Timing Belt Question
04-08-14, 10:44 AM
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Timing Belt Question
I have a 01 IS300 with what appears to be the OEM timing belt -- It has 120,000 miles on it, and it's scaring the **** out of me as I don't have the service records.
It's not making any sounds, and after popping the cover off and looking at it... it doesn't seem to be in HORRIBLE condition. No apparent cracks or apparent ware... only a brown film. I've heard back and forth answers... but not a single post about a timing belt breaking on an IS300?
My fear though, is that timing belts can break without warning, and I believe the previous owner treated this car rough and never changed the belts. The serpentine has a fair amount of cracks, and looks to be in rough shape... so if I'm going off that, I'm assuming the timing belt is on its way out.
In either case, I'm getting the water pump and belts replaced Saturday the 19th -- but want to know personal stories to put my mind at ease until then.
So... let me hear them! Good and bad!
It's not making any sounds, and after popping the cover off and looking at it... it doesn't seem to be in HORRIBLE condition. No apparent cracks or apparent ware... only a brown film. I've heard back and forth answers... but not a single post about a timing belt breaking on an IS300?
My fear though, is that timing belts can break without warning, and I believe the previous owner treated this car rough and never changed the belts. The serpentine has a fair amount of cracks, and looks to be in rough shape... so if I'm going off that, I'm assuming the timing belt is on its way out.
In either case, I'm getting the water pump and belts replaced Saturday the 19th -- but want to know personal stories to put my mind at ease until then.
So... let me hear them! Good and bad!
04-09-14, 12:34 AM
#3
Driver School Candidate
just get the belts changed. At least YOU know when they were done last.
I use an app on my phone "car maintenance" I believe to help keep on top of the maintenance records for my car.
honestly it's not that difficult of a job, the hardest part is breaking the crank bolt loose.
Side note: only try this if you're really comfortable with your mechanical skills. To break the crank bolt loose, use a breaker bar with socket, and use the engine to break the bolt loose as in place the socket on the bolt and spin the engine over (without cranking it) it only takes a second to loosen it.
Good luck with the maintenance. Remember check for cam seal leaks and crank seal leaks. I replace them with every timing belt change.Also note if you do the cam seals, DO NOT PUT RTV on the bottom of the seal where the drain holes are in the head. Otherwise you'll be leaking oil again and have to do them all over, and DON"T TOUCH THE 5 bolts on the VVTi cam gear. Just the bolt in the center.
lol please learn from my mistake and save yourself the extra 1 hour of having to realign the vvti cam gear.
I use an app on my phone "car maintenance" I believe to help keep on top of the maintenance records for my car.
honestly it's not that difficult of a job, the hardest part is breaking the crank bolt loose.
Side note: only try this if you're really comfortable with your mechanical skills. To break the crank bolt loose, use a breaker bar with socket, and use the engine to break the bolt loose as in place the socket on the bolt and spin the engine over (without cranking it) it only takes a second to loosen it.
Good luck with the maintenance. Remember check for cam seal leaks and crank seal leaks. I replace them with every timing belt change.Also note if you do the cam seals, DO NOT PUT RTV on the bottom of the seal where the drain holes are in the head. Otherwise you'll be leaking oil again and have to do them all over, and DON"T TOUCH THE 5 bolts on the VVTi cam gear. Just the bolt in the center.
lol please learn from my mistake and save yourself the extra 1 hour of having to realign the vvti cam gear.
04-09-14, 06:04 AM
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honestly it's not that difficult of a job, the hardest part is breaking the crank bolt loose.
Side note: only try this if you're really comfortable with your mechanical skills. To break the crank bolt loose, use a breaker bar with socket, and use the engine to break the bolt loose as in place the socket on the bolt and spin the engine over (without cranking it) it only takes a second to loosen it.
how did you put the bolt back on if you bumped your starter to get it off?
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