Another timing belt question

[socalrat]

First post on this site, Been browsing for a few days and am ready to dig in. This is my fourth Toyota, first belt change. Figure if I can tear a Chevelle apart and rebuild the motor I can handle this.

1. I assume #1 cylinder on the 3.3l V-6 is the front left as you face the car?
2. On the belt it has a single line mark and a double line mark. Is the single line single mark for the left cam and the double mark for the right cam?
3. If the crank and cam are not moved does it even matter. I mean could you just put the belt on in similar fashion to taking it off?

Thanks, great site and I've gleaned some new insight already.

Garry

[JohnGD]

I use only Gates belts when available, and for V6 engines it will tell you which edge faces forward. Then there are three lines. One for the crank and two for each cam (L Cam, R Cam). Not sure about your belt.

You're going to rotate the engine 2 revolutions to check the the marks and operation before buttoning everything up anyway. So might as well follow the instruction to the letter and turn the engine to #1 TDC.

(And do a complete job by changing out the oil seals, pulleys, water pump, and/or valve cover gaskets).

Originally Posted by socalrat

First post on this site, Been browsing for a few days and am ready to dig in. This is my fourth Toyota, first belt change. Figure if I can tear a Chevelle apart and rebuild the motor I can handle this.

1. I assume #1 cylinder on the 3.3l V-6 is the front left as you face the car?
2. On the belt it has a single line mark and a double line mark. Is the single line single mark for the left cam and the double mark for the right cam?
3. If the crank and cam are not moved does it even matter. I mean could you just put the belt on in similar fashion to taking it off?

Thanks, great site and I've gleaned some new insight already.

Garry

[BlackCamSe]

if you have a gen6 you don't have a timing belt...

[Pawel062]

he has a 3.3 so its not a gen 6...

[njerald]

Follow the Procedure in your Factory Service manual................

[socalrat]

My bad, a Gen 5 then. And I don't have a factory service manuel which is the reason for asking. I did browse a Haynes maual to find that # 1 is on the left rear. Thanks for the help JohnGD

[Tremendous_Slouch]

Originally Posted by socalrat

1. I assume #1 cylinder on the 3.3l V-6 is the front left as you face the car?
2. On the belt it has a single line mark and a double line mark. Is the single line single mark for the left cam and the double mark for the right cam?
3. If the crank and cam are not moved does it even matter. I mean could you just put the belt on in similar fashion to taking it off?

Thanks, great site and I've gleaned some new insight already.

Garry

1. Yes but you shouldnt need that as a reference just for a tb change.

2. The best way to figure out what the marks are for, assuming your old belt is intact, is to get to the point where your cam covers are off and align all your marks on the engine with the old belt. all three belt marks may be worn away by now, but if all three engine marks are aligned just mark the belt with white out where the dots on the engine line up with the belt. Then remove the old belt and compare it to the new one and this will tell you what the marks on the new belt mean.

Beware it is possible to put your new belt on BACKWARDS causing lots of confusion when you go to crank it up and the engine wont run right! So also mark arrows on the old belt with an arrow pointing "out" or whatever works for you and orient the new belt exactly the same way as the old one.

3. No, dont try to cut corners here unless you want to do the belt install all over again! Align all 3 marks first and make sure engine is at TDC before removing old belt, then put new one on the same way as the old one.
The reason is belt slack, the belt tensioner is what takes up the slack in operation but when you put the new belt on the tensioner is not installed. Once the tensioner is reinstalled it takes up all the slack, install your belt wrong and it might run wrong even if you lined up all the marks. Your old tb is worn thus a few mm longer than the new belt due to stretching, and if you simply slide the new one on there with no reference to the engine marks theres a good chance you could be one or more teeth off - making all your hard work pointless since the engine wont run right.

Follow the procedure in the link below and you'll probably get it right the first time.

Changing V6 Timing Belt Pics and the $270 Coil Connector

[JohnGD]

Absolutely.

The marks are primarily there so you can line things up and release the hydraulic tensioner and get everything right the first time. (that is, no need to remove the tensioner, compress it, etc etc etc). But it is not required.

In face, you can make your own marks using White-Out like Haynes suggests in some cases.

If you have a Gates Timing Set it would come with an instruction sheet. Follow it to the letter. (Or a Haynes or a factory manual).

Originally Posted by Tremendous_Slouch

1. Yes but you shouldnt need that as a reference just for a tb change.