When I had the 90k service done, I had my water pump replaced as it was leaking (just bought the car with 102k and it hadn't been done). I'd save yourself the time and/or money and do it now.
My two other Toyotas that were over 100k miles (both about 120k) had leaky water pumps too.
i would replace it when you do the tbelt.. or around suggested service time.. even though its nothign wrong with it better safe then sorry to change it.. how many miles do u have on your car?
TeCKis300... it's as simple as this. When it starts to go... you change it. Why replace a perfectly functioning part? The timing belt is different... it is critical... and if it goes... it catastrophic. If the water pump starts to leak or make a noise... well then you just change it.
"When it starts to go"...is going to be that one time when you are not paying attention to the temp gauge until it's too late. Whether you are running hard or cruising in the desert and daydreaming....and don't notice your temp gauge until steam is coming out of your hood. One overheating event is enough to warp the head and blow a headgasket.
It's all about preventative maintenance, especially on a relatively cheap waterpump.
Playing Devil's advocate here:
Why change a perfectly good working part with a new, potentially defective, part? Who's to say the new part won't "start to go" a week after you put it in?
Playing Devil's advocate here:
Why change a perfectly good working part with a new, potentially defective, part? Who's to say the new part won't "start to go" a week after you put it in?
That is why you stick with Toyota/Lexus OEM components.... ESPECIALLY if you are doing it yourself.... I'm only at 62k... so this is a bit off for me...., but I'd recommend to service in the following order... coolant flush, timing belt and waterpump service. Flushing BEFORE the new pump removes all the scale and crud from inside before you put a nice new pump on. Nice new Toyota coolant, along with a nice new pump and a nice freshly cleaned cooling system will lead to another 90k of no worries.........
and whether you think of it as being crucial or not.... isn't doing the service and KNOWING it is done and relaible as it was when it was new the most important thing.........
The only reason people recommend to change the waterpump at the same time as the timing belt is because you need to remove the same parts to access those items. It's not because the waterpump is going to "expire" at the same mileage as when you change the timing belt.
The water pump costs ~$200. Get it replaced at the same time as the timing belt.
The piece of mind you will have after spending that extra money will be well worth the investment.
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