'98 Camry, 5S-FE timing belt failure: dead? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

J.R.Freeman · 12-07-2009, 12:39 PM

Good afternoon all,

My friend has a 1998 Camry, and wikipedia lists his 4 cylinder engine as the 5S-FE. It sounds as though he has had a timing-belt failure.

My question then: is the 5S-FE an interference-type engine, that is to say, will a timing-belt failure result in a destructive "how's your father" between the valves and piston crowns?

Thanks for your help,

Jim

Mike Gerber · 12-07-2009, 02:13 PM

The 5SFE is a non-interference engine. Replace the timing belt and all will be fine.

PS: The 98 Camry is a generation 4 Camry, so you would have received a quicker answer in that forum.

Mike

***fenixus*** · 12-07-2009, 02:30 PM

yeah, Wikipedia EN listed Camry generations and corresponding year ranges after original Japanese source. I got caught on same hook in past.
someone told me that Japanese market had 1 more camry generation which was not released in Western world. that's why Wikipedia adds up 1 number to camry generation models commonly known in e.g. USA.

J.R.Freeman · 12-07-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

The 5SFE is a non-interference engine. Replace the timing belt and all will be fine.

PS: The 98 Camry is a generation 4 Camry, so you would have received a quicker answer in that forum.

Mike

Hey guys,

Thanks for the information on the 4th gen 5th gen thing. So this is a 4th, huh?

Mike, about the non-interference thing - that's very interesting, are you fairly certain? I don't mean to question you, but I just want to make sure as I am going to suggest to my friend that I change his timing belt.

Anyway, that's very intersting. If you are correct, it sounds as though a shop tried to take him for a ride. They said his engine would need to be replaced, and they quoted him $2k Canadian for a used high-mileage replacement, before labor!

edit: Thanks Mike never mind, I googled around a bit - you are correct! Good news, I will call my buddy tonight. Thanks again guys.

Thanks again guys for the help. Mike if you would be able to confirm the non-interference thing, or if someone else could that'd be great. It's just an old beater of a car, but my friend would be really happy I'm sure if I could put it back on the road for the cost of a belt and tensioner (I'll probably leave the old water pump as I think he just wants another year out of it).

Jim

Mike Gerber · 12-07-2009, 08:49 PM

Just so you and your friend can sleep better tonight, here's a link to a Gates Timing Belt Chart. All cars with an interference type engine are listed with an (*) after the engine. Notice that the 98 Camry 2.2 liter I4 5SFE engine doesn't have an (*).

http://www.gates.com/downloads/downl...older=brochure

Also, I used to own a 98 Camry with the 5SFE engine. I'm positive it's not an interference engine.

Mike

J.R.Freeman · 12-08-2009, 09:27 AM

Good morning Mike,

Thank you for that information, and for all of your help. Unfortunately something kind of disappointing happened last night - the car was towed away before I could get ahold of my friend. I didn't expect him to move so quickly - it failed late last week, and last night he had it towed to the wrecking yard. He told me it had 340k km's on it, however, and a number of other problems, but still I would have liked to get it running for him again at least for the winter.

Anyway, thanks again for your help, sorry that I couldn't make use of it. It's too bad more engines aren't non-interference. I suppose in a search for added compression the tendancy is toward reducing the combustion chamber volume, but it seems silly that such a system as a timing belt be made so critical in doing so.

Jim

hill8570 · 12-08-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.R.Freeman

Good morning Mike,

Thank you for that information, and for all of your help. Unfortunately something kind of disappointing happened last night - the car was towed away before I could get ahold of my friend. I didn't expect him to move so quickly - it failed late last week, and last night he had it towed to the wrecking yard. He told me it had 340k km's on it, however, and a number of other problems, but still I would have liked to get it running for him again at least for the winter.

Awww, bummer. You guys don't happen to live near Boise, Idaho, do you? I would've paid a lot more than a wrecking yard for a Gen4 Camry, especially with something simple to fix like a broken timing belt. What a waste...only a little over 200K miles, and already junked.

J.R.Freeman · 12-08-2009, 11:52 AM

Good afternoon Hill,

Unfortunately we're pretty far away, in eastern Ontario, Canada. Yeah it is a shame, I'm not sure how much farther it would have gone however. What sort of mileage are people getting out of their Camrys? Frustrating though - if it were still there I could have had it running in a day or so.

hill8570 · 12-08-2009, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.R.Freeman

Good afternoon Hill,

Unfortunately we're pretty far away, in eastern Ontario, Canada. Yeah it is a shame, I'm not sure how much farther it would have gone however. What sort of mileage are people getting out of their Camrys? Frustrating though - if it were still there I could have had it running in a day or so.

Yeah, that's a bit of a trip. Oh, well...probably had terminal salt rot anyhow. In the midwest and northeast US, salt rust tends to ruins the rigs faster than anything else.

See How many miles has your Camry done until today? -- quite a few 300K+ mile rigs in that thread.