Is It Ok That The Factory Timing Belt Might Come Kinked In The Package

[Thermactor]

http://i4.ebayimg.com/02/i/07/2e/b9/62_1.JPG

This was posted earlier on ClubLexus but that seems to be by and large a less technical crowd, so I come to you gurus (relatively speaking)

It's time for me to do the timing belt on my car - there are 120,000 miles on the current one and the car has double that in overall mileage. This is going to suck. So I've been looking around at parts and stuff and I'm really hating the prices that I'm running into.

Here's my question: In the picture above, the timing belt is wrapped SUPER tightly and is very kinked at the ends in that wrapping. I'm under the impression that the belt should NEVER be wound tighter than the diameter of the smallest pulley. Why would Toyota package their belts this way?

Secondly, is it absolutely necessary to go to Toyota for the idler and tensioner pulley, or is it OK to use Japanese made GMB and Koyo parts?

Eh any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[dcfish]

http://i4.ebayimg.com/02/i/07/2e/b9/62_1.JPG

This was posted earlier on ClubLexus but that seems to be by and large a less technical crowd, so I come to you gurus (relatively speaking)

It's time for me to do the timing belt on my car - there are 120,000 miles on the current one and the car has double that in overall mileage. This is going to suck. So I've been looking around at parts and stuff and I'm really hating the prices that I'm running into.

Here's my question: In the picture above, the timing belt is wrapped SUPER tightly and is very kinked at the ends in that wrapping. I'm under the impression that the belt should NEVER be wound tighter than the diameter of the smallest pulley. Why would Toyota package their belts this way?

Secondly, is it absolutely necessary to go to Toyota for the idler and tensioner pulley, or is it OK to use Japanese made GMB and Koyo parts?

Eh any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

The "kink" is fine, Personally, I use all genuine toy/lex parts.

[David Culberson]

Secondly, is it absolutely necessary to go to Toyota for the idler and tensioner pulley, or is it OK to use Japanese made GMB and Koyo parts?

Re: The Kink, I doubt it's a problem, since Toyota packs the belt that way.. But that might just be "blind faith" on my part.

The pulleys: in my experience, the aftermarket ones aren't much cheaper than the Lexus ones. Go to Park Place Lexus Plano and order them, I think they cost less than some of the aftermarkets from Autozone and Advance. Unless you're getting "A1 Cardone" which just scares me. ;-)

-David