Timing belt roplacement on 7A-FE engine

[smcinrox]

All,
I am changing a broken timing belt on a 94 toyota corolla with the 1.8L 7A-FE engine. I have taken all the timing belt covers off, removed the tensioner pulley and timing belt. Does any one have a detailed proceedure for aligning everything before the belt is replaceed to insure the timing is correct?
Thanks in advance,
Sam

[Bitter]

hmm you didnt need to remove the crank pulley? thats what stopped me from changing mine so far, the bolt holes for the puller are rusted out and ive not gotten around to tapping new ones.

[cheesep]

I don't know why you would even start a project like this without a Haynes Manual but here's a link that should get you through. Pay attention to torque specs when you're putting everything back together.

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d80169f48.jsp

[retiredat44]

When you get a belt, also get a tensioner. it hads bearing in it and even if it did not fail, better to make sure it's good with a new one. At Napa my tensioner was about $60.00

IMHO

btw, when you set the timing belt tension, there are marks left on the block witht he old settings, kind like wea rmarks. Toyota has specialized tools to set the belt tension, but if you have done this before, you may be able to set it by feel, but there are tension settings, you really need to set the belt tension at. If you want to get more done, and if the water pump has 2000,000 mile sonit, you could also replace that, since you are already 99% the way with that job too. But that's up top you. The Autozone instructions are good enough. you can also print those out, so you can have the info by your car. You wil also have to disconnect the engine mount(s). And raise the engine a bit. You may want to disconnect the exhaust header so you don't famege the exhaust and put morte strain on it while raising the engine.

These instructions will probbly work for your year car, as they were for my 1989 Corolla SR5.

[smcinrox]

Originally Posted by cheesep

I don't know why you would even start a project like this without a Haynes Manual but here's a link that should get you through. Pay attention to torque specs when you're putting everything back together.

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d80169f48.jsp

I started the job with the chilton manual but didn't read ahead to aligning everything prior to belt install. I really didn't like the instructions/illustrations that manual gave so I was hoping there were some beter directions out there. I know I should have read through the whole proceedure first but I am under no time constraints to finish this. I figured any road blocks I ran it to could be figured at that point or later. Thank you soo much for the link. hopefully this will get me through it.

[smcinrox]

Originally Posted by retiredat44

When you get a belt, also get a tensioner. it hads bearing in it and even if it did not fail, better to make sure it's good with a new one. At Napa my tensioner was about $60.00

IMHO

btw, when you set the timing belt tension, there are marks left on the block witht he old settings, kind like wea rmarks. Toyota has specialized tools to set the belt tension, but if you have done this before, you may be able to set it by feel, but there are tension settings, you really need to set the belt tension at. If you want to get more done, and if the water pump has 2000,000 mile sonit, you could also replace that, since you are already 99% the way with that job too. But that's up top you. The Autozone instructions are good enough. you can also print those out, so you can have the info by your car. You wil also have to disconnect the engine mount(s). And raise the engine a bit. You may want to disconnect the exhaust header so you don't famege the exhaust and put morte strain on it while raising the engine.

These instructions will probbly work for your year car, as they were for my 1989 Corolla SR5.

I had read that in previous threads so I have the belt and tensioner in hand.

thanks for the heads up on seting tention and the water pump!

[smcinrox]

Originally Posted by Bitter

hmm you didnt need to remove the crank pulley? thats what stopped me from changing mine so far, the bolt holes for the puller are rusted out and ive not gotten around to tapping new ones.

You have confused me. If you are referring to the crank shaft pulley, every proceedure I have looked at says you have to remove it. In my original thread I stated that I had removed the tensioner pulley. This was done so I could replace it.

[retiredat44]

sorry about my bad spelling,,

I can spell,... really, but have cataracts, and then surgery coming soon,, january.......
and my hands shake, so I probably should not be typing much in forums.. so I hope you read my post, ok... I felt bad when I just checked back and see how bad my spelling was..

[smcinrox]

Just want to give everyone an update.

Timing belt and tensioner pulley replaced. Just took for a test drive and the corolla is running fine. Thanks to all that advised.

Take care