| >| The fanbelts and such are easily user-replaceable. Grab a Haynes or | >Chilton | >| manual for simple stuff like that. | >| | >| The V6 uses a timing belt. In theory, to be replaced every 60K miles, | >but since | >| it's a non-interference engine, you can roll the dice with no downside | >other | >| than a tow to the mechanic if the belt breaks. | >
| >My '99 says replace at 90,000 miles. We will replace the water pump and | >hoses at the same time. Dealer price for belt replacement quoted at | >$275.00 total. Not worth the inconvienence and expense of the tow for | >that price. | >
| Yeah, somewhere around the 1999/2000 model years, Toyota went to spec'ing a 90K | mile service interval on the timing belt. However, the OP is sporting a '94 V6, | thus a 60K interval. IMHO, the change from 60K to 90K was more of a | recognition that those belts are *tough* -- I've heard of a number of folks with | well over 100K on the original belts on their mid-90's V6 motors. Personally, | I've got 82K on mine (a '96 Taco V6). Somewhere around 90K, I'll probably | mosey in and get 'er replaced. $275 is a decent price from a dealer -- I don't | think my local mechanic (who normally beats the dealer by a wide margin) could | beat that by much. | | OTOH, when my 2002 Sequoia (a V8) hits 90K, you can bet I'll have that sucker at | the mechanic's mucho pronto -- I don't take chances with interference engines. | Still can't believe Toyota made an interference engine with a timing belt...
Honda did on their 70's era Civic. A Rural Health Nurse I know lost the timing belt on her Civic doing 70mph. It locked up the engine and put her in a skid until she was able to get the clutch disengaged. She said it was a ride she didn't want to take again.