Question about alignment of timing belt.

[Timbro]

Hi Everyone, this is my first post here. I actually don't own a Tundra, but my Dad does. He drove 5 hours to help me replace a timing belt on a Subaru on the median strip of Hwy 80 when mine broke on a cross country drive years ago, so I owe him one. I offered to help him replace his timing belt on his 2000 Tundra. But we're a little stumped, and I was hoping someone here could answer a question we have. I searched for the answer, read through the MFS directions, the thread about the lexus, and have a Chilton manual, but can't seem to find the answer. Maybe we're over thinking this, but since it's an interference engine, and he's about to drive cross country himself, we want to make sure.

So far we got the old belt off, the new water pump in, and the new belt on, and everything up to the tensioner. We put everything at TDC, aligned the marks on the belt with the crankshaft mark, then did the cams. The marks on the belt lined up with the marks on the pulleys, but if we put the crankshaft at 0 TDC, the marks on the camshaft pulleys don't quite line up with the TDC marks, they're a little closer to the T mark. It's reading about 10 degrees on the timing marks on the crankshaft when the camshaft pulleys are at TDC. Is this OK? Did we do it right? Does everything have to line up exactly at TDC?

Thanks in advance!!!

-Tim

[kathyricks]

Alignment is the most confusing and critical part of the whole timing belt job and the part which NONE of the tutorials explains in an idiotproof manner. The idiotproof way to go about this is to mark the old belt and the pulleys with colored paint BEFORE you take the belt off and with the engine at TDC on cyl #1 and then take a picture of the set up and then take the old belt off and paint marks on the new belt that correspond exactly with the marks on the old belt and then install the new belt. You can also consult your photo of the old belt before you took it off if you need to.

Sorry this doesn't help you now, but you might make note of this tip for future reference

[2000LtdKen]

Kathy,

What kind of paint can you use that will not harm the belt? Also, how do you know so much about cars? Seen you posting a whole bunch.

Thanks,

Ken

[kathyricks]

Originally Posted by 2000LtdKen

Kathy, What kind of paint can you use that will not harm the belt? Ken

I don't think it matters because only a little paint is used on the side of the belt. See photo below. Some people use white typewriter correction fluid or chalk.

[Eddie]

As long as the belt marks match the pulley marks upon installation (and tensioner is installed) you should be ok.

When I replace Toyota/Lexus t-belts I don't go by the TDC mark on the timing cover. Right before loosening the tensioner I manually turn the engine until the crank pulley is lined up with the mark on the oil pump housing,then remove the tensioner and belt.

EDIT: disregard the oil pump housing mark I mentioned. These are found on V6 engines,which I what I do mostly,and I guess not on 2UZFEs. I've done 1UZ,2UZ,and 3UZs V8s but not quite often You can find an extract of the service manual on this thread Timing belt replacement FSM extract

[ctbale]

same thing happened with me on the belt timing. I think you are off a tooth. if you rotate the engine with the 22mm socket, clockwise (so you are tightening the crank pulley bolt) go around 1 full time, two times is better, it should line up. do you have 211 tooth belt? the Chilton's manual is pretty good, the one I used said put the cams on the Ts, crank at zero, then hang the belt over the cam on the left side of the truck, right as you are looking at it, then rotate the came to TDC to take tension out, then the same with the other cam, then I held, by hand, the pulley with out installing tensioner, while I rotated engine, and checked my marks as they approached TDC. It was 10 degrees off. So I must of screwed it up, and re hung belt again, rotated engine, and the marks matched up perfectly. if you have a new belt, then what is CRITICAL is those marks match. after installing tensioner, I would for sure rotate engine at least 2 times to see everything is good to go, dont hit the key until you are sure.

[Timbro]

Thanks Eddie and ctbale. It turned out that the marks that were on the new belt were off by a tooth. We put the belt on again but ignored the marks on the belt and it went fine, just like all the other belts that we've done. We used a Chilton manual also, and found that using the T marks was very helpful in getting the slack out.