Timing Belt Conundrum

[spartacus]

You're right. I thought I was careful taking it off and I thought I inspected it after I took it off, and before I put it on. Obviously a missing tooth points to the contrary.
Now that I'm about to redo my timing belt job, I have a couple questions:

1. Is there a way to compress the tensioner on the car so I don't have to take it off? One of the bolts is rounding, so I would have to take the A/C off in order to get at it cleanly.
2. I assume that I need to get a new crank pulley bolt even though it was new when I put the new belt on?
3. I'm also assuming that I can reuse the timing belt that I just changed? I don't need to worry about it being compromised from taking it off and putting it back on?

Once I get everything installed I'll update the thread (hopefully ending it with a successful conclusion).


I really appreciate the help from you [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] and [MENTION=69868]LittleCaesar[/MENTION] for all the suggestions and feedback, and of course everyone else that offered advice.

Good that you figured it out. Schley Products 97300 Toyota 3.4l Timing Belt Tensioner tool.
I've actually reused the crank pulley bolt before without any problems but it's better to replace it.

 

[mtbtim]

You need this to compress the tensioner:
Schley Products 97300 Timing Belt Tensioner Compressor Toyota | JB Tools

I personally would use a new crank bolt, being that it is less than $10, but you could reuse the old one with some red loctite as long as it is torqued to 217.

Throw the old belt on there, you will be fine.

Good luck.

I have this tool and was going to suggest the same thing. But, with this tool, the belt needs to come off first because the tool goes between the lower idler pulley and the water pump pulley and the belt would be in the way. I imagined if I ever used this tool, I'd just cut the old belt off because I imagine it might be a little bit of a fight getting the belt off with the tensioner still applying pressure to the belt.

 

[2ndhandyotaman]

No real need to remove the crank gear since it's keyed to the crank. Set it at TDC then remove the hydraulic tensioner so that you can move the belt then reset the cam gears. There's videos to show how to re-compress the tensioner in a vice, then reinsert the grenade pin. When I did my t-belt last summer, all of the marks were perfect until I pulled the pin, then it advanced the cam gears a bit. I just dropped the tensioner, reset the cam gears and advanced them 1 tooth ( to the alignment marks on the heads) to compensate for the tensioner taking up the slack in the belt. When I pulled the pin the 2nd time and rotated the engine by hand a few times, the crank and cam gears all lined up to their perspective marks.

 

[fourfive]

Now that I'm about to redo my timing belt job, I have a couple questions:

1. Is there a way to compress the tensioner on the car so I don't have to take it off? One of the bolts is rounding, so I would have to take the A/C off in order to get at it cleanly.

I think removing the tensioner then the belt would be the easiest route if you were planning on reusing the same belt. This would allow you to replace the rounded bolt while everything is apart & still fresh in your head. Have a bolt extractor on hand but it might be a tight fit since they are usually a little wider. I use a c-clamp to compress the tensioner to insert the pin for reinstallation.

 

[Ser1clymb]

I finally have new parts arriving today!!!! I'll post an update once I finish, but it might be a few days since I have some other things going on.

 

[Ser1clymb]

Update: Fixed!!!

Well, I couldn't wait. I got to work last night and finished up earlier today. Got everything installed, had to jump the battery, and she cranked up and runs great!

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions, I really appreciate it.

 

[HiLife]

Been following this. Awesome you got it started!
arty:

 

[Ser1clymb]

Been following this. Awesome you got it started!
arty:

That startup never sounded so good.:music:

 

[HiLife]

I hear you and, know that feeling!!!