Sticker for belt change no date

I just picked up an 02 tundra with a 4.7
Replacing the timing belt seems to be the one thing everyone recommends for this engine.
There is a sticker on the water pump that says it was changed but either nothing was written on it or it faded away.
165k on it now.
All I can go by is the age of the sticker which is not new but does not look extremely old either.

I'm thinking I should assume it was done somewhere around 100,000 and I still have time.... Does that sound about right.... it's a shame it was never filled out I logged on to Toyota and there is nothing in the service reports so it was not done at the dealer

 

I would assume it's time to change it.

SPP

 

90k miles or 9 years. Time to replace based on Math Mojo and peace of mind. Go ahead and replace the Alternator and Cam/Crank Seals while doing the belt. You’ll thank me later. Use all OEM/Aisin Parts. Gates HD Belt for the Serpentine.

 

Best bet is to carbon date the sticker to get an idea of when it was placed. It's accurate to within a decade or two.

Serious answer: The sticker says they put a Gates belt on? I would go ahead and change it at your earliest convenience. Go back with an Aisin kit.

 

LOL...I guess I was trying to make myself feel more confident. I've been looking at the replacement videos. Quite the project. I'll drive it for a bit and make it mine for a while before jumping into a project like that. After reading every thread that exists I'm confident it won't fail in the next few months.

 

Timing belt failures are rare. But catastrophic. A peek behind the timing belt cover at the cam sprocket would yield a cursory inspection. If it looks good, motor on for a while. If it looks crispy and has cracks developing already, park it and buy a kit. Kits cheap, motors expensive.

 

SHORT ANSWER: This belt is due every 90k. It can go longer. Not sure on time, but a decade is probably time for replacing. If it was done as recommended at 90k miles, that was 75k miles ago and it's due imminently, especially if unknown brand/quality. If it was never done, do it immediately.

Longer answer:

As mentioned, failures are rare but catastrophic and your engine can be destroyed and it's a HUGE amount of money at that point. I have 3 Toyotas with this 4.7L and just did the same job on all three, two of which were acquired used last year with unclear service records.

Tundra #1: The old belt was stretched quite a bit and it was changed at 70k miles ago, per the Mitzubishi sticker on the engine. It was allegedly changed at 170k, and I just changed it at 245k. The belt was stretched... It could have been a cheap belt. Lesson here: Get the AISIN OEM belt.
Tundra #2: Unknown if it was ever done, but at 155k I just acquired it with no good records so it went in for a bunch of routine service. The belt that came off was in excellent condition. It probably didn't need it but I'm glad it's done.
4Runner: I owned since new, it went about 91k on the first belt, and 110k on the 2nd belt which I just changed. The old belt with 110k is firm and looked excellent.
This reaffirms the lesson to get the OEM AISIN belt and parts.

A Gates sticker definitely imply it was done, probably around 90k. That's not factory. So if you want to gamble, it's probably been done. Try to recreate any service records; I use a spread sheet. Get a Carfax and any other vehicle reports and try to contact any local dealerships or auto repair shops that might have done it or might use "Gates" products. Scour any records that came with the truck or that you can find by the VIN at local repair shops. I may need it or soon need it based on miles. It probably needs it based on time... if it's been a decade it's probably due.

If it were me, I'd assume that even though the belt might have been done, it was likely 75K miles ago, or longer. And, if it has 165k miles, it was last replaced probably around 2011-13 as a guess, so it's likely due. So it's probably due or nearly due anyway. I would ALSO do the water pump, serpentine belt, all those seals, thermostat, gaskets, idler arm pully part, PCV, flush coolant and replace with fresh coolant, etc. in that area. Have a mechanic just replace anything there that's obvious or high wear items where the labor to do it far exceeds the parts costs. You're looking at about $400 in parts, and around $800 in labor for all of that.

Pro tip: Ask for your parts back and inspect them and you'll gain some good insights and knowledge. I keep any of my old serviceable parts around. Record date/mileage. Throw the small stuff in a parts box in case you need it in a pinch. The belts, put them in your emergency road trip tool box in case you have a need. Ordering a Toyota belt or thermostat in some small town might be a challenge...

 

2nd on replacing the water pump. I did my belt last year (was the original belt with 173,000 miles on it) and although I've done a number of these, it's still a fairly intense job. All good advice thus far so I won't beat the horse.
There's a great video on YT that I've referenced numerous times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCTGHurWA1c

He's replacing the belt on a 3UZ, but the steps are all the same. There are numerous other videos to reference as well.

Cheers and welcome to the club!