DIY 2000 LC Timing Belt Change (1 Viewer)

[davemac2]

Hey guys, I've started to change the timing belt on my 2000 LC myself this week and am running into a few issues with it, so I'm wondering if there are any others on here that have done this job that can give me some advice? I've done a few T-belts on various cars but this is the first time on the LC.

I have removed the right timing cam cover and the tensioner and am attempting to remove the left timing cover but am running into problems there and a few other spots.

Problems:

1. I have removed the 2 bolts holding the upper thermostat housing onto the top of the water pump but the thing will not budge loose. I have tapped it with a hammer to try to get it loose but am afraid to use any further force in case there is another bolt somewhere? It's really stuck on there. My understanding is that the square mating service to the water pump is just RTV and then the circular O-ring into the engine block opening. ?? It's not moving AT ALL.

2. The LH timing cover with the cam position sensor wiring will not come off. ALl of its bolts are off and it is loose, but something seems to be catching it at the bottom where the cam sensor is. I removed the rubber grommet around the cam sensor wire on the cover. I can't get the external connector for that sensor to come off the cover so I can leave the sensor and its pigtail there. Is there a trick to getting that thing off the cover without breaking the plastic mount?

3. I can't get the fan pulley bracket off the front of the engine because the left hand side is blocked by a bracket holding electrical connectors for the A/C conmpressor. I've removed all the bolts holding the bracket including the 2 side bolts that go into it from the A/C compressor itself, so the fan bracket is definitely loose. There are no more bolts holding it. However, I don't know what to do about this electrical mounting bracket which seems to be rivetted to the A/C compressor? Is it necessary to remove the A/C compressor to clear this electrical bracket?

any help is appreciated.

thanks

davemac

 

[Jrod]

There is a very comprehensive write-up on timing belt replacement if you search the forum. Also, download the FSM - it's floating around out there too. These 2 items will address your issues. BTW - rubber mallet is your friend; the hammer is not.

 

[bucfl]

There is also a YouTube video I used for the job. Search 2UZ FE timing belt. Its for a Lexus model, but engine is same. He does a great job explaining the steps.

 

[LBridges]

I found and used the forum FAQ files in conjunction with a youtube video. bucfl beat me to it on the video advise.

On #1 I had a problem that may be the same as yours. The actual problem turned out to be the round casting that fits to the engine had corroded. After removing the bolts on the housing I applied PB Blaster around the circular joint (multiple times) and alternating between using a small pry and rubber mallet I slowly got the part to begin to spin. To get it free was a couple of tense hours, but it did come apart and all the parts cleaned up nicely.

#2 I left it in place - by the same method I think you are suggesting, i.e., pop out the grommet. Then if needed I seem to recall a bolt removal to pull the sensor off the head.

#3 - sure you got both side bolts? Did you bend up that connector and get the bolt sort of hiding behind it? I found removing the oil filter to be a help in getting to it. Otherwise You may just have missed a front side bolt that isn't quite so obvious. Take a look at all three threads in the FAQ.

 

[davemac2]

OK thanks guys. I was finally able to get everything off. The thermostat housing broke loose after I tapped a flat head screwdriver into the engine/housing interface to break the RTV seal and after spraying a bit of PB blaster on the large O-ring area. The left hand timing cover with the cam sensor has a little catch tab molded into the bottom of it, so one needs to pull the cover a bit up and out to clear that. For the fan bracket, I bent that metal electrical mounting bracket out as mentioned of the way and it came out fine. Don't see any other way doing it without removing the AC compressor itself.

 

[OG 91 LC]

Timing Belt for Dummies writeup

 

[davemac2]

Timing Belt for Dummies writeup

OG 91 LC, here's a ques for you since I saw in your writeup that you cleaned your throttle body. Can you manually move the 100 series throttle plate with power off? This is an electric throttle body right? Some people recommend taking the TB off the car completely and cleaning from front and back rather than attempt to move the plate?

 

[OG 91 LC]

In my write up, when changing the starter, I removed the TB, but I did not clean it. Lame of me. I just figured it was so easy to do that I could come back to it later. Maybe someone else will chime in. Sorry I could not be of any help.

Above post by @scottm.

 

[bucfl]

I did it since I was already there. Cleaned both sides. When I replaced the alt a year later it was still shiny and clean. I didn't remove the plate.

 

[davemac2]

OK I'm buttoning this thing back up and I think I lost one of the A/C compressor mounting bolts. I could swear I left it on top of the under hood fuse box. I'll have to scour my garage and engine bay to see if it dropped into some nook. I may have to order a new one. Anybody have a part # for those? I guess I can ask a dealer.

 

[LBridges]

They are different lengths, so we would need to know which one you were missing. Sent you a PM with a link to a parts listing for the 2000 LX, which for AC issues should be the same. Toyota & Lexus share the same part number as long at the part isn't unique to the brand (like AHC vice regular shocks in the 2000 model year)

 

[davemac2]

Thank you very much LBridges. It's the longer one. I was able to find a half decent one at the hardware store with a bigger head. Popped that in for now.

 

[davemac2]

OK I finished off putting everything back together, filling up the coolant, and started her up tonite. Engine started fine and sounds normal. It warmed up to operating temperature after 10 min and was stable. Now the weird thing. I checked all the gauges on the console to make sure I wasn't throwing a check engine light (none) and then I saw that the oil pressure indicator was pegged at the highest reading. And I mean pegged hard. I stopped the car, then started it again, and the gauge started in the middle and after 2 secs it again pegged to H. Now of course I did nothing to the engine except change the timing belt and water pump and oil seals, and everything sounds completely fine, so I assume either the oil pressure sender unit got damaged somehow or the wiring harness that carries that signal did? I believe the sender is right down at the oil filter. Is that correct? I know when I took off the water pump, some of the released coolant ran down over the filter and the sender, so I removed the electrical connector at the sender and blew it out with air to make sure it is dried off. Not change.

Anyone ever see this sort of thing occur?

 

[davemac2]

OK never mind. Saw an older thread about misrouting the wiring harness and having the serpentine belt end up cutting it. I just went back out to check mine. That's my problem! I can see how easy that is to do. What is the proper routing for that harness? behind the fan bracket? Guess I will repair it.

 

[2001LC]

Knock sensor wire cut, what do I do HELP

 

[davemac2]

OK, now I'm just getting pissed. I repaired the wiring harness. I could see that the belt tore into the oil pressure sensor shielded wire and caused the inner signal wire to short against its ground shield which caused the gauge to peg to 'H" initially. I put it all back making sure the harness is well back from the serp belt and secure. Now when the engine is started, the oil pressure gauge sits at 'L' and does not move. I removed the connector from the oil pressure sender at the oil filter and manually grounded the signal wire and the oil gauge went back to 'H' although this time it did not peg hard for some reason. Therefore I think the harness repair is fine. While the connector was off and with the engine running, I measured the resistance of the sensor to ground and it was reading around 55-60 ohms, +/- 5-10 ohms which I think is about right at idle? When the engine is off, the sensor resistance goes open (ie. inifinte). I also measured the voltage at the sensor with the engine running and it seems to be around 13.5V which may be correct if the gauge meter (current sensitive, but low resistance) is the only thing in series with the sensor. I don't get it. Has the instrument gauge been possibly damaged from the ground short? I would think it should be a bit more robust than that? I recall seeing another thread where the OP was saying his gauge ptr got bent? Maybe I will try to leave the sensor disconnected and add in a 55 ohm resistor for testing past teh sensor connector to see what the gauge does.

 

[2001LC]

Are you saying it doesn't move at all, even when RPM at say 2,500?
Did you use above solder splice or at least solder wires?
Any chance a few of the wire strands aren't connected?

 

[beerock]

I'm betting you didn't join the wires together properly and or you may have another wire cut? I applaud you for tackling the timing belt job... I did it on one of mine for the first time it went smooth.. But the questions you asked about simple removal of timing belt covers and thermostat housing and prying with a flathead tells me you were a bit over your head.. I'm not putting you down.. But usually a plastic hammer will knock the thermostat loose without prying with a flat head I cringed when I read that. Hopefully you'll be ok

 

[davemac2]

LOL beerock. I wasn't over my head. I've done this type of work many times. I just finished rebuilding a camry V6 that had a burnt valve. I'm just a little less "delicate"

2001LC, I just went out to try to rev it up to 3000 RPM and the gauge still does not move at all from 'L' which just seems really weird given I can get it to go to 'H' by grounding the signal wire at the sensor. I'll check the sensor connector itself to see if it is not making contact. I've ordered a new sender just in case.

And yes, all the new cable joints were soldered and sealed with heat shrink.

 

[beerock]

maybe when you blew air in the connector it.pushed back the contact?