So I recently did my timing belt and put everything together, I go to start the car and it’ll start and idle for a 30 seconds and then stutter out. And it just keeps stuttering out after 30 seconds to a minute of idle, I can accelerate and the RPMS will pick up and it’ll run but as soon as I let it idle, again stutters out.
I have double checked my timing marks and everything is on- any advice? Thank you

 

Might have nothing to do with the the Tbelt job.
Could be your idle air control valve (IAC) thats sticking.
Very common for 1MZ’s.
Clean it out and see if anything changes.

 

yeah I will, it just seems odd for it to start sticking after doing the belt. It was difficult to see the left rear cam timing belt marks, however with light and a mirror I’m pretty confident it’s align, however if it’s half a cog, or tooth off, would that be enough to throw timing so for off as to not idle? That seems awfully sensitive- considering most cars can adjust timing up to 30 degrees etc.

 

You could be off a tooth or 2 but it still should idle fine.
You could have an over-retarted or advance timing though depending how the marks are off.

 

well, I’ve checked the marks, if anything I have advanced timing by half a cog or tooth, I just got done cleaning the IAC valve, and still not staying running.
I don’t want to have to re-so the whole timing belt again, after checking it already. However if it’s that half a tooth that’s keeping me from not being able to idle properly, I have nothing else to go on. Thoughts?
Also worth noting is that I have no CEL or check engine light.

 

What timing belt did you use?
Toyota/Lexus timing belts come with a line mark to line up with the marks on the cam and crank gear.
If this started after the t-belt job, then you probably have no choice but to re-time it again.
No need to take eveything apart.

Just take the top cover off
Set to TDC on the Crank pulley
There should be a mark on the pulley to line up on the bottom cover (set to 0 degrees timing)
Make sure the Cam gears are facing up (line up marks)
Loosen the 2 12mm t-belt tensioner bolts till there is slack on the center idler pulley.
You can take the idler pulley off or just play with the cam gears to hop over a tooth on the belt.
Here you can adjust the T-belt to their respective marks.

 

[yea, except if it’s out of time that one tooth or whatever, I need to pull the harmonic dampener off to be able to ensure that “0” degrees on the cover is indeed “0” and lined up. So I need to be able to see the crank to line up the crank detent to its correct correspondent mark, and then go from their.
so now it’s the 2 accessory belts, etc. smh.

 

Nahh.. it will be at "0".
Unless your cover is cracked, damaged or warped.
Acc belts stay with the method i provided.

 

Crank aligned at “0”

Right cam

Left cam, awkward to see but aligned.


So so here are my marks, they seem pretty much on except the right cam is a half or full cog/tooth retard, not advanced. Would this create no idling?

also, my next question is, should I fix it to perfect? If so I need to remove my tensioner completely, put it in the vice and re-pin it, bc there’s no way for me to just “un-bolt” a couple threads to loosen the belt. It’s too tight to move. The tensioner needs to be removed in order to move/have play in the belt.
Actually I don’t think that would create the slack I would need to advanced the cams over one tooth and skipping over the crank, so the slack is on the tensioner side. I almost need the dampener removed so when I progress the cam timing, I can make sure it’s not advancing the crank timing as well, by making sure the belt is off and not progressing as I progress the cam.

 

Did those white marks came with the belt or did you do that?
It does look like your Bank 2 cam is off.
But your white marks are on line with the cam gear marks.

If you loosen the 2 12mm bolt off the tensioner (dont take it out), you will get the slack you need. (i did this before)
Adjust timing marks as you needed
Once you advance the right cam a tooth, you're going to do the tightening dance.
Start tightening the 2 12 bolts evenly.
Enough tension on each and repeat till it tightens all the way.
Dont use an air tool, do it with hand tools so so have control on the tension as it goes up.
If you dont feel comfortable doing this, you can take it off and press it on a vise.

 

Those marks came on the belt, but what’s weird is that I actually transfer my old marks on the old belt to the new belt, and used my marks and yet some how the belt found itself to be even on the marks that were already on it? Gates belt btw.

I get what what your saying to do, and I have loosen the tensioner as much as possible without dropping it. However there’s still too much tension on the belt that when I go to progress the cam with the belt on it forward one, it’s grabing the crank and it’s going to forward or “progress” that as well, so now my cams are in align perfect but my crank will be off by one tooth also.
See my concern?
Unless the tensioner picks up that slack???

 

Or are you saying to pry the belt slack off the cam, and progress the cam one tooth without the belt interfering and then rest the belt and then tighten tensioner?

call me slow, I think my mind isn’t understanding after 3 days of wrenching.

Even with the tensioner resting without removing it, there’s still too much tension on the belt to progress it, it’s on the crank and cams way to tight- that when I progress the cam it will progress the crank- so cams are alignment perfectly but now my crank will be passed the zero mark by one tooth.

 

Hahaha.
No worries, im sure your head is spinning right now.
But dont worry, we'll get this sorted out.

There shouldnt be any tension once the tensioner is backed of to the point its going to fall out.
You are using stock a tensioner and bolts, right?
Try putting a 17mm wrench on the Left cam and slowly turn it clockwise.
Use one of those paper clamps to clamp on the left cam gear so the belt wont jump.
Long nose vise grips slightly clamped down with a rag over the belt will work.
Use one of those paper clamps to clamp on the left cam gear so the belt wont jump.
See if you can get some belt slack on the center idler.

 

Thanks for the patience- I can tell you one thing- I could barley get this gates belt on with the tensioner all the way off the first time. I had to literally use a crybar to fit it over the tensioner wheel, and then install the tensioner followed by pulling the pin.
I don’t have paper clip thingys but zip ties should work so the belt doesn’t jump. I zipped tied them into place last time.

 

I really do appeciate your patience and walking me through this. Thank you so much for the help.
However at this point I see what needs to be done I’m already there, I’m just going to remove the dampener, remove the tensioner, re-pin it in the vice and then I will have the proper slack needed to play with the belt/cams.