Lester's Build/Fix/Maintenance/Questions Thread

[clemson4r]

I would recommend the OEM/Aisin timing belt and water pump kit. That will come with everything you need. There is a member on ebay who sells them for a good price (Aircabinman I think) and it is an all-inclusive kit. While you're at it, you should replace the accessory belts as well as the tensioner pulley on the AC belt. Sounds to me like that's your cold start squealing issue if it isn't the belt itself. I had the same problem and that solved it.

Additionally, why didn't you just replace all the plugs at the same time? Seems that replacing 1 (albeit a very broken one) is just a band-aid.

Max

 

[jeff88]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm guessing you mean this one: Toyota Timing Belt & Water Pump Kit

It just seems to be expensive, although I'm sure if I got everything separately I would end up spending more. This kit has a 'tensioner roller' is that the same as the tensioner pulley you talk about?

I replaced all the plugs just a few months ago. I'm considering changing the plugs out, as this is 2 cylinders now that have had a plug issue. The first one wasn't so much a plug issue as much as it was a bad mechanic issue. I'm thinking the other tap-tap-tap sound might be another plug issue, I'm going to take them out and check them as well.

 

[jeff88]

I took a look at the engine a little more and drove a little bit around the neighborhood until the coolant got hot. I'm thinking that the sounds I'm hearing are either the belt(s) and/or pulleys/tensioners. So a kit like the ebay one is just about perfect. I was planning on changing the drive belts anyway, now I know I need to. When I got back from the drive, I tried to get as close as possible without burning myself and I could smell a kind of burnt smell. I'm thinking it's the belt.

I also had my UltraGauge hooked up. After the coolant got hot, it rose to about 185° and I didn't see it go down (although I got back home around the same time it hit 185). If it has a 180° thermostat, shouldn't it have gone back down below 180? If I get that ebay kit, I'll obviously replace the thermostat, so it's no big deal.

The problem is that my friend who has a '98 won't be able to help me until after the new year. I definitely can't let the truck sit until then. If I order this package, can I swap out the drive belts and wait on the water pump/timing belt later? It seems easy enough to do, just loosen the adjusting bolt on the corresponding accessory and slip the belt off. I'm guessing this will be like an hour max for all three?

 

[jeff88]

Alright, well I went ahead and ordered it. Timing Belt Kit

My mechanic friend says that I don't need to worry about the belt sounds in terms of driving it between now and when I get the new stuff. So next week I will change out the belts and pulleys and then will do the timing belt next month.

Here goes nothing...:hail: