# Just bought Hardbody, wondering if timing belt is changed?



## mxman (Dec 10, 2008)

Hey guys, Just bought a MINT 4x4 hardbody v6 5spd... 1996.. 110k original miles.. a doctor had it before me so i don't have receipts they submitted them for income tax... anyhow.. i have some pics of the timing belt which seems mint as hell to me ..lmk if you think it should be swapped it looks new.

TIA


_edit: Sorry, but those pics were WAY too big._


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## rbo1577186 (Jan 16, 2005)

Doesn't exactly look new, 

Check it with a belt tension guage, check for the usual belt signs, cracking, dry rot, the teeth rounded off, etc.

You could ask the previous owner where they had it serviced, and they may be willing to let you see what work was done to the truck.


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## SPEEDO (Jun 9, 2003)

when in doubt... change it, at least you'll have peace of mind


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

If the timing belt has never been changed with 110,000 MI on it, you need to change it now. Most timing belts should be changed every 80,000 - 100,000 MI.


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

If it's a V6, it's a 95. The only engine you could get in a 96-97 HB was the 2.4L 4-cylinder. Close enough, though.

If you have ANY doubt about the timing belt, change it. If it breaks you'll have a dead engine on your hands...


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## wolfman01 (Nov 26, 2008)

I concur. Unless you can find out from the previous owner when the belt was last changed, change it now. It's pricey to have done, but WAY cheaper than the consequences of the belt failing. Unless the interval has been increased from what is posted in my manual for my '89, the interval is *60,000 *miles, not 80,000 to 100,000 as was previously mentioned.


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## Pynikal (Dec 11, 2008)

80,000 to 100,000 mile sounds about right for the t-belt. in the case of the toyota 4 runner if you have a 99 t-belt is due at 60k if you have a 00 its due at 90k. toyota did this to lower "cost of ownership" nothing changed between those years at all. so as far as t-belt intervals you are safe with doing it @80-100k.

so to answer the OPs question i would just say what was stated above do it and have piece of mind that it is done. it will be cheaper in the long run. good luck!!


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## veesix (Jul 18, 2004)

Don't give up on finding those receipts; If the truck was depreciated as a business expense for a doctor's office, they would absolutely be saved someplace. Receipt are only 'turned in' if the office was in some kind of tax trouble, and even then, would be returned to the doctor.

It was probably serviced at a dealer. Write the vin number down and go to a Nissan dealer. They will check the computer data base and see the records for that truck.


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## Pynikal (Dec 11, 2008)

and it should also have a "timing belt serviced" sticker on it as well.


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## wolfman01 (Nov 26, 2008)

Pynikal said:


> 80,000 to 100,000 mile sounds about right for the t-belt. in the case of the toyota 4 runner if you have a 99 t-belt is due at 60k if you have a 00 its due at 90k. toyota did this to lower "cost of ownership" nothing changed between those years at all. so as far as t-belt intervals you are safe with doing it @80-100k.
> 
> so to answer the OPs question i would just say what was stated above do it and have piece of mind that it is done. it will be cheaper in the long run. good luck!!



Our trucks are not Toyotas, and it is a risky game to go beyond the manufacturers recommendations just because another manufacturer deemed that they could extend their own interval by 20k miles. A timing belt is an expensive maintenance item. Still, it should be done on schedule to avoid the possibility of a belt failure, and it's resulting consequences.


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## Pynikal (Dec 11, 2008)

sorry if i upset you; as i was not trying to, but i was justsaying "in general" how manufacters will alter service intervals to help out sales of cars. i have been in the auto repair business for 8+ years and it is always good to go be the manufacters specs when it comes to service but belts and everything have come a long way. good luck and change that belt!


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## wolfman01 (Nov 26, 2008)

Pynikal said:


> sorry if i upset you; as i was not trying to, but i was justsaying "in general" how manufacters will alter service intervals to help out sales of cars. i have been in the auto repair business for 8+ years and it is always good to go be the manufacters specs when it comes to service but belts and everything have come a long way. good luck and change that belt!


No need to apologize for anything. I was not upset in any way, shape, or form. I was simply stating that I did not think it a good idea to apply what other automakers do to their vehicles, to ours. If Nissan were to post tomorrow, that the timing belts on our 3.0 engines could have their interval extended to 80 or 100k, then I'd go along with it. Until then, as these are interference engines with catastrophic consequences from a T-belt failure, I am compelled to believe that there is a reason for setting the interval at 60k. Is it conservative? Probably, as mine was 20 years old and 8k overdue when I bought my truck. That said, there are vehicles on the roads, that absolutely cannot tolerate people arbitrarily extending the interval. The VW TDI engine is one. Take that belt beyond its interval, and you'll be very likely replacing an entire engine as the space in the cylinder is virtually zero at TDC, and you will have piston damage as well as valve damage. VW has over time made changes to the engine and belt specifications where they are now up to 100k on later engines. VW has been very emphatic however, that the early TDI engines must still maintain their 40k interval, to avoid a catastrophic failure. Daewoo and later Chevy and Suzuki rebadged versions of these vehicles also do not take well to having the belts neglected. In Daewoos case, the 60k interval was proving too long, and their fix was to shorten it to 50k, as they were failing prematurely.

So, no harm, no foul. I was just stating a difference of opinion. :thumbup:

You will find that I personally treat beater cars with the same level of care as I would a Bentley. Just because its a beater, doesn't make it junk. With good care, a "beater" car will get you just as far as a new one.

I bought my 89 Hardbody about two weeks ago. Thus far, I've dumped ~$1400 in maintenance, and I still have a couple of other things to chase down. I expect to keep this this truck until I literally cannot find parts for it anymore. With 68k on the odometer of my truck, I expect that It'll be around for a LONG time.


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