New to me Tundra servicing!

Two question post:
1. Just got an 05 Tundra v8 with 95k miles on it and I’m assuming it’s got original trans fluid in it still. I wanted to get some opinions on whether I should flush the trans or just drain and refill? I’ve heard good arguments on both sides but let me know what you think!

2. I'll also be replacing the radiator, water pump, and timing belt. I’ll probably just take it to the dealer for all this since I don’t have the time or even a garage to do it in. They quoted me a total of about $2590 for parts and labor for all these including the trans flush.
WP: $764 labor, $231 parts
Timing Belt: Labor included, $108 parts
Radiator: $630 parts, $160 labor
Trans flush: $425

I know TB and WP is a tedious job but holy smokes.. anyway I can make this cheaper??

Also planning on doing ball joints but I’ll do that on my own with oem parts.

Oh and here’s the new rig:

 

1st thing I'd do to make it cheaper would be to replace the radiator yourself. The Denso (factory) radiator is about $140 from Rock Auto, and easy to install (drain, disconnect your trans cooler lines, upper and lower radiator hoses, overflow tank line, take the bottom of the fan shroud off, 4 bolts holding it in, and then lift it straight up out of the truck). if you can do your ball joints, you can swap your radiator.

I would drain and refill your transmission, might need to do a few times though as you won't drain everything by doing it once. I don't think your truck as a transmission dipstick so my suggestion would be to use a fluid transfer pump to pump the fluid into the fill hole. My truck is a 2006, no dipstick, assuming the 2005 is the same.

Nice looking truck BTW.

 

They're gouging you on the radiator. If they're doing a complete flush and not just a drain/fill on the trans, that price is about right. The rest is reasonable.

But before you invest any money, I see snow in your picture, you need to go over that frame with a fine tooth comb to make sure you're not dumping money into a truck with a rotten frame. The thread I linked in your other post about coolant should help identify the areas to really carefully check. Be sure to treat the frame at least annually with woolwax or similar if it'll be used on salty roads.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking about doing to make it a little cheaper. Thanks!

 

No problem!

If you do end up having the dealership swap the transmission fluid for you, then swap your radiator first. You'll lose a little transmission fluid doing the radiator, but it's better to lose old fluid than new fluid.

 

I checked the frame out before buying it and it looked to be in good shape. Barely any surface rust as the guy before took very good care of it. But I’ll take your advice and look it over inch by inch just to be sure. Thank you!

 

Definitely do the radiator yourself. It is extremely easy. 4 bolts, disconnect the hoses, pull back the fan shroud, voila.

 

If you’re reasonably handy and have a basic set of metric tools you can do all this yourself. There are some good videos on YouTube. Watch a couple showing TB replacement and decide if you can do it. Post pics here and we can help advise.

 

I'll be the contrarian that says, "If you don't have a ton of tools, let the stealership do that, the water pump, tensioner, pulleys".

Then you do the radiator.

Then seek out a BG licensed dealer and have them do the BG Transmission Service. BG backs it with their Lifetime Protection plan, and it exceeds Toyota's OEM specs for service/fluids.

 

I definitely would buuuut A. I’m a baby and don’t have a garage up here in freezing South Dakota and B. Literately no time. Full time student, working, and we just had our second kid! Haha. I think I’ll just bite the bullet and have the stealership do the timing belt and WP then do the rest myself when I find time.

 

I am getting my truck scheduled for the timing belt, tensioner, pulleys, and water pump and they're suggesting I have a coolant flush done as well which adds another $250 or so. Would you say I should do that even though I'm going to be replacing the radiator myself? What would you suggest?

 

Does it currently have the correct color fluid in it? (pink or red)

$250 is a lot of money for flushing coolant.

 

Yes it’s got the pink coolant

 

Pink is super-long-life and good for 10yrs/100k miles like timing belt. I think it's up to you. If that were my truck, I'd feel better about it if it were $150, I'd potentially do it knowing how much pre-mixed coolant is (cue criticism from people who buy concentrate...) and not having to deal with disposal, but given flushing is something I can do myself, and disposal isn't totally out of reach ... I'd be hard pressed. You do you.

 

They have to drain a lot of fluid to do a waterpump/timing belt job, and presumably replace that with new fluid when the job is done. So I'd question what benefit you get by a "flush", and I'd want to know exactly what they mean by "flush" for $250 (sounds dubious to me). I'd be satisfied with the replacement coolant they have to put in with the timing belt job.