the kit I listed above, and a price for labor + parts from them for those things. One of the service dept guys emailed me saying he'd get back to me, so maybe I'll hear from him tomorrow.

[Marc P]

I would stay with OEM...let me know if you need opinions on pricing for the parts/labor.

[MTL_4runner]

I'm surprised to see a kit with all those brands in it (some are very hard to find/source) because what they've basically done is to piece together an all OEM kit using the exact same brands as your dealer would give you. Having been through it already myself, I would have no problem buying a set like that since it is using the OEM brand for each of the parts in the set. Very good quality set for the price so I'd go that route and save yourself a few bucks over the dealer.

[fenrisx]

Glad to hear that the kit isn't just some cheap piece together...

I'm hoping the guy at the dealer gets back with me tomorrow with some prices. I need to know how much I'm going to be dumping into this!

OT but would you guys say have the dealer throw on the 99springs and new shocks/struts I have? Or save & have another shop do that work?

[Crinale]

I guarantee that any other shop would be cheaper than dealer... dealer work is usually way expensive.

[fenrisx]

I got a coupon in the mail for 20% off at the Firestone place where I bought my tires. Maybe I'll see if I can use that, and have it done there.

[fenrisx]

Ok, the guy from the dealership finally got back with me..

For pricing on the parts...everything in the eBay kit minus thermostat, was $470. So, obviously I'll be going the eBay route.

Now, I asked him from cost of labor to change out everything in the eBay kit sans the thermostat. Then separately I asked him the cost to flush the transmission fluid, and change the coolant with SLL...

So get quoted me the $470 in parts, as said above, and $895 in labor. Now, I don't know if the numbers he gave me are just in regards to changing everything in the eBay kit, or if it includes the transmission fluid and coolant change. I emailed him back to get clarification on that.

Now that the price of this has topped the 1k$ mark, I'm wondering if I could skip out on doing the idler roller and tensioner roller.. and maybe skip out on the seals? Or is this something that should probably be done at this point?

The 4Runner has 192k on it now, and the Tbelt was last changed at 82k. I don't know if the idler or tensioner rollers were changed then, and I don't know of anything else that was changed then.

Thoughts? I was hoping to keep this under $1000.. and by that I don't mean $999, lol.

[Crinale]

I would go to a different shop... Flush the tranny should cost about $150ish (thats about what i paid recently), and i dont know how much coolant flush would cost but i couldnt imagine it being more than the tranny flush, id guess closer to $80 (i could be wrong)

$895 in labor is ridiculous... it should be closer to $300 for a professional shop to change the timing belt and related accessories. I hate to say it, but I believe you are getting seriously ripped off.

[fenrisx]

I agree.

I called last year when I originally intended to have the tbelt changed and was quoted about $650 parts and labor to do timing belt, water pump, and accessory belts.

Granted that price didn't include doing the seals in the kit, tensioner or idler roller, or hydraulic tensioner..

I'll give another Toyota dealership a call tomorrow.. and maybe just another/non dealer shop. I'm 100% confident I'll get better pricing from a shop that isn't a dealer.. I just don't know how I feel about having this amount of work performed by non Toyota certified techs.

[CJM]

Thats insane, Ive heard the job should be no more than 800 bucks at the most.

[fenrisx]

I found a few shops on Yahoo that had good ratings. I've got one on the top of my list, but I'm just going to order the eBay kit now and then start calling places once the parts arrive.

[Erich_870]

Keep us posted. I'm planning to order the same kit once you get yours. :thumbup: I need to get a block heater sent down from Anchorage too :clap:

Erich

[MTL_4runner]

Most of the time the labor on a timing belt should be around $250-350 but the changing seals and water pump are usually extra. I would still think that $450 shoould be about the max you should be paying if you provide your own parts.