Belts going bad?

[AnyMal]

Would you do a tensioner at 75k miles if youre getting some belt squealing at high rpms on pedal lift off if you're already planning on doing it with the water pump at 90k anyway?

It seems everyone here does both in one go. But tensioner shouldn't be bad at 5-6 years 75k. Should it?

Side note, Lexus warranty is absolutely useless. Please never buy one. Glad i didnt purchase any extension to the CPO.

 

[tbisaacs]

Truck is currently at ~155k
I've replaced my OEM tensioner and idler twice in 50k miles. The first one died of natural causes at around 105k. I replaced them + belt. The belt started making noise again maybe 10k miles ago and I pulled it and it was full of gunk and mud. I could have cleaned it and put back but already had the part. Both replaced with Dayco units, which is OEM supplier.

 

[sfo1]

Truck is currently at ~155k
The belt started making noise again maybe 10k miles ago and I pulled it and it was full of gunk and mud. I could have cleaned it and put back but already had the part. Both replaced with Dayco units, which is OEM supplier.

my second oem belt started to squeal (I didn't know it was the belt but mech said so) so he warrantied it. Same issue: dirt / gunk buildup. He said sand was the common culprit (in these parts). I’m at about 105k.

 

[AnyMal]

Thanks guys, i will pull and replace the belt and give every mating surface a little cleaning while ive got it off.
The tensioner can wait till 90k or just about another year or so.

 

[Bendcruiser]

Would you do a tensioner at 75k miles if youre getting some belt squealing at high rpms on pedal lift off if you're already planning on doing it with the water pump at 90k anyway?

It seems everyone here does both in one go. But tensioner shouldn't be bad at 5-6 years 75k. Should it?

Side note, Lexus warranty is absolutely useless. Please never buy one. Glad i didnt purchase any extension to the CPO.

I replaced my tensioner at 60K, squealing sound, and did the belt as well.

 

[TeCKis300]

I personally wouldn't skip the tensioner. It likely just as causal to belt squeal.

 

[linuxgod]

If you're paying a mechanic, do the idler, tensioner, and belt at the same time. If you're doing it yourself, just replace what's noisy... it's not that much labor to pull the belt and swap a different part later. I had chirping at cold start and did the belt and either the idler or tensioner pulley (can't recall which... I'd need to check the receipt). I didn't feel any play in it and it might've gone a lot more mileage, but I just opted to swap it as like @tbisaacs I'd already ordered the part. (Actually in fairness I had a mechanic swap it as I couldn't get enough leverage to rotate the pulley to loosen the belt and I was pressed for time to get it complete before a trip, but the whole job took less than an hour).

 

[AnyMal]

If you're paying a mechanic, do the idler, tensioner, and belt at the same time. If you're doing it yourself, just replace what's noisy... it's not that much labor to pull the belt and swap a different part later. I had chirping at cold start and did the belt and either the idler or tensioner pulley (can't recall which... I'd need to check the receipt). I didn't feel any play in it and it might've gone a lot more mileage, but I just opted to swap it as like @tbisaacs I'd already ordered the part. (Actually in fairness I had a mechanic swap it as I couldn't get enough leverage to rotate the pulley to loosen the belt and I was pressed for time to get it complete before a trip, but the whole job took less than an hour).

Doing myself of course. Masochist style as usual.
I have the belt ordered, but i will experiment with things and see where the real culprit is once i have all the skids off and get a better look.

Tecks point makes sense, since i don't see wear on the belt itself from first looks, but since its only $60, and i don't feel like doing the tensioner apart from the water pump, i may just use this as a chance to experiment and report back.

One point i will add, is that i do keep my engine bay clean, with a detail once a year. It may have just dried out on me a bit too much.
Thats my current pet theory anyway. Truck did just go through another apocalyptic freeze here in austin though. (kill me)

 

[NYC570]

I would do tensioner, idler and belt. I did them at around 80k. Bando is also an OEM supplier for the belt

 

[linuxgod]

Doing myself of course. Masochist style as usual.
I have the belt ordered, but i will experiment with things and see where the real culprit is once i have all the skids off and get a better look.

Tecks point makes sense, since i don't see wear on the belt itself from first looks, but since its only $60, and i don't feel like doing the tensioner apart from the water pump, i may just use this as a chance to experiment and report back.

One point i will add, is that i do keep my engine bay clean, with a detail once a year. It may have just dried out on me a bit too much.
Thats my current pet theory anyway. Truck did just go through another apocalyptic freeze here in austin though. (kill me)

I know folks live in colder places than me but it was -8F here a week or two ago. A freeze in Austin is what I call "spring"

 

[AnyMal]

I know folks live in colder places than me but it was -8F here a week or two ago. A freeze in Austin is what I call "spring"

They’re calling it arborgeddon.

We had the biggest tree collapse ever seen, and i lost power for 4 days.

Otherwise yeah, lol, you sound like my swedish wife. This is summer temps!

 

[linuxgod]

They’re calling it arborgeddon.

We had the biggest tree collapse ever seen, and i lost power for 4 days.

Otherwise yeah, lol, you sound like my swedish wife. This is summer temps!

heh, just sayin' I doubt the cold is what did your belt in. Really around here it's mostly the salt that slowly eats everything alive until it disintegrates in front of your eyes.

 

[AnyMal]

heh, just sayin' I doubt the cold is what did your belt in. Really around here it's mostly the salt that slowly eats everything alive until it disintegrates in front of your eyes.

Turned my 470 into a heap of s***. Never again living anywhere that salts, or even whatever new magnesium salts they trying out.
And if i do, its back to a lease.

 

[hankinid]

We've been in Idaho since 2002 with magnesium chloride on the road. Not a sign of underbody rust on either the LX or LC.

 

[AnyMal]

We've been in Idaho since 2002 with magnesium chloride on the road. Not a sign of underbody rust on either the LX or LC.

Thats actually extremely nice to hear. Personally never ran into it but thats nice.
I wish plow and sand was more common, but sand is very hard to come by believe it or not.

My tin foil tells me that something about michigan and salts and auto manuf smells fishy...

 

[ColoradoNick]

I saw a great write up for the 100 series belt/tensioner/idler pulley replacement but can't seem to find one for the 200. I ordered the parts and have them sitting in the garage but worried when I start wrenching it's going to take 5 hours longer than it should as I poke around. Anyone have a link to share? I appreciate the help.

 

[FxFormat]

I did a belt for a 2013 570 last week and it was an awful job, hoses and clamps sticking out and cut up your forearm. I did it without removing the underbody skid so maybe that's why. Are you guys getting it all from up top or from top and bottom?

 

[KenB]

I did a belt for a 2013 570 last week and it was an awful job, hoses and clamps sticking out and cut up your forearm. I did it without removing the underbody skid so maybe that's why. Are you guys getting it all from up top or from top and bottom?

I did the job yesterday. I did it from the top and the bottom, it wasn't too bad. Can't imagine just accessing it from the top. You have more patience than I do. Used a 2' breaker bar from the bottom to move the tensioner before locking it open with a drill bit. I started with a shorter breaker bar, but the geometry wasn't right and the leverage wasn't enough. Lots of me laying down and getting back up, plus lots of looking at the diagram. Today a friend looked at my hands and forearms and asked if I was picking raspberries recently.

 

[ColoradoNick]

I did the job yesterday. I did it from the top and the bottom, it wasn't too bad. Can't imagine just accessing it from the top. You have more patience than I do. Used a 2' breaker bar from the bottom to move the tensioner before locking it open with a drill bit. I started with a shorter breaker bar, but the geometry wasn't right and the leverage wasn't enough. Lots of me laying down and getting back up, plus lots of looking at the diagram. Today a friend looked at my hands and forearms and asked if I was picking raspberries recently.

Did you by chance have a write up to reference or just go ole know how?

 

[bloc]

Did you by chance have a write up to reference or just go ole know how?

IMO it's much easier to remove the splash guards and center rib then do most of the job from the bottom. Lots of people really seem to dislike this option, but it's not difficult if you keep track of where the bolts go (or see my thread outlining the positions), and with the rib out of the way you have a ton of room to access the tensioner. It's also the only way I know of to pin the tensioner into a retracted position to make stringing the belt easier.

That said if you are looking for a writeup or video, the engine and accessories are the same as on a 5.7 tundra or sequoia so those sources should work. Only difference could be the room between the radiator and engine, and the splash guards are probably lighter duty.