My Timing Belt Job (Pics) 56k go away - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Ken4 · 12-02-2005, 08:04 AM

I decided to do a timing belt job on my '00 camry. It has 91,000km on it and the schedule maintenance factory sticker says replace every 100,000km. I felt bored so I decided to do it early. Here are the parts I bought in advance:

Timing Belt S$45
Timing Bearing #1 S$25
Timing Bearing #2 S$30
PS Belt S$8
AC/Alternator Belt S$20

I start by putting a jack stand on the right:

I remove the splash guard exposing the crank pulley:

Next I loosen the alternator locking bolt, tension bolt and hinge bolt and remove the alternator our of the way:

Here's a pic of the ac/alternator drive belt, coolant reservoir and alternator removed. Also notice I removed all the spark plugs and put a compression gauge on cylinder #1. This is to ensure when the crank is at 0 degs, cylinder #1 is TDC at compression stroke and not exhaust stroke, at the same time the camshaft gear should line up perfectly with the marking at vertical engine position:

Then I proceed to remove the top engine mount. Haynes manual says I need to jack the engine from the oil pan a bit, but it wasnt necessary at all:

Next I removed the timing belt top cover. It was a little bit difficult to get the top cover out cos the master cylinder was blocking on RHD cars. Here's a pic with my buddy's fingers pressing on the belt. He was on leave today and came over to chat but ending up getting a lesson in timing belt change. LOL. I was surprised the timing belt was kinda loosey loosey when I press my finger on it. Even though the belt looked in good condition and could go for another 100k but it obviously has stetched over the last 6 years. Im glad I decided to change the belt early:

I tried in vain to remove my crankshaft pulley bolt with my impact wrench but it just wouldnt budge. Haynes manual says to open the flywheel inspection cover and jam a crowbar in the teeth while getting a long 4' long breaker bar to remove the bolt. Well my inspection cover is blocked by my exhaust and Im not prepared to dismantle my exhaust! I thought about removing the starter motor and jamming the flywheel from there, but I learned a trick from my Australian Tech friend on how he removes the crankshaft bolt. Just stick a wrench on the crankshaft pulley bolt and brace it against something solid. In my case, it was braced against my lower A-Arm. One blip of the starter and presto, the bolt came loose!

Here's a pic of how NOT to remove your crankshaft pulley! Haynes manual says if it doesnt slide out, pry it out. But that didnt work. And Im not prepared to specially order a SST just to remove a 5SFE crankshaft pulley. So I guess my S$12 gear puller will have to do.

Here's a pic of why not to use a S$12 gear puller, also pictured is a brand new crankshaft pulley in the box that cost me another S$150 for my silly mistake. If you do send your vehicle to a mechanic for a timing belt change, make sure he has a SST for your specific crankshaft pulley! Otherwise you'll end up like me. Or worse yet, he might not tell you he chipped your pulley and just put it back without you knowing. Or maybe he might unsrupulously bill you for a new crankshaft pulley and say your old one was worn out. LOL. Hey that tripod looks like it came from War of the Worlds, doesnt it?

Here's a pic with the upper and lower timing belt cover removed. Power Steering belt is also removed at this stage. Just 1 bolt loosens the power steering pump:

Here's a pic with the timing belt removed:

Now here's a trick I learned from the Haynes manual. Before you remove your old timing belt, mark the camshaft gear and timing belt position and the crankshaft gear and timing belt position with white marker. In my case I just used white liquid paper. So when I removed the old belt, I could also count the teeth on my new belt and mark it similarly:

Here's a pic with the new belt installed with new bearings. Look neat huh? The white marks I made lined up perfectly:

Checking the alignment of the camshaft gear with the marking was perfectly aligned:

And of course, as all good owners should do, I put a label on the my timing belt cover with the date and mileage of my timing belt job:

Errr....installation is the reverse of removal.

The upper timing belt cover was a pain to put on again since the master cylinder on RHD cars was blocking. But I lifted the engine a bit with a jack and block of wood on the oil pan and it seemed to give me just enuf clearance to put it back.

88 LE · 12-02-2005, 08:31 AM

Good stuff.

1. Cylinder #1 does not have to be at TDC on compression stroke. TDC is TDC.

As long as the crank is at 0 and the hole in the camgear is lined up to the notch on the bearing cap, its fine.

2. Marking the timing belt is not necessary, theres alignment marks on the engine (see above).

Did you rotate the crank clockwise from TDC to TDC (2 full revolutions / 720 degrees) and check alignment after the belt was installed?

RedPhoenix · 12-02-2005, 08:59 AM

how do you know its at 0? does it have marks for that?

i dont have a compression gauge, but i see its not needed.

also where did you get your parts from?

btw yours engine is very well kept.

and thanks i will be using this guide, since i have now just decided to do this.

Ken4 · 12-02-2005, 09:06 AM

1. Assuming your belt broke and you have to align from scratch, yes it needs to be 0 deg TDC at compression stroke with cam gear aligned.

2. Yes its not necessary to mark the timing belt, but it makes installing the new belt a lot easier.

Opps, forgot to countercheck 720 degs, but everything seems fine on road test. Power feels good, no ping, will do another 0~100kph test when my belts are run-in.

Ken4 · 12-02-2005, 09:10 AM

RedPheonix, the 0deg is on the lower timing belt cover, align the 0deg with the notch on the crankshaft pulley. Yes, the compression guage is not necessary if your belt has not broken. But it is good to have. I get my parts from my local Singapore toyota stockist.

88 LE · 12-02-2005, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedPhoenix

how do you know its at 0? does it have marks for that?

Theres a notch on the crank pulley and numbers on the lower timing belt cover (0, 5, 10, 15, etc..)

You want the notch on the crank pulley to line with the "0" mark on lower timing belt cover.

Camgear has a hole. Right behind the camgear is a bearing cap which has a notch/groove in it.

You want the hole in the camgear lined up with the notch/groove on the bearing cap.

Bearing cap. Camgear removed:

Camgear:

88 LE · 12-02-2005, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken4

1. Assuming your belt broke and you have to align from scratch, yes it needs to be 0 deg TDC at compression stroke with cam gear aligned.

As far as the engine is concerned it doesn't know if #1 is at TDC at compression or exhaust stroke. TDC is TDC. If the piston is at the top, its at the top.

Its the cams and open/closing of valves that determine when air goes in/out the engine. Which is why you have to make sure the camgear/cams is aligned properly.

I've done several timing belt changes on Toyota engines and never once checked if #1 was at TDC on compression stroke. I just make sure the crank and camgear is aligned properly, install belt, tighten tensioner, rotate crank from TDC to TDC, and check alignment.

Ken4 · 12-02-2005, 09:32 AM

Well thats what my haynes manual says, and I agree with it. If you accidentally align cylinder #1 TDC exhaust stroke with crankshaft pulley 0 deg, I think u might have a wrecked motor when u start her up.

majones · 12-02-2005, 10:36 AM

I'm just wondering if anyone else had hints for removing the crankshaft pulley without damaging it? If not is the SST only available at a dealership or something I can get from an autoparts store? Anyone know what size puller is required for a 94 I4 engine.
Thanks

88 LE · 12-02-2005, 10:52 AM

^ Use a bolt on type pulley puller. Theres some holes in the crank pulley for bolts. IIRC you can use the bolts from the timing belt covers.

http://autozone.com/in_our_stores/lo...c_balancer.htm

http://autozone.com/in_our_stores/lo...iming_gear.htm

Cyorke · 12-02-2005, 11:04 AM

NOt to bash Ken but like 88 LE has said it doesnt matter if the engine is at TDC on compression or exhaust. TDC is TDC. As long as the crank pulley is in line withthe 0 mark on the front cover and the hole inthe cam gear is lined up with the notch ont he bearing cap it is all good. THe notch on the bearing cap sets the valves where they need to be.

One more thing there is a notch on teh actual crank gear and on the engine for aligning. You do not have to put everything back together to make sure the notch ont he crank pulley is at the 0 mark. ONce you remove the timing belt and the crank pulley you can see the indentation onthe lip at the back of the gear. that indentation lines up witha mark on the oil pump.

LIke 88LE I have done several Toyota timing belts. I used to be a Toyota Tech for about 4 years and did at least one a day for that entire time. I never used a compression gauage and I didnt really care about lining anything up before I took it apart. Toyota makes it extremely easy to reinstall the belt since all the timing marks are there for you.

RedPhoenix · 12-02-2005, 11:25 AM

If you mess up the crankshaft pulley can it throw the balance off?

Cyorke · 12-02-2005, 11:28 AM

the crankshaft pulley or the crankshaft gear.
the pulley has to come off to get the timing cover off of the engine. As for throwing it off of balance it is keyed so it can only go on one way. You cant take the timing belt off if you dont take the timing cover off.

THe crank gear you would relly only need to take off if you are going to replace the crank seal. it pretty much jsut slides off and on since there is nothing to hold it on once you remove the crank pulley and the timing cover.