Timing Belt change for 97
#1
12-09-2009, 08:45 PM
Timing Belt change for 97
Hello gang,
Been searching all night for some specifics to little avail. Perhaps not searching the right hot spots?
My 1997 Camry V6 is/may be ready for a timing belt change as it's at 99,000 miles and 12+ years. How DIY is this job? I've tackled other foreign cars timing belts years ago, but not sure if there are any particular "Look-out-for-THIS" dealio's for this first-year-for-its-generation Camry. Just wanted to ask if there's any writeups or "while you're in there" tips before embarking. The stinkin' oil filter is so daggone difficult to remove in this beotch....how much harder could the timing belt be?? (LOL) Thanks for any and all advice!
-Alan
Been searching all night for some specifics to little avail. Perhaps not searching the right hot spots?
My 1997 Camry V6 is/may be ready for a timing belt change as it's at 99,000 miles and 12+ years. How DIY is this job? I've tackled other foreign cars timing belts years ago, but not sure if there are any particular "Look-out-for-THIS" dealio's for this first-year-for-its-generation Camry. Just wanted to ask if there's any writeups or "while you're in there" tips before embarking. The stinkin' oil filter is so daggone difficult to remove in this beotch....how much harder could the timing belt be?? (LOL) Thanks for any and all advice!
-Alan
Last edited by Hippo393; 12-09-2009 at 08:48 PM.
#2
12-10-2009, 12:35 AM
Very simple task compared to other V6 models from other manufacturers that i've done in the past. If you use a factory belt- it will have timing marks on it for both cams and the crank (arrow on the belt points outward) so you wont have to second guess. The crank bolt takes a very strong impact gun to remove- and the harmonic balancer will slide out easiest when the engine is still warm. One thing to keep in mind is: the upper timing cover gets pulled off 1st when disassembling. It also gets reinstalled 1st when reassembling. You'll see what i mean when you get there.
JJ
JJ
#3
06-24-2011, 10:44 PM
Help in the trenches
So here I am a year and a half later, and just now I'm tackling the job. I'm stumbling upon something I could sure use some counsel on. Probably something simple, but not sure....
Haven't gotten far. Got harmonic balancer off, both timing covers off, original timing belt still on, and the Factory Service Manual says to have both camshaft timing pulleys pointing up at 12 o'clock (or 11:30-ish). That part is no problem. But directions #14 (a & b) in the FSM says to set the no.1 cylinder to TDC, the pic showed the crank notch at 12 o'clock-ish. But IN THE VERY NEXT step 14c, it says to ensure that the cam sprockets are likewise at 12. This arrangement does not work on my model...does it on anyone else's? Then, step #15 in the FSM has a pic that depicts both cam sprockets at 12, BUT the crank is suddenly now at 3 o'clock. Huh?? This arrangement DOES fit my app. I'm confused as to which is right...12-12-12, or 12-12-3. Please advise!
Oh, as a pre-P.S., step #14D says to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt after having temporarily used it to rotate the crank to #1 cyl TDC. Anyone got any tips as to how to remove this bolt after re-using it WITHOUT TURNING THE ENGINE BACKWARDS? Lol I'm looking for gear teeth that I can jam a screwdriver in to bind so the timing marks stay put whilst removing this beotch. Again, please advise!
If it helps, this engine has been awesome, no hiccups or symptoms. Just changing it for the sake that it's an old-a$$ belt.
BTW, this V6 1MZ-FE has the original timing belt from the factory. 117k miles. Thanks for any insight as I will not proceed until getting past this perceived hurdle. The attached pic has some white-out to show the 12 o'clock for the cams, and the hard-to-see crank mark at 3 o'clock. Thanks for any and all input!
-Alan in NC
Haven't gotten far. Got harmonic balancer off, both timing covers off, original timing belt still on, and the Factory Service Manual says to have both camshaft timing pulleys pointing up at 12 o'clock (or 11:30-ish). That part is no problem. But directions #14 (a & b) in the FSM says to set the no.1 cylinder to TDC, the pic showed the crank notch at 12 o'clock-ish. But IN THE VERY NEXT step 14c, it says to ensure that the cam sprockets are likewise at 12. This arrangement does not work on my model...does it on anyone else's? Then, step #15 in the FSM has a pic that depicts both cam sprockets at 12, BUT the crank is suddenly now at 3 o'clock. Huh?? This arrangement DOES fit my app. I'm confused as to which is right...12-12-12, or 12-12-3. Please advise!
Oh, as a pre-P.S., step #14D says to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt after having temporarily used it to rotate the crank to #1 cyl TDC. Anyone got any tips as to how to remove this bolt after re-using it WITHOUT TURNING THE ENGINE BACKWARDS? Lol I'm looking for gear teeth that I can jam a screwdriver in to bind so the timing marks stay put whilst removing this beotch. Again, please advise!
If it helps, this engine has been awesome, no hiccups or symptoms. Just changing it for the sake that it's an old-a$$ belt.
BTW, this V6 1MZ-FE has the original timing belt from the factory. 117k miles. Thanks for any insight as I will not proceed until getting past this perceived hurdle. The attached pic has some white-out to show the 12 o'clock for the cams, and the hard-to-see crank mark at 3 o'clock. Thanks for any and all input!
-Alan in NC
Last edited by Hippo393; 06-25-2011 at 11:26 PM. Reason: Further research
#4
07-05-2011, 03:46 PM
My timing belt
I just did this job on my daughter's 96 with 75K miles. Problems I overcame:
1. Could not get the PS pump loose enough to get the belt off. Solution: Started the belt off on the bottom of the PS pulley then rotated the engine by hand and the belt worked its way off. The 12mm PS pivot bolt is hard to get to; it is 180 deg opposite the adjust bolt.
2. The RH engine mounting bracket would not slide off of the two WP studs until I removed the forward engine mount bolt and jacked the engine up about 1".
3. Used the trick of bumping the starter motor with a 22mm socket and breaker bar attached to the crank bolt to break it loose.
4. I had confusion too about the TDC marks on the crank until I figured out there are two marks. The inner one (closest to the block) is the TDC mark. The other one on the sprocket is to line up the line on the new timing belt.
5. Decided to replace the WP at this time since the car is old and has been sitting for a long time. Used a E8 TORX socket and vice grips to remove the two studs going thru the WP. Took off the 6 10mm bolts holding timing cover #3, but did not take off the cam pulleys. Used a pry bar to gently pry timing cover 3 away from the block, and at the same time worked the WP and gasket out. Then worked the new gasket and WP back on.
6. Had trouble getting the 3 timing marks to line up properly once the new belt was on. The RH cam was always one tooth off the mark(~10 deg CCW). Solution was to start belt install with a C clamp holding the new belt on the crank sprocket, then pulling the belt around the WP and getting the LH cam lined up with the belt mark, then around idler, then intentionally setting the RH cam 10 deg off in the other direction (~10 deg CW). Now the line on the belt lines up with the RH cam mark. Then finish with the other idler and pull the pin on the tensioner. This time when I rotated the crank twice all the marks lined up (except for the belt marks which don't matter at this point).
7. To get the crank bolt tightened to 159 ft-lbs had to make a holding tool out of 1/4" x 1.5" x 3' steel bar. It is in the shape of a Y, with bolts through the ends of the Y going into the threaded holes on the crank pulley. Used 1/2" drive extensions and the 22mm socket on the pulley bolt to get out past the fender well. Then used a long breaker bar to get the torque. The proper torque was obtained by using body weight (BW). The proper distance D to place your BW out along the breaker is determined by the formula: D=159/BW. Thus if you weigh 200 lbs, put your full weight on the breaker bar 0.8 ft out from the inner end.
All together and no problems. During this job I did have to rotate the engine and both cams backwards a little, but since this is a non interference engine no problem. The parts I took off looked good as new, even the belt.
Good luck
1. Could not get the PS pump loose enough to get the belt off. Solution: Started the belt off on the bottom of the PS pulley then rotated the engine by hand and the belt worked its way off. The 12mm PS pivot bolt is hard to get to; it is 180 deg opposite the adjust bolt.
2. The RH engine mounting bracket would not slide off of the two WP studs until I removed the forward engine mount bolt and jacked the engine up about 1".
3. Used the trick of bumping the starter motor with a 22mm socket and breaker bar attached to the crank bolt to break it loose.
4. I had confusion too about the TDC marks on the crank until I figured out there are two marks. The inner one (closest to the block) is the TDC mark. The other one on the sprocket is to line up the line on the new timing belt.
5. Decided to replace the WP at this time since the car is old and has been sitting for a long time. Used a E8 TORX socket and vice grips to remove the two studs going thru the WP. Took off the 6 10mm bolts holding timing cover #3, but did not take off the cam pulleys. Used a pry bar to gently pry timing cover 3 away from the block, and at the same time worked the WP and gasket out. Then worked the new gasket and WP back on.
6. Had trouble getting the 3 timing marks to line up properly once the new belt was on. The RH cam was always one tooth off the mark(~10 deg CCW). Solution was to start belt install with a C clamp holding the new belt on the crank sprocket, then pulling the belt around the WP and getting the LH cam lined up with the belt mark, then around idler, then intentionally setting the RH cam 10 deg off in the other direction (~10 deg CW). Now the line on the belt lines up with the RH cam mark. Then finish with the other idler and pull the pin on the tensioner. This time when I rotated the crank twice all the marks lined up (except for the belt marks which don't matter at this point).
7. To get the crank bolt tightened to 159 ft-lbs had to make a holding tool out of 1/4" x 1.5" x 3' steel bar. It is in the shape of a Y, with bolts through the ends of the Y going into the threaded holes on the crank pulley. Used 1/2" drive extensions and the 22mm socket on the pulley bolt to get out past the fender well. Then used a long breaker bar to get the torque. The proper torque was obtained by using body weight (BW). The proper distance D to place your BW out along the breaker is determined by the formula: D=159/BW. Thus if you weigh 200 lbs, put your full weight on the breaker bar 0.8 ft out from the inner end.
All together and no problems. During this job I did have to rotate the engine and both cams backwards a little, but since this is a non interference engine no problem. The parts I took off looked good as new, even the belt.
Good luck
Last edited by nasaengr; 07-05-2011 at 03:51 PM.
#5
07-05-2011, 08:47 PM
this thing seem to be easy, but it looks to complicated on my part because I'm not really good in DIY stuff,
#6
07-10-2011, 01:17 AM
nasaengr, thanks for the epic details! You're correct in your #4 thought of being confused about which sprocket mark to make note of. I almost deleted my post in embarrassment once I figured that one out, lol.
But here's where I'm at/stuck/concerned now:
I put the factory-replacement belt on according-to-Hoyle. All timing marks and belt marks lined up initially. Installed the tensioner and pulled the pin. Rotated the crank by hand about 5 or 6 times, no apparent audible problems. But then I see that the belt marks are off by 1 tooth at all 3 places (both cams and the crank). However, all timing marks line up ok. Sooooooooooo, which do I obey? The timing marks on all 3, or the belt marks that are off to the right by a tooth? You mentioned that the belt marks don't matter at some point....am I at that point yet?
-Alan
But here's where I'm at/stuck/concerned now:
I put the factory-replacement belt on according-to-Hoyle. All timing marks and belt marks lined up initially. Installed the tensioner and pulled the pin. Rotated the crank by hand about 5 or 6 times, no apparent audible problems. But then I see that the belt marks are off by 1 tooth at all 3 places (both cams and the crank). However, all timing marks line up ok. Sooooooooooo, which do I obey? The timing marks on all 3, or the belt marks that are off to the right by a tooth? You mentioned that the belt marks don't matter at some point....am I at that point yet?
-Alan
#7
07-10-2011, 10:07 AM
The timing marks on the cam pulleys and timing timing cover should line up.
The marks on the pulley should be at the top (highest point when rotating pulley).
The crank pulley should line up with the mark on the oil pump housing the mark should be at the top.
Timing belt is installed with crank/cam orientation so that the No 1 cylinder piston is at TDC on the compression stroke.
Once you rotate the crank, the marks on the belt no longer matter. Its the marks on the pulleys, etc.
The marks on the pulley should be at the top (highest point when rotating pulley).
The crank pulley should line up with the mark on the oil pump housing the mark should be at the top.
Timing belt is installed with crank/cam orientation so that the No 1 cylinder piston is at TDC on the compression stroke.
Once you rotate the crank, the marks on the belt no longer matter. Its the marks on the pulleys, etc.
#9
07-12-2011, 08:57 PM
Thank you! You have no idea how helpful that little bit of info is. Early on I did everything to get the belt marks to realign with the top notches, and they never did. Spent hours trying. I'm not into regression equations or whatever, but I have no idea why the marks on the timing belt DON'T realign with those on the pulleys...maybe every 184 turns or so??
Anyhow, thanks for that tip. Got the new belt on and it all looks like a go....just gotta button 'er up and fire 'er up. Thanks again gang!
Anyhow, thanks for that tip. Got the new belt on and it all looks like a go....just gotta button 'er up and fire 'er up. Thanks again gang!
#10
07-13-2011, 08:55 AM
advice
One more bit of advice Hippo:
Before you button everything back up, put the belt retaining washer, big crank pulley and bolt on tight (not torqued) and start the engine for a minute to see if it runs OK. If good then you can put it all back together.
Before you button everything back up, put the belt retaining washer, big crank pulley and bolt on tight (not torqued) and start the engine for a minute to see if it runs OK. If good then you can put it all back together.