Timing Belt Inspection Method for SC300



In the first picture, you can see the top cover and the top front cover removed. From this, the top of the belt and the teeth are visible.



Timing belt visible

In the second picture, you can see that the cover of the starter relay was removed, and a small hole was drilled into it. A small wooden stick can then be gently pushed into the hole to close the contacts in the starter relay. The engine will turn over with none of the rest of the engine knowing that the engine is turning.



Starter relay with drilled hole

Pulsing the starter, all the teeth and belt will come into view for inspection for cracks, oil, or missing teeth.



The last picture shows the inside top of the relays cover. What each relay does is written in the box.



Inside of relay cover (near left front fender)

I do this inspection every 3 months. So far, at 98,000 miles, only the VVTi o-ring needed to be replaced. It was a real bear to get it in.



This will bring howls of disapproval, but I am never going to replace this belt without evidence of deterioration.

 

I do this inspection every 3 months. So far, at 98,000 miles, only the VVTi o-ring needed to be replaced. It was a real bear to get it in.

This will bring howls of disapproval, but I am never going to replace this belt without evidence of deterioration.[/QUOTE]


not a bad way to keep eye on things but what about water pump? That should be replaced as frequently as timing belt and, in my 93 sc300 anyway, requires removal of timing belt and even harmonic balancer (iirc) to replace water pump. water pump is behind all that stuff. New belt is pretty cheap in scheme of things so why not just replace it along with water pump every 90k or 10 years or whatever the exact rec.?