Hello fellow 200 series owners. I'd like to replace my drive belt on a 2014 LC (USA) myself. Although I'm not a mechanic, I'm half decent at being handy. To give you an idea, I replaced 3 timing belts (2 on my 99 4Runner, and 1 on my 98 Tacoma). I searched on ih8mud and a Google search, but didn't find anything (I did get multiple hits for 200 series diesels in Australia). Any tips on where I can get steps, or should I just bite the bullet and buy a repair manual? Note: I have a repair manual for my 4Runner/Tacoma but a lot of the steps were too vague and I ended up relying on better documentation from the Internet (like buying a Snap-On timing belt tensioner compressor which saved me ~2 hours). Thanks in advance!
200 Series Drive Belt (Serpentine) Replacement Steps (USA)
- Thread starter mlkovacs
- Start date
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It's really easy except limited space between the block and the radiator. Not even sure I used any sort of manual. I'd go ahead and replace the tensioner and the idler at the same time. OEM is best, but commonly available kits from Dayco or Gates are also of good trusted quality.
FIRST, remove front skid. It is much easier to get at some of this from the bottom
1) Use 3/8 drive ratchet to release tension on tensioner. Turn clockwise.
2) Remove tensioner and idler.
3) Replace tensioner and idler.
4) Reroute belt. Note, there are two solutions that seem right. One isn't. Take a picture of the belt as it came off, or search routing in the manual or online. The incorrect solution is tighter to get the belt on, so if you find it really hard to route the new belt, you probably have it wrong.
5) Replace skid.
FIRST, remove front skid. It is much easier to get at some of this from the bottom
1) Use 3/8 drive ratchet to release tension on tensioner. Turn clockwise.
2) Remove tensioner and idler.
3) Replace tensioner and idler.
4) Reroute belt. Note, there are two solutions that seem right. One isn't. Take a picture of the belt as it came off, or search routing in the manual or online. The incorrect solution is tighter to get the belt on, so if you find it really hard to route the new belt, you probably have it wrong.
5) Replace skid.
Note that both sides of the front splash shields come off, but also the center “spine”-like support that joins them. With that out of the way you have a lot more room for a breaker bar in there.
100% replace the idler pulley when you’re in there, super easy!
Yeah, this is a fairly straight forward 1 banana job if you’re a normal sized human. I’m a big clumsy ogre so it was a tad more difficult, but with smaller hands would of been much easier
Yeah, this is a fairly straight forward 1 banana job if you’re a normal sized human. I’m a big clumsy ogre so it was a tad more difficult, but with smaller hands would of been much easier