1998 3.4 Timing Belt Woes - Misfire - Wrong Belt or Installation?

I bought the belt back in 2015, which is how long I've put off doing this job. and why the part number has been superseded twice 13568-69050 became 13568-69095 and now it's 13568-YZZ03.

hugho said:

A "Toyota" label doesn't guarantee its Toyota OEM. Just doing the belt is pretty easy and fast.

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I think you are onto something. Looking more closely at the pic I posted the text is squint and it appears that the Toyota text and part number should be green or yellow on these belts

blarchitect said:

I removed AC compressor and bracket but yes longer bolts won't help doing install as per FSM. The crank belt mark is off by a tooth and a bit on the pulley (with pink dot at 12), and there isn't enough give in belt to pull it down to reach That's my issue. If I use the closest tooth that will engage it's too slack and why it takes a herculean effort to wrestle over tensioner or WP pulley's.

Can you clarify your comment
"The first 2 times that what would get me that belt teeth on that crankshaft?"
Cheers man.

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My first 2 timing belt jobs. I have to fight with the belt on the crankshaft until i put a C clamp to lock the belt in place. The C clamp method is the easiest way I found as it locks the belt into teeth in the cams and the crankshaft.

I put it on the tensioner pulley and just fight with the water pump. Does the water pump have a smooth edge? Maybe the belt wont slide because the water pump pulley isnt smooth. I never tried to do this without changing the water pump at the same time... As that way its new and super smooth for the belt to slide over.
I see if i have a photo of that bicycle tire iron.

Crap, the belt your trying to put on is from 2015?! Toss it and get another belt. It's well past its lifespan. If you want oem get it from toyotapartsdeal.com if not then get it in store or from rock auto. Avoid ebay and amazon.

Wait are we dealing with the wrong belt? Or just and old belt or both? As if the belt is wrong, you never get it will fit... :-(

It's a new unused OEM belt which was in a sealed stickered bag I bought in late 2015. Has the proper green and white lettering albeit part of it is not straight. So that's a red flag although the length matches the old one. I didn't count teeth. I've ordered a new one from Daytona Toyota Florida which is where I've bought all my recent parts. It'll be two weeks before I have it in the Bahamas.

blarchitect said:

It's a new unused OEM belt which was in a sealed stickered bag I bought in late 2015. Has the proper green and white lettering albeit part of it is not straight. So that's a red flag although the length matches the old one. I didn't count teeth. I've ordered a new one from Daytona Toyota Florida which is where I've bought all my recent parts. It'll be two weeks before I have it in the Bahamas.

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Hmm...So its a counterfeit? Where did it come from? If came from eBay, amazon etc... This maybe why you cant get it to fit.. Thus explaining no matter what you do it will not fit.

Excellent news, as well as a learning a very valuable lesson at the same time and why your not having success.

Keep us posted..

Yeah that crooked print is a bad sign lol...I don't think Toyota would let that get their name on it. I'm excited that you will get a new belt that will probably work, because this was all not making sense. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Previologist said:

Yeah that crooked print is a bad sign lol...I don't think Toyota would let that get their name on it. I'm excited that you will get a new belt that will probably work, because this was all not making sense. Keeping my fingers crossed!

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Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed but I would agree that sadly this is a counterfeit belt. Which explains all the issues the op has been having.. :-(

brillo_76 said:

This is a photo of the last 5VZ-FE I did. Granted its on an engine stand. But you can see how I do it with C claps. I have all the play at the water pump so its a lot easier to put on this way.. Small C Clamps work great in the vehicle. Maybe it will help you maybe it wont. But with the c clamps locking the belt... It cant jump doing it this way...;-)

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First off thanks for presenting your method with photo , such illustration isn't found anyware online....ive serched hard.

As for method , it appears tensioner hasn't been released yet?
Will crank shaft & or cam move out of alignment when prying belt onto water pump?
I'm using OEM belt.

Thanks again.

Phil-

trick is to put the belt on top idler pulley last....much easier this way..got the idea from youtube clip

I just did the timing belt job using rock auto asin kit....was the easiest timing belt job I ever did...had all the open access and simple job The belt is tuff to put on by trying to get last part belt around the tensioner bearing.......

but easiest way was to line it and get it all tight no slack and put the belt on the top idler pulley last.... basically get the idler pulley and bolt just thread in slightly by hand and then slip the belt under the idler bearing, it will go in pretty easy or with little effort...then thread in the bolt and make sure you're not cross threading in.... which shouldn't if you apply downward pressure on the idler bearing with belt under is easy from top push force down if need be...much better access and can apply more pressure to belt area..... then thread in the bolt by hand or socket lightly, never to cross thread in....if you do it right....this is easy.... off course I took out the radiator, fan shroud assembly and drain coolant for job.....

make sure you clamp the both the camshaft pulley and belt with a clamp or vice grip or spring clamp so they don't rotate....you can get clamps, vice from harbor freight or whatever else that works...don't rip or damage mark the belt.

Philz said:

As for method , it appears tensioner hasn't been released yet?
Will crank shaft & or cam move out of alignment when prying belt onto water pump?
I'm using OEM belt.

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I do it a bit different from the picture. Start at the crank pulley, hold the belt in place (clamp or wedge something in there lightly), route to water pump, then first cam. Using fixed offset box wrench or breaker bar and socket, you can roll the cam towards the belt a bit, get the belt on then rotate it back to aligned. Clamp is there. Then around the upper idler, then to the second cam gear. Same deal - roll back a bit, get belt on, tighten back up and clamp. The tensioner should not even be installed. At that point, you can either slip it over the tensioner pulley or if not, remove tensioner pulley/pivot, put belt in the right area then install tensioner pulley. Then install tensioner but do NOT release the pin. Remove clamps, wedge the tensioner snug (doesn't have to be tight) and rotate engine 720* and check alignment. If it is all correct, pull tensioner pin and do another 720* and check. The 5vz is non-interference, so you have no risk of damage even if you totally mess things up. Compress tensioner slowly in a vice and start over if you do mess up.

-Charlie