Timing Belt Questions

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This is on my to do list for next week/spring break. OP. My truck is 18 yrs old. 98k miles on the OG TB. I just drove up my local mountains. Not scared at all. I just enjoyed the drive with my family.

OP. DIY!!!!!
 
jemsec said:
Getting ready to start mine for the first time. Have all the parts and waiting on a $50.00 special tool for removing the crank pulley. Even replacing the seventeen year old oil cooler rubber hoses at the same time. Plan to torque all bolts correctly.

After reading the Factory Service Manual and the posts from Spressomon and Scottm in the FAQ section I feel pretty good about getting started. Printed both and stuck them in the FSM. Parts organization will be important. Bag them seperatly and mark the bags. Go slow and make notes as you go as I don't trust my memory that well. It's like jumping off the high dive. After the first the others are a breeze.

Besides, there is a world of knowledge and support on this site. None better anywhere.
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I read a number of time about more issues with newer replacement coolant lines. Same with seals
ponytl said:
this is a "time job" not a "hard job"... I did not find I needed any special tools... and I have never replaced the cam seals... some people do and they come in the kit... I just didn't... mine looked good and dry...
I'm slow as dirt and for me it's an all day job... 8-10 hours but I have been in there before and kinda know what to expect... how to get the clips and connectors to un-clip and disconnect and have a basic understanding of the natural order of things...
1st thing I do is remove the skid pan and head to the carwash spend $5 and clean everything I'll be touching clean from the top & bottom anything I might put my hand on...

then I make a clean space to work in my shop... put a door slab on saw horses a few feet away from the truck to have a dedicated spot for all parts...
put the truck on ramps if you have them and then
a chair or small step ladder helps a ton for getting in from the top...
LOTS of good light... I'm old and NEED to see

I try hard whenever I can to put the nut or bolt BACK where it came from if it won't be in the way, otherwise I keep the fasteners with the part they held on...*** much easier when you keep the part and the bolts that held it on together ***

Good luck
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You & I think alike. From trip to car wash to good lighting. I once replaced ever part I could think of, in a deep job (like T-belt or starter) as a PM, not wanting to do a redo. Now I work to use every original part I can, only replace what is a must, and rebuilding what I can. With few exception like pulleys (bearings) in T-belt job. Those are near impossible to hear as they go bad. I spend more time cleaning, inspecting & recondition, then tearing down & putting back together.

Even water pumps & coolant hoses from Factory are generally better than OEM we get today. The only hoses I generally find bad are the PCV (both sides).
 
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One note on tools. I built a special tool to hold the harmonic balancer/crank. I've since switch to the same tool most pro use. A chain wrench, with old belt wrap around harmonic balancer for protection.
 
Great tech bits coming out in this thread, especially what ponytl just added. I go back & forth whether to do this job myself- lots of details to keep on top and my A.D.D kicks in just thinking about it. But the labor money saved DIY buys a lot of other replacement parts, added mechanical understanding of my truck, and the satisfaction the job was done with attention to detail.

Semi off topic- The serpentine belt is squealing at cold starts now (fine when its warm). Been waiting to change that since Im still 20,000+/- miles from needing to do the T-belt and water pump. Is the idler pulley adjustable, or do I need to change the belt, or both belt & pulley (belt conditioner is not working)? I'm not up for doing the full TB service yet, is the serpentine belt replacement a fairly quick job?
 
ponytl said:
I loosen that bolt FIRST with belt still on I use an electric impact and have never had to hold it....
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How do you get impact wrench in area, do you pull radiator first?
 
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abuck99 said:
Great tech bits coming out in this thread, especially what ponytl just added. I go back & forth whether to do this job myself- lots of details to keep on top and my A.D.D kicks in just thinking about it. But the labor money saved DIY buys a lot of other replacement parts, added mechanical understanding of my truck, and the satisfaction the job was done with attention to detail.

Semi off topic- The serpentine belt is squealing at cold starts now (fine when its warm). Been waiting to change that since Im still 20,000+/- miles from needing to do the T-belt and water pump. Is the idler pulley adjustable, or do I need to change the belt, or both belt & pulley (belt conditioner is not working)? I'm not up for doing the full TB service yet, is the serpentine belt replacement a fairly quick job?
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Drive belt is a 5 min job, and has nothing to do with timing belt. If D-belt looks good (no oily spots, cracks or chunks missing) it is. Pulley bearings make noise when cold as early warning. Power steering pump needs flushing, including cleaning reservoir (screen) or it will get noisy as well more so when cold. Last is fan bracket bearing.
 
2001LC said:
Drive belt is a 5 min job, and has nothing to do with timing belt. If D-belt looks good (no oily spots, cracks or chunks missing) it is. Pulley bearings make noise when cold as early warning. Power steering pump needs flushing, including cleaning reservoir (screen) or it will get noisy as well more so when cold. Last is fan bracket bearing.
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Thank you-
 
abuck99 said:
Great tech bits coming out in this thread, especially what ponytl just added. I go back & forth whether to do this job myself- lots of details to keep on top and my A.D.D kicks in just thinking about it. But the labor money saved DIY buys a lot of other replacement parts, added mechanical understanding of my truck, and the satisfaction the job was done with attention to detail.

Semi off topic- The serpentine belt is squealing at cold starts now (fine when its warm). Been waiting to change that since Im still 20,000+/- miles from needing to do the T-belt and water pump. Is the idler pulley adjustable, or do I need to change the belt, or both belt & pulley (belt conditioner is not working)? I'm not up for doing the full TB service yet, is the serpentine belt replacement a fairly quick job?
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Idler pulley is not adjustable, tensioner pulleys are self adjusting. There is a range mark just above tensioner pulley on tensioner assemble, it is either good or it must be replace.

01 LX470 day 4 oil fliter, tensioner pulley bearning, after cleaning 001 (55).webp
 
RyanStl said:
It sounds like for a DIY a two day job. Are shops able to knock this out along with heater T's in a day typically?
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Thanks. I am glad to hear a shop can do this all in one day because that is about as long as I can go without a vehicle. Like others I would love to attempt this all myself, but my kids would never leave me alone. Has anyone put together a complete list of what needs to be changed when opened up assuming nothing has been done by original owner? That goes for heater T's, tensioners, TB, WP, spark plugs etc... A list you can just give to your shop and then have piece of mind for a long time.
 
2001LC said:
Idler pulley is not adjustable, tensioner pulleys are self adjusting. There is a range mark just above tensioner pulley on tensioner assemble, it is either good or it must be replace.
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Live and learn - I never knew that, so thanks. When I did mine I could see the belt "flapping" (for lack of a better term) too much, so I put the whole tensioner assembly into the parts order vice just the pulley/bearing part. Now I'm wondering how many marks it would have shown compared to new.
 
OP. Sorry to hijack the thread kinda-sorta. As far as tools I'm going with an electric high torque impact wrench to take off crank/HB bolt. Fellas I've seen a few pics/vids of chain holder/makeshift 2x4 for holding pully. Any other tech tips for holding/torquing bolt on??
 
ponytl said:
yes pull airbox, radiator ( have plugs ready for transmission lines) then break harmonic balance bolt free ... I might be lucky but I've never had an issue breaking the bolt free or an issue getting the crank pulley off... maybe just lucky
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100's crank bolts really not all that tight. I learned the chain wrench method from a Lexus 30 year man, while doing a IS300. The six cylinder in the IS300 must be the most difficult crank bolt I've every removed, any bolt for that matter. Had to use chain wrench with 3/4 breaker bar, it was a bear. Shops prefer to not pull radiator, save time.
 
2001LC said:
100's crank bolts really not all that tight. I learned the chain wrench method from a Lexus 30 year man, while doing a IS300. The six cylinder in the IS300 must be the most difficult crank bolt I've every removed, any bolt for that matter. Had to use chain wrench with 3/4 breaker bar, it was a bear. Shops prefer to not pull radiator, save time.
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I did not pull radiator when i replaced my last fan pulley bracket... and that is about 70% to a timing belt... I could see Not pulling the radiator... Just never really even considered it ... but it is a thought...

I use a 3/4" drive dewalt electric impact... it breaks bolts loose that my good 1/2" air impacts won't...
 
How do i know if tensioner pulley is bad? Where would the marks be? Would that affect the seal behind it if it's got a minor leak? My seal still has an insignificant leak even after I replaced them. It does not cause oil levels to drop but it's concerning.
 
bucfl said:
How do i know if tensioner pulley is bad? Where would the marks be? Would that affect the seal behind it if it's got a minor leak? My seal still has an insignificant leak even after I replaced them. It does not cause oil levels to drop but it's concerning.
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Are you talking about Time belt or Drive belt tensioner?
 
bucfl said:
How do i know if tensioner pulley is bad? Where would the marks be? Would that affect the seal behind it if it's got a minor leak? My seal still has an insignificant leak even after I replaced them. It does not cause oil levels to drop but it's concerning.
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This is test for Drive belt, which to repeat myself "has nothing to do with timing belt or cam seals".



Drive belt Inspection 002.webp
Drive belt Inspection 004.webp



























 
ponytl said:
I did not pull radiator when i replaced my last fan pulley bracket... and that is about 70% to a timing belt... I could see Not pulling the radiator... Just never really even considered it ... but it is a thought...

I use a 3/4" drive dewalt electric impact... it breaks bolts loose that my good 1/2" air impacts won't...
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I could have use that 3/4 dewalt yesterday. Pulling the brake calipers, that someone must have used a impact to install the bolts. Only had a 1/2 breaker bar. Used a hydraulic jack to press up on breaker bar at end of ~12" handle. It actually lifted the truck off one jack stand as breaker bar flexed (bent), and bolt just made a slight move. Flex is just what I didn't want, as that kills the leverage. Had to repeat three times. Then I aided jack by pulling breaker bar with all my force for 60 second as bolt slowly turned. Took about 20 minutes for one bolt. Then I repeated for second bolt. The other side will not be so easy. This is the second toughest bolt(s) I've every broken loose. I'll need to get my hands on that dewalt for a day, or a 1" breaker bar.
 
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