I have a 99 Camry with the 2.2 L engine. It's been 110K since the timing belt had been changed, so I decided to give it a try myself with guidance from some of the excellent posts on the topic in this forum. Once I got it apart I noticed that the bearings in the water pump had a little play in it, so I purchased a timing belt kit and replaced the belt, water pump, rollers and timing cover foam gasket. Once I got everything back together and tested it I noticed a loud noise coming from that area. I took everything apart again and noticed that the belt had walked its way away from the engine so that it was hanging 1/4 inch off the camshaft sprocket, so I assumed that the noise is coming from the belt rubbing up against the cover. At first I thought it might be bad parts, so I replaced the timing belt and rollers with the old parts, left the top timing belt cover off and tested it again. I got the same noise and the belt is still walking off the camshaft sprocket. I'm at a loss as to what to try next, and its getting very frustrating.

Has anybody here had a similar experience or can offer any suggestions as to what I could try next?

Thanks in advance.

 

This is not uncommon, an internet search will find posts.

Since the belt was Ok prior to the repairs assume the cam/crank shafts are not bent.

Make sure the crank pulley has the spacing guide installed with the cupped area facing outward from pulley.

Find something that can be used as straight edge and determine if the water pump pulley is aligned with the cam/crank pulley to make sure the pump pulley some how extends out more then the old. Compare new and old pump.

Take a ruler and measure how far out the idler bearings and WP pulley are to engine and compare to cam, crank and oil pump. Since the oil pump and cam pulleys were the only ones not involved in the belt change would use these as references.

Don't think the fixed bearing idler has any spacer washers and the spring loaded bearing mounts flush with the engine, but check this. And the crank pulley is still snug on the

Make sure the belt is properly tensioned by the spring then the lock bolt tightened. Rotate the engine CW then tighten the idler pulley bolt.

You can leave off the upper engine mount when testing to save time on taking things apart.