Timing Belt Jumped Off

[sgarret3]

My daughter just rear-ended someone a few weeks ago and took 4Runner to Toyota for service. A week later, the timing belt falls off, and when we removed cover, found that top tensioner pulley bolt was halfway unscrewed, which allowed enough slack for belt to jump off.

Is there any reason that they would need to remove the timing belt cover and loosen the tensioner pulley when there was no damage to that part of car (i.e. would they do that to get access to something)?

 

[cashmoney]

Sounds like a coincidence and not something related. I'd look at whoever installed the belt in the first place.

 

[ajonesnv]

What "service" did you get done?

 

[sgarret3]

Daughter hit back of Explorer, so front fender, lights, radiator all got replaced. Pretty much everything in the front. No structural damage. Air bags did not deploy, and engine was not damaged. So mostly cosmetic.

 

[cashmoney]

Ah. In that case it might have jarred it loose in the impact. Be unusual but weirder things have happened. If it did get jarred loose then that means it was probably installed wrong to begin with and was only a matter of time before it failed.

 

[TheDurk]

I agree, that's on whoever installed the belt. Pretty lame to undertorque that one.

 

[nissanh]

Do you

Do you trust the mechanic?

One of my relative took his pathfinder to a garage to get freeze plugs done and after 3-4 days he noticed a power steering fluid leak and he with my help (over the phone) did a diagnose and found out the low pressure return line has a sharp blade cut.
Found no sharp objects near the cut so we highly suspect the mechanic who did the freeze plugs.

You might want to call the shop and say the truck has an engine problem and it wont start. And see what they tell you.

Glad 5vzfe is a non-destructive engine

 

[LittleCaesar]

There is a reason for torque values.

Probably zipped down with an impact gun. Since it felt snug to the installer it must be good to go then.

 

[sgarret3]

Shop looked at it today, and it was definitely the fault of person who installed timing belt kit and unrelated to accident - just a coincidence in timing.

Tensioner pulley bolt hole was stripped, several bolts were rounded, belt was a brand no one has heard of, and several other things I didn't see.

Became interesting enough that entire shop stopped to come see. Everyone trying to find a spot in front to see how many mistakes they could spot. A nightmare version of "where is Waldo".

Waiting to see how much it is going to cost to fix the past guys work. Paying more than twice to get the job done right once.

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Wow that's crazy. Hopefully they can get good threads to hold everything together correctly. Anyone that doesn't know what they are doing with timing belts can really mess things up.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I can tell you I have met a number of "mechanics" who work on cars as a profession who I wouldn't let touch my lawnmower. Some were even ASE certified. Flat rate doesn't help the situation either.