00 Rx300 Timing Belt Timing Alignment

[sigtauenus]

I'm in the middle of the timing belt change and have hit a snag. I've put the new belt on 3 maybe 4 times now (losing track already) and I can't get the timing marks to stay aligned after I rotate the crankshaft twice. I have the new OEM belt with the yellow marks for the timing, 2 solid ones for the cam and a dotted one for the crank. I have the crank set at TDC, the cams set with the timing pointer aligned with the notch on the rear cover, and install the belt with the yellow marks lined up with the timing marks on the cams and crank. When I rotate the crank twice, the timing marks on the cam sprockets line up with the notches on the rear cover, but the yellow marks on the belt are way off.

At this point do I need to ignore the yellow marks on the timing belt and continue putting stuff back together or does the yellow marks need to match up too?

I changed a TB on a Camry about a year or two ago and it took me 3 hours total. So far this one is kicking my butt.

[Ericok]

I'm in the middle of the timing belt change and have hit a snag. I've put the new belt on 3 maybe 4 times now (losing track already) and I can't get the timing marks to stay aligned after I rotate the crankshaft twice. I have the new OEM belt with the yellow marks for the timing, 2 solid ones for the cam and a dotted one for the crank. I have the crank set at TDC, the cams set with the timing pointer aligned with the notch on the rear cover, and install the belt with the yellow marks lined up with the timing marks on the cams and crank. When I rotate the crank twice, the timing marks on the cam sprockets line up with the notches on the rear cover, but the yellow marks on the belt are way off.

At this point do I need to ignore the yellow marks on the timing belt and continue putting stuff back together or does the yellow marks need to match up too?

I changed a TB on a Camry about a year or two ago and it took me 3 hours total. So far this one is kicking my butt.

When you do the original install, the three belt marks will line up with the marks on the crankshaft pulley and the two camshaft pulleys (just like yours do). After turning the crankshaft two turns, only the timing marks on the two camshaft pulleys have to line up with their corresponding marks on the cover. The lines on the belt don't apply any more - they're just for the initial installation to make sure you didn't put any slack in the wrong place or mis-installed the belt. You'd have to turn the crank dozens of times to get all three belt marks to line up again. The shop manual describes this procedure. So yes, it sounds like your belt is installed correctly.

[ihateduke]

I'm about to change my belt as well and I need to replace my waterpump. The last time I tried, I need a special tool to remove the waterpump (it was the pulley I believe). Does anyone know where I can get that tool?

[code58]

I'm about to change my belt as well and I need to replace my waterpump. The last time I tried, I need a special tool to remove the waterpump (it was the pulley I believe). Does anyone know where I can get that tool?

Couldn't have been the pulley on a Lexus W/P because the pulley on the W/P can't be removed. The only special tool I can think of would be one to hold the crankshaft pulley while you loosen the C/S bolt. Either that or a 3/4 in. impact wrench because a 1/2 won't normally loosen it. I made a tool to hold the C/S with a piece of 1/4X 2in. strap iron about a foot long. Drilled 2 holes for the 2 C/S bolts and hole sawed a 1&1/8 hole in the center for the socket and ext. to pass through. The end of the tool rested against the front crossmember so it couldn't turn and then I used an 18 in. breaker bar to loosen the bolt. You need to stack washers so that you can tighten the 2 bolts tight against the crankshaft pulley or it will twist the bolts off. Worked great. You don't need to take the timing gears off. You can get the W/P out and install the new one by taking the 2 long bolts out with the outside "Torx" on them and maybe jacking the engine up a little. Takes a 150+ lbs of torque on the C/S bolt and I put some med. strength "lock-tite" on the bolt also. It's standard thread, comes of left.

[lenore]

here is a two part tuturiol best I have seen on utube.

Help maybe this should be on sticky's for maintenance thankyou if you see this moderator....

[ihateduke]

Wow, that's impressive. Thanks for the link.

I'm not sure what I was trying to do the last time. It may been related to the bracket that's in front of the water pump. I'm not sure if I ever got it off or not. Maybe I tried to remove something else to make room.

On a side note, I do remember using an impact wrench to remove the harmonic balancer pulley. I didn't have a puller to use, but the pulley slid right off. Is that a bad sign? Does that mean the pulley was worn out?

[code58]

I don't think so. My DIL's came off pretty easy too, but it fit snug, no play at all.

[ihateduke]

I'm getting ready to start this project today. I'm getting an oil leak from the belt tensioner area. My guess is that I will uncover from where after I tear all the covers off. Maybe that's a sign that the water pump is going bad? Although, I would have expected to have coolant leaking instead.

When swapping the water pump, do you need to use any sort of silicone on the gasket? The video doesn't show that, but I think my water pump came with a small tube.

[ihateduke]

FWIW, I just realized that the oil pump is in that area and is the most likely culprit. Jeez, I'm gonna have a new car after I finish all these projects!

[code58]

I'm getting ready to start this project today. I'm getting an oil leak from the belt tensioner area. My guess is that I will uncover from where after I tear all the covers off. Maybe that's a sign that the water pump is going bad? Although, I would have expected to have coolant leaking instead.

When swapping the water pump, do you need to use any sort of silicone on the gasket? The video doesn't show that, but I think my water pump came with a small tube.

Nope, no silicone required. That is if you got an OEM (Aisin) W/P. I hope that is what you got. T/L uses very high quality parts and you can buy them very reasonable on E-Bay and the net. I would never consider using ANYTHING else on a Toyota or Lexus. When I replaced my DIL's on her '99RX at about 125k mi. the W/P looked absolutely new and even the gasket (beautiful steel gasket with the rubber lip molded on it) looked NEW. I could have easily reused it.