help needed: upper timing belt cover removal - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

hungt1999 · 10-08-2009, 09:28 AM

I want to remove the upper timing belt cover to inspect the timing belt.

I removed the 4 bolts on the upper timing belt cover but can't get the cover out because the upper part seems to slide under the valve cover

do I need to remove the valve cover too?

Greasewrench · 10-08-2009, 02:30 PM

yeah, at least that's how it went for me when i took timing covers off. the valve cover and all 3 timing covers fit together like puzzle pieces, they don't just slide off. u need to remove the valve cover to be able to access any of the timing covers and since it has a gasket on it and RTV sealant at each corner, u may have to wrestle with it a little before it comes off.

1jzdreamer · 10-08-2009, 04:51 PM

Yes, as gw said, remove the valve cover. Won't need to remove anything else to inspect it.

hungt1999 · 10-08-2009, 08:49 PM

If I need to remove the valve cover, that is bad news for me. A while ago I tried removing the valve cover but gave up because it was so stuck even tapping a wood block with a small sledge hammer, I could not even get it to move

maybe I will try again and like someone mentioned in another thread, the rubber grommets that sits below the head cover bolts need to be pryed out too to be able to tap the valve cover loose

iToaster · 10-08-2009, 09:17 PM

There's 4 nuts on top of the valve cover to remove, 2 bolts on the cover running over the alternator cable, and one on the hook on the back that needs to loosened to let the cover move up. It shouldn't be that hard to get off.

sometoyotaguy · 10-09-2009, 01:55 PM

I found that the rubber grommets underneath the nuts turned rock hard, and had to be "unscrewed" with a flat screwdriver and a small hammer.

My Cover wouldn't budge either until I noticed that.

Good luck

ToyotaHankins · 10-19-2009, 02:08 AM

yeah it took me a while to figure out that those rubber grommets under the nuts were holding down the valve cover.

hungt1999 · 10-19-2009, 09:13 AM

If I remove the valve cover, do I need to put RTV sealant after when I re-install the cover?

I have never used that RTV sealant before, in what areas should I put it?

there is a rubber gasket that goes around the cover right? do I put RTV sealer on the rubber gasket?

Greasewrench · 10-21-2009, 10:21 AM

yes u do need to reapply RTV sealant if u take it off and want to put it back on again. u only put the sealant on 4 areas of the cylinder head, if u get a haynes manual it shows u exactly where to put it. RTV is like a thick black toothpaste but it dries very quickly (a matter of minutes to be exact) to a silly putty-like consistency. u can get it from the dealer for $18 a tube its called FIPG (Formed In Place Gasket). do not apply the RTV to the entire rubber gasket, only to the areas outlined in the haynes manual, 4 spots i believe in the 4 corners of the cylinder head. u gotta get the manual to do it right man or else u may get oil leaks.