V6 Timing Belt

[Carl P.]

There's some nice writeups on timing belt replacement; however, I have 2 questions:

1.) After the crank pulley nut is removed, is a puller required to remove the pulley?
2.) The truck has 125K miles; how advisable is it to replace the water pump, cam shaft seals, and crank shaft seal while I'm in there?

THX!

[greent]

You didn't mention weather you have a 3.0 or a 3.4, but it does not matter any way. You should be able to just pull the crank pulley off with your hands, be careful if you deside to start prying, as the cover is made of plastic. Anytime you get into the front that far, I would replace the front seal and Waterpump. How much is you time worth? What if you have to go back in a short time later? You should also replace the idlers and tensioner at the same time. If you have A/C, the tensioner bearings are available from a bearing house, and will cost you around $10.00, as apposed to $40.00 for the A/C idler.

[marc780]

1.) After the crank pulley nut is removed, is a puller required to remove the pulley?

I've removed plenty of crankshaft pulleys, but i have never seen a crank pulley that came off without using a puller! I guess it is possible but a puller costs only a few bucks at harbor freight even if you orer it online. personally i would not dream of trying to remove a pulley without a puller tool, its possible to get the pulley off but very tough to do without mangling it into scrap.

And only 125k is not a lot of miles so unless they are leaking, you could go either way on changing the seals. However, the seals themselves are relatively cheap, so if you can get at them easily i'd go ahead and change them like you are thinking.

[TruckTruckTruck]

Heyo!

I'm doing well with the timing belt part of my overhaul - The crankshaft pulley slides off with some tugging, in part (from what I've read) for a tapered shaft, although it doesn't really appear that way. I had a lot of luck tugging on one side with my hands (wearing gloves) and smacking the opposite side with a rubber mallet. Don't wail too hard because I'm sure the pulley has a limit to how hard it can take those hits.

I have a new problem though - I have an automatic, and I need to tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to 200-ish ft*lb of torque. I've heard the following, and would like feedback on success of these ventures or new solutions:

1.) With a manual, put it into gear, and put on the brakes while it is being tightened.
2.) Take the Bendix gear from a starter core and weld the shaft to the casing and bolt that in place of the starter.
3.) Jam some material in somewhere? and go for it.
4.) Make a custom tool that inserts into the holes in the crankshaft pulley.

The last one was done on this website:

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/timing_belt/

btw, to get it off, bumping the starter with a breaker bar on the drivers subframe worked perfectly (after it sheared through a 3/8 in craftsman socket - use 1/2 in drive!)

Thanks,

Kevin

[ruggz]

My crank shaft pulley came off with a little wiggle

I used a strap wrench to tighten the bolt worked great or you can pull the starter and jam a screwdriver in the flywheel.

[Jayota]

I usually just muscle the bolts to torque. Put her in 5th and 4low and chock the wheels. Then giver some jam.

The crank pully should come off by hand, with a few yanks...

[AlmightyCamry777]

I dont like to contradict some of the people on this post but if you are reading this but if you are about to remove your own crankshaft pulley, its a very safe bet that you darn well, better have a puller around before you take all the belts, the wheel etc. and everything else apart to get to the crankshaft pulley. The person who said they'd never seen a pulley that would come off without a puller is right - i've removed dozens, on any car or truck you could name, and neither have i!
The Haynes manual for Toyota V6 camry claims the following: "The pulley should come off with normal hand pressure..." This is a complete fantasy, that pulley bolt is torqued at the factory with almost 200 ft lbs and the pulley is almost always, unbelievably tight on the crankshaft.

Some auto parts stores will rent a puller to you (just make sure you have long bolts of the right length and thread that fits inside the pulley holes too!) If not, and If you are broke, and who isnt nowadays - i heard tell of a naughty person who actually bought a puller from Sears or someplace, used it to pull the pulley and then returned it.

The steering wheel puller works best because the set usually comes with a correct size and thread pair of bolts to pull the pulley the proper way, using the 2 small threaded holes in the pulley. (Versus a big 3 jaw pulley which will also work, but beware, you can easily mangle your pulley with one if you use it wrong.)

With a manual, put it into gear, and put on the brakes while it is being tightened.
2.) Take the Bendix gear from a starter core and weld the shaft to the casing and bolt that in place of the starter.
3.) Jam some material in somewhere? and go for it.
4.) Make a custom tool that inserts into the holes in the crankshaft pulley.

All of these might work but welding things? I dont know about that part - i have something simpler that would probably work and be very easy
My simplest plan to tighten crankshaft pulley bolt:
1. Drive to a service station or shop
2. Pay or ask the mechanic to crawl under and use his impact wrench to tighten the bolt (on the V6 and probably the 4 cyl too, it is a 22 mm socket on the bolt). This may involve jacking up the car/truck, removing the wheel, and the little plastic inner fender, but still, easier than any of the above. Best of all, no welding.

[ruggz]

To tighten the crankshaft bolt without the factory tool just pull the starter (not a fun job on this truck but will be worth it in the end) and stick a large screwdriver in the flywheel and tighten the bolt.