Toyota and Lexus 4.7L V8 2UZ-FE timing belt replacement note

The Toyota and Lexus 2UZ-FE 4.7L V8 is the gold standard of reliable, mid-sized iron block V8s.  Used to power the Toyota Tundra, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, and 4Runner in addition to the Lexus GX470 and LX470, this V8 is ridiculously reliable.  CARspec had the chance to replace the timing belt and water pump on one today and wanted to share some notes on the process, specifically how to properly time the engine when you’re replacing the timing belt.

Due every 90,000 miles, the timing belt on the 2UZ-FE is a moderately complex procedure.  On the GX470 the radiator and fan must be removed in addition to the alternator, power steering pump and a large proportion of the front of the engine.  During the removal (as the tech went to set the timing so that the belt could be removed) it was noted that the timing of the crankshaft relative to the camshafts was off.  The engine was running mistimed (!), yet had no check engine light for camshaft/crankshaft correlation codes that would normally be set.  The engine ran smoothly upon arrival – this was quite the surprise.  Below is a photo of the timing as it came in, belt removed.  Note the mark on the crankshaft pulley does not line up with the timing mark on the cover behind it, yet the camshaft timing marks are lined up perfectly (set to the “T” mark behind them) (click for a larger view)

Mistimed 2UZ

Here’s what it looks like when set correctly:

2UZ Timed

The “T” marks and the special mark on the timing cover are there specifically for timing belt replacement.  If a technician uses the top dead center marks (to the left of the camshaft and crankshaft marks), they risk the camshafts spinning under spring tension, potentially damaging the valves.  CARspec recommends you use the “T” marks.  If you are using a genuine Toyota timing belt, it will also have marks that line up with the camshaft and crankshaft notches.

As Eden Prairie and Chanhassen’s independent Toyota and Lexus specialized repair shop we can complete a 2UZ-FE 4.7L V8 timing belt replacement in 4-5 hours at extremely competitive rates, so if you’re in the market for a new timing belt give us a call today!