I need to change my timing belt and was wondering how hard would it be to do it. I just bought the timing belt and also got quoted from toyota for $678 dollars just to change it. Does anyone have any tips to make the install a little easier. Thanks

Carlo

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Originally posted by supra410:
I just replace mine this past saturday and I started around 11am and finished around midnight sunday morn. HOwever I did some other stuff. I flushed my intercooler changed the fuel filter changed the crank seal and cam seals themostat and also did the valve stems seals. I would say it took around an hour for dis assembly and 2 hours to reassemble. The fuel filter took the longest

The harmonic balncer is a bytch especially on an automatic tranny. I noticed my 93 belt tensioner was harder to remover that my buddies 94. Different design i guess.

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How is your car running with all the new stuff???

It took me 3hrs to do mywater pump which is the same job as replace ing the timing belt. My first time around it was a romance, i think it took me like 6hr cause i had to run around for some missing tools.

As for removing the crank shaft pully, what I did was use a 1/2" wratched with a pipe on over the handle. I then placed the pipe towards the battery side, or you can use a smaller pipe or even the wratched alone and place it on a jack. Dissable the ignition then crank on the key. There is more than enough torque from the starter to break the bolt loose.

I dont know if you can picture it, but I placed the wratchet horizontaly with the handle pointing towards the drivers side. I had the handle rest on the jack stand.

To tighten it i put the car in gear and used a torque wrench. If your clutch is shot then you will not be able to tighten it using this method.

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Originally posted by fendrboard:

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Originally posted by supra410:
I just replace mine this past saturday and I started around 11am and finished around midnight sunday morn. HOwever I did some other stuff. I flushed my intercooler changed the fuel filter changed the crank seal and cam seals themostat and also did the valve stems seals. I would say it took around an hour for dis assembly and 2 hours to reassemble. The fuel filter took the longest

The harmonic balncer is a bytch especially on an automatic tranny. I noticed my 93 belt tensioner was harder to remover that my buddies 94. Different design i guess.

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How is your car running with all the new stuff???

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It stopped smoking. It pretty much runs the same and sometimes hard starts when it's hot outside. I have not been able to figure out the problem and noone seems to know either.

I've done the timing belt and drive belt replacement on June this year (with helps of classmates from school). The hardest part I have encounter would be to remove the bolt on crank pulley. I was unable to remove it at first with impact guns, but later use the "breaker bar hit the ground then crank engine" method to remove it. of course before you do that you have to remove radiator first. I didn't change water pump as other suggested, though I know it's suppose to be the "regular routine" but since my water pump is good, I figure why bother...
the whole process take me 3 days with about 2 hr each day working on it.

I need to do the belt soon also. Anyone in So. Cal. with time to help me? There is a guaranteed six-pack (your choice) and food while doing it... I don't have an impact wrench or air tools for that matter: (

Thanks,

Greg

You should be able to find an independent mechanic who will do it cheaper than that. You should also change the water pump, tensioner and tensioner bolts at the same time, btw, since you're in there.

The hardest part is getting the nose bolt off the crank pulley -- it self-tightens and is a notorious b*tch to get off, even with 1/2" drive impact. Be warned on that.

It's self-evident, but also be cautious to get the new belt on correctly. You can very easily be off a tooth on one or both cams.

I'm sure others will have their $.02 to add.

-Mark
1994 Wingless BPU
12.60@117.8
409rwhp 430rwtq

Sound Performance charges 6 hours of labor @ $70 an hour for a timing belt change. Timing belt change is also a good oppertunity to have cam gears installed.

Always expect a higher labor quote from dealerships. Most dealerships build their profit margins plans with this approach: 1/3 new car sales, 1/3 used car sales, 1/3 service. This is why dealerships always have higher quotes, more overhead.

Tim Maxwell

If you don't have one yet, get yourself a shop manual and to the job yourself. It's not that difficult, and it's a great learning experience if you've not done a tbelt swap yet. Just don't expect to have it done in a single evening.

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If you don't have one yet, get yourself a shop manual and to the job yourself

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I agree, its not that hard. It takes nowhere near 6 hours. We dont really charge" 6 housrs", we charge a flat fee for belts. I think we flag 3.5 at my dealer for them.
If you do it, heres that .02.....put all the slack on the tensioner, as little as possible on the other side. Release the tensioner into it. Roll the crank over TWICE to make sure the cams are still lined up before you put it back together.

1987 Toyota Supra

BTW, hows castle rock?

1987 Toyota Supra

Getting bigger every day. It's lost the small town feel it had when we moved here in '93.

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Originally posted by Nick M:
BTW, hows castle rock?

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Growing by a few hundred percent does that. You know that Douglas county was the fastest growing county in the US for most of the 90's.

1987 Toyota Supra

I just replace mine this past saturday and I started around 11am and finished around midnight sunday morn. HOwever I did some other stuff. I flushed my intercooler changed the fuel filter changed the crank seal and cam seals themostat and also did the valve stems seals. I would say it took around an hour for dis assembly and 2 hours to reassemble. The fuel filter took the longest

The harmonic balncer is a bytch especially on an automatic tranny. I noticed my 93 belt tensioner was harder to remover that my buddies 94. Different design i guess.