timing belt questions

[Admiral]

is there any way to check if the timing belt has been replaced before? I bought the camry used and never thought to ask if it had been done. Currently the mileage is 111,123. It does tend to start inconsistantly. (sometimes it takes a longer time for it to fully crank sometimes) Spark plugs have 2-3k miles on them, so I dont think thats the problem. other info: its a 95 v6 1mvz. if it has been running for a while and i shut it and start it up again a little later it starts too quickly and i end up over cranking it.

Also, can anyone tell me how to get my damn brakes to stop squealing? i have new brembo drilled rotors, new ceramic pads and new hardware but it didnt stop making noise. When the pads were worn down completely it didnt make all that noise. Additional info: it does not squeal every time the brake is applied, especially if i press hard and fast.

If anyone has any suggestions that would be awesome. thanks

[hooRAH]

Timing belt breaking or skipping a tooth will not cause it to start inconsistantly.

[camryGen3]

i don't think there is anyway to find out if the belt need replacing without knowing when the belt was done.

i can say is the belt does take a long time to change, normal belt change should be in the manual, if you really don't want to take the chance, change the belt.

for the brakes, since you using ceramic and brembo rotors, i think the problem is with the pads not really made for the rotors. The squealing is most likely from the ceramic pads material (i think it contains some metal flakes in the lining).
get some regular pads for the brembo rotors and remember to spray it with some anti squeal brake spray. Ask your auto hardware store for it, it should quiet the brakes.

[marc780]

is there any way to check if the timing belt has been replaced before? I bought the camry used and never thought to ask if it had been done.

If you bought from an individual maybe you could just call them and ask them, they might have a receipt or some other record. If you bought from a dealer, chances are they dont know either.
So what you could do is remove the top timing belt cover and have a close look at the belt. You would look for broken or cracked teeth, cords showing, etc. Unless it looks like new i'd assume it's never been changed and replace it.

[DFBonnett]

Originally Posted by Admiral

is there any way to check if the timing belt has been replaced before?

Take a look at the bolts/nuts holding the timing belt cover. Do they look scratched up from a wrench? Normally there would be no need to touch them except to replace a timing belt.
FWIW
YMMV

[ghettosled]

i dont know how easy it is to take off part of the timing belt cover on a v6, but without knowning anything from the previous owner, the only definitive way to know is to check out the belt itself.

isnt there a product out there that you apply to the surface of the rotor or brake pads that gets rid of the squeeling but doesnt hinder stopping power?

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by DFBonnett

Take a look at the bolts/nuts holding the timing belt cover. Do they look scrathed up from a wrench? Normally there would be no need to touch them except to replace a timing belt.
FWIW
YMMV

DFBonnett has a good thought there.

As far as the squealing brakes, you can purchase a can of spray disk brake quiet and spray it on the backs of the pads. Remove the lower bolt on the calipers. Swing the caliper up and out of the way. Remove the pads from the torque plate (that's what Toyota calls the caliper mounting bracket), keeping them oriented to exactly where they came from so you can put them back on the identical side and spot. Lay the pads on some newspaper and spray the stuff on the backs of the pads. Give it about 5 minutes to set up and then replace the pads. The stuff is real sticky and it's almost impossible to not get it on your hands as you replace the pads in the torque plate. Replace the caliper and take the car for a ride. The noise should be gone. The noise is usually caused by the pads "vibrating" in the caliper and torque plate. The sticky stuff makes the pads stick to the caliper on both sides and eliminates the vibration and hence the noise. A can of the stuff is about $5. You can also buy some similiar stuff in packets for about $1-$2 and apply it with your fingers, but the stuff lasts for 1 or 2 applications. The spray can will last for many years and many brake jobs.

As far as the starting problem, I would check the ECT sensor (engine coolant temp sensor) with a DVM for being in spec. The generation 3 manual stickied at the top of this forum should give you the specs. You should also pull the codes from the computer to see if anythings shows up there. I'm not sure if your car is OBD1 or OBD2 compliant as many of the V6 Camrys had both connectors even before the mandated requirement for OBD2 for the 1996 model year. If it's OBD2, Autozone will read the codes for free. If it's OBD1, you can read the codes yourself with a paper clip and the procedure from the same manual. If you have any codes, report back here on what they are and someone will be able to give you some direction.

Mike

[Kep]

Nice thing about Toyotas is that they are a non-interference engine. If the timing belt is old and does break it won't hurt the engine. You, on the other hand, will be inconvenienced and, if you are in a high traffic area at the time, may be in a dangerous situation. Used to be that you changed the timing belt every 60,000 miles. If they did their maintenance correctly then you're only 11,000 miles from needing it again. I like DFB's idea of looking at the cover screws that would likely be a good indicator. Why not just go ahead and replace it. Then you'll know.

If you plan to do your own work then do what Mike suggested with the ECT. Also clean the EGR valve (and the connecting tubes), the throttle body and the IAC. Check the resistance of the distributor cap & wires. Check the resistance of the coil. All this should be in the manual that Mike pointed out to you.

Kep

[Digger1]

If the timing belt was changed out at some time in the past, the mechanic SHOULD have put a sticker on the upper timing belt cover indicating when the belt was last changed and the mileage on the car at the change.

However, not all mechanics apply this sticker.

Good luck!