Saturday, March 26, 2011

My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



I decided to post my own step by step instructions for anyone wanting to change your timing belt only. These instructions are very detailed. The car in the pictures is a 2000 4 cylinder camry. First, the tools you will need are 1/2" ratchet, 3/8" ratchet, 1/4" ratchet, 10mm socket 1/4" and 3/8" drive, 12 mm socket 3/8" drive, 14mm socket 3/8" and 1/2" drive, 13/16" deep impact socket 1/2" drive, 3/4" deep impact socket 1/2" drive, about 12" of 3/8" drive extensions, needle nose pliers, hammer, harmonic balance puller (got a loaner at autozone for $15), 2 3" bolts size 6m-1.0 for the harmonic balance puller (bought at home depot), 5/8 Spark plug socket, flat head screw driver, a mirror, floor jack, and jack stands. Tools that will make the job easier are 1/2" impact wrench, 3/8" air ratchet, white marking crayon. Tell me what you think.



Step 1: Put the front of the car on jack stands.







Step 2: Remove the passengers side wheel







Step 3: Remove the two bolts circled in red and remove the side panel. Bolts are size 10.







Step 4: Remove the spark plug wires and spark plugs







Step 5: Remove the long alternator bolt circled in red. (14mm)









Step 6: Loosen the alternator bolt circled in green. Loosen the bolt circled in red enough to loosen the belt. Then take off the bolt circled in green. (I believe both are 12 mm.)







Step 7: Move the alternator to the side. My alternator was stuck so I had to use a pry bar to remove it.







Step 8: Remove the 3 bolts circled in red and take off the passengers side engine mount. (14 mm)











Step 9: Remove the bolt that should be where the red circle is. Then remove 2 more bolts at the bottom of the mount bracket where the green arrows point. Those were a bitch to take off. I long ratchet with a flex head will make it easier. Then remove the bracket. (all bolts are 14mm) Sorry, forgot to take pic of bottom bolts.









Step 10: Unclip the wires from the timing belt cover and disconnect the two ground wires.









Step 11: Remove the two bolts circled in red from the timing belt cover. (10 mm)









Step 12: Remove the left timing belt cover bolt. (10mm)









Step 13: Remove the hidden timing belt cover bolt. It is about where the red circle is. (10mm)









Step 14: Remove the uper timing belt cover. Then remove the bolt circled in red from the lower timing belt cover. (10mm) Also, loosen the power steering pump and take the belt off.











Step 15: Rotate the crank until the notch on the harmonic balance pulley is lined up with with the 0 degree mark on the timing belt cover (TDC). (Crank bolt is 3/4")







Step 16: Make sure the the hole in the camshaft pulley is lined up with the "V" notch. If it is off by 180 degrees then rotate the crankshaft one full turn and then line the notches back up.









Step 17: Remove the crank shaft pulley bolt (3/4"). An impact wrench will make it very easy to remove that bolt. Then use the harmonic balance puller to remove the harmonic balance pulley. Do not try to pry it off and do not use a standard pulley puller with arms. If you chip it, you will spend over $100 on a new one. It only costs $15 to rent one from autozone and you will get your money back when you return it.











Step 18: Remove the the 3 lower timing belt cover bolts circled in red and remove the cover. (10 mm)











Step 19: Mark the old timing belt on the crank and camshaft pulleys.









Step 20: Loosen the tensioner bolt (14mm). Pry it down to loosen the belt and tighten the tensioner bolt back down to hold the tensioner. Then take the belt off.















Step 21: Count the notches between the marks on the old belt and put the same marks on the new belt. Put the new belt on and line up the marks on the pulleys. Now tighten the tensioner. Rotate the crank clockwise 4 times and make sure the timing marks still line up on the crank and camshaft. Put the spark plugs and wires back and start the engine. If the engine runs fine, reasseble everthing in reverse order.

Reply 1 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



Wow, pretty detailed write-up. Great job!



Can anyone confirm if these steps can apply to the V6 timing belt change?


Reply 2 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



Looks really good, thanks!

Reply 3 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



Good lord, I couldn't have taken better pictures if I tried.



You did a really good job writing this up.



I thought about doing this myself, but I've been doing so much work on the other cars lately that most of my weekends have been shot. I was planning on taking this one to the shop because of that, but now that I see how easy it is, I may be able to knock this one out in an hour or two and still have my saturday free!



The other reason I was planning on having this one done for me is because our front oil pump seal is leaking, and from the looks of your picture for step 17, yours might be too. Did you replace any of the seals in that area? If I do all the work, but I don't set the seal in the pump right, and it continues to leak, I usually get mad and throw tools because I have to do it over again, which is not good for anyone. If I took it in, I could just have them re-do it. I can do a lot of stuff, but when it comes to sealing or aligning, I don't have much confidence in that.



Thanks for the inspiration, and we appreciate your pictures.

Reply 4 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



That was really great job..

It should be sticky. Although I would not do it myself in anycase, but it gave me very good idea of how it works.

Reply 5 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



I haven't replaced any seals yet. It think the leaking is coming from the oil pan gasket. I plan on going back and replacing the seals, water pump, idler, and tensioners, but I did not have the money for all of that right now and the person that I bought it from said that the timing belt had never been changed. Since the car has 115,000 miles on it, I assumed it was on the verge of breaking. After getting the timing belt cover off, it looked so good that I neally didn't change it. I decided to post instructions because I have seen alot of not so experienced mechanics that just need to replace a broken timing belt and don't have $400 to spend on a mechanic. BTW, the total cost of this job was about $21.

Reply 6 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



$21 is wowwwwww





But for me, if I would have to do it, it might cost me a lot more as I would have to buy a lot of tools. And because I live in apartment, and keep changing every 2 months, it is quiet hard for me to store them.

Reply 7 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



good job



but you never mentioned to disconnect the battery?

Reply 8 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



he disconnected the spark plug wires, thats good enough...





excellent info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks a lot for your contribution!

Reply 9 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



damn, this is a "haynes" manual type of writeup. Even more pics and detail than haynes manual. You do take good pics man. keep it up.

Reply 10 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



WOW , Very nice WRITE UP!!!



i'd love to try it BUT i might stuff it up hahaha.......well done!!!

Reply 11 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



Jerry,



Great write up! Thanks!





If I may, I'd like to add some info that may help in installing the new belt:




Reply 12 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



Very good write up, I see you gen4 guys are being very helpful and postig up some nice threads liek this.

Reply 13 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



Mods, can you make this a sticky

Reply 14 : My Timing belt change (very detailed, pics) Gen 4



Added to the Camry FAQ (http://toyotanation.com/forum/t6831.html)



Step #19 is not necessary. The alignment marks are on the engine.



1. Hole in cam gear lined up to the notch on bearing cap.



2. #1 at TDC. Notch on crank pulley lined up to "0" marking on lower timing belt cover.



Or mark/notch on oil pump pulley lined up to mark/notch on oil pump.



3. Install belt.



4. Tighten tensioner bolt.



5. Rotate crank clockwise 2 full turns (720 degrees).



6. Check alignment of cam and crank (See #1 and #2).





Step #20. Loosen the tensioner bolt, then remove the spring using a pair of pliers.



I suggest replacing the spring. Its a few bucks from a Toyota dealership.





While your at it, replace the 2 accessory belts, water pump (maybe), and any seals (cam seal, oil pump, front main) that are leaking.

Do I need to replace the regulator and motor?



My car is a 1999 camry.



My rear driver's side window stopped working. Before it was dead, the window (or motor) made some weird sound when it rolled to top. Now it doesn't pull window up at all. I can move the window up by hand, but it won't stay and will fall back down but not all the way to the bottom. When I pull the switch, I can hear the motor rolling. I have taken the panel off. But I can't see the problem.

Is the motor dead? Do I need to replace the regulator and motor all together? I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

Reply 1 : Do I need to replace the regulator and motor?



The easyest way to tell is by taking the panel off and see what happened? The motor may be fine but you wont know untill you get it all apart. The regulator and motor can be replaced separately.

Reply 2 : Do I need to replace the regulator and motor?



Some of the more experienced people will probably reply, but from my own limited experience, I think the motor and the regulator come as one unit when you purchase them. The one I bought off the internet came fully greased. There were 3 bolts holding it in. It was a little tricky getting the old one out because the window was stuck in the closed (i.e. up ) position. So I would recommend that it is better to remove it while it will still move down ( even it only ocasionally ). You don't want to wait until the motor completely dies and the window is left stuck in the up position. Just my experience.

Reply 3 : Do I need to replace the regulator and motor?



You can get them alone. As stated above the motor is held in by 3 bolts. There pretty easy to do. I have done about 20 of them on this body style.

2011 Tacoma running lean



I bought a 2011 Tacoma crew cab 4x4 back in Nov. love the truck its my second toyota truck. Truck now has 3,800 miles on it. Last weekend the check engine light and traction control lights both came on and would not go off. took it to the dealer and they said the computer said both sides of the engine were running lean. They worked on it for two days and couldnt figure out what was wrong. Finally they said that they had ordered two new air fuel sensors. they said I could come pick it up bc the parts wouldnt be in for a couple days. I picked it up, got about a mile down the road, and the truck began losing power and running rough. also the check engine and trac control lights came back on. IT felt like it was going to cut out at 50 mph. I had to mash the gas to even accelerate. I think i felt it misfire a couple times as well. Took it back to the dealer and they said they would unplug the mass air sensor so I could drive it. They said that probably was causing it to run rough. I declined and told them I would just leave it there.



I'm just wondering if anyone else has expierenced anything like this on a new truck. Im also worried that the engine could have long term damage from it misfiring if thats what was actually happening. they are going to install the new parts tmw so i guess i'll see what happens.

Reply 1 : 2011 Tacoma running lean



Never heard of this on a new truck. Wise choice on not driving it any more. No reason to potentially cause damage to your ride if you have alternatives. Maybe 6shooter or another tech or former tech can jump in and give you a better idea of the troubleshooting process the techs use.

Would love to get some Advice new To Cars



Hi everyone.



Some reason the past week i have been seeing soo many tricked out corolla's and all of a sudden im on this rush to make mine the same. =] i know i am super excited but i want to get some advice from everyone before i decided to buy things blindly. I dont wanna trust reviews i want to know from you guys.



Oh its a Black Corolla S

So i would like to do interior and exterior.



Interior:

Speakers: should i upgrade them or will they do?

AMP and subs: going to get those dont want something too loud just nice it is a corolla lol

In car stereo with lcd.



basically interior is pretty much covered



Exterior



headlights: I have no idea what everyone talks about. I want to make them nice. I really like angel eyes. But would that mean i have to by the headlights and then buy HIDs for them or what. If there is any inclusive website on headlights for beginners let me know. If angel eyes are too expensive i probably will just buy HIDs and leave it at that. I am supposed to also make sure i disconnect the corolla's auto lighting feature in the day, and i want to make the fog lights seperate from the headlights. and i wanted to get an LEd Strip at between headlight and bumper.



Rear lights: is it really worth it to do anythign with them or should i just black them out.



Tint: whats a good % 15?



in the future ill be looking into rims, also taking the logos off, maybe making the Toyota symbol BLACK, lowering the car.



Im in a Huge rush of excitement to begin my journey but i would love any advice it would be great



Thanks a lot for reading this long speech

sorry ima noob but i learn things quickly

Thanks

=]

Reply 1 : Would love to get some Advice new To Cars



to TN !!!



The search feature will uncover many of the answers you seek...

Reply 2 : Would love to get some Advice new To Cars



to TN



For audio, I thought the 6 speaker system was pretty good for stock, the JBL 8 speaker version is even better. I was using a 12" Alpine Type-R subwoofer, and it hard enough for a Corolla. I wouldn't prefer changing out the stock headlights for the Xrs & S models, its fine as is. Anything too add to it would be a proper retrofit for increased light output, HIR bulbs, or your choice of halogen bulbs. The LED strip is alright, not much of my taste. There are a few tutorials to DIY. For the stock tail lights, I like them red-ed out, and if you do wish to tint 'em, don't black 'em out. A nice light tint is good enough IMO.



IF you wanna change 'em out, I prefer the LED versions other members and I have.



Looking for rims, debadging, painting emblems are all simple. Theres a few threads around to show how to do it. Just search around and you'll find plenty of knowledge.







I'm sure you'll have fun modding your Corolla as much as we do, especially when it all starts.



Have fun

Reply 3 : Would love to get some Advice new To Cars



First off welcome.



Ok, now to the questions in no particular order.



I hated the sound of the stock speakers so I swapped them out with Polk audio DB691's and 651's. They sound great and fit my style of music. You can pick up fronts and rears for around $125. If you are going with an aftermarket headunit then speakers are going to be on your list as the stock speakers are low power. Speakers are a personal preference and everyone seems to have their own favorite brand.



For a headunit with a screen it all comes down to preference and budget. You can pick up a nice Clarion vx401 with the touchscreen, Sirius ready, Ipod control with add on navigation as an option for around $330 (not including the cost of the nav unit). I am ordering the Clarion NX501 which has all of those features and nav built in. I can get it locally for $640. If you want to spend more the sky is the limit and you can easily dump 2 grand into a headunit from several manufacturers. Some people are using the Chinese made head units for the Corolla. Some are winners, some are losers. The one I bought was a loser so it went back today and I am waiting on the refund to put toward the Clarion.



Subs: The stock system has no low end and even with aftermarket speakers the low end is minimal at best. I run 2 10" Boston Acoustic G110's as they have a tight punchy response which sounds good for the punk and metal I listen to. I paid $100 each for them and push them with a Kenwood amp. I think I paid around $125 for the amp and a box will run you about $60. It is a decent budget priced system that suits me well. I am going to eventually add a 4 channel amp for my main speakers but they sound good running just off the head unit.



Headlights: This is the biggie around here as there are as many opinions as their are members. I use HIR bulbs and they work great for increasing visibility but don't have the white look that many people strive for. They are not for show but for putting massive amounts of light on the road they are unbeatable for a standard bulb. You can get 4 for around $100. I then went with Nokya 2500k 55 watt fog bulbs because I wanted yellow for my fogs as I actually use them as fog lights in fog.



The other option is HID's which are a much more expensive option. Do not use HID lights in your stock housings without have them retrofitted properly with HID projectors. Minimum for that is going to be around $750 so HID is not a cheap option if you do it properly. If you don't do it properly it is horrible for glare and blinds other drivers on the road as well as decreases your visibility. Read the sticky at the top of the forum and you will see. There are a lot of people around my area that are doing HID conversions in halogen housings and they are horrible to drive around.



Tint: That is personal preference and may be governed by the laws of your state. Some people like 35% some people like darker. The lower the percentage, the darker the tint. I am going with 5% limo tint on the rear doors and back window. Tinting the driver or passenger side windows is illegal in my state (Michigan) so if I do tint those it will be with a much lighter 35% film.



Rims are another personal preference. There is a huge rim thread here that if you are interested you can take a week off and read all of it. I personally am looking at Rota Grids or XXR521's for my white S.



Lowering springs. Another huge selection. I am going with TRD's or Eibach's because I don't want it slammed, just a little lower and stiffer. If you are unterested in better handling also look into sway bars the multitude of braces that are available.



Tails are another choice. I personaly like the way they look stock but may eventually upgrade to LED's. A light smoke wouldn't be bad but I hate the look of blacked out lights and they are dangerous as they cut down on how visible you are to others. They are also illegal in my state.



The other stuff is easy and covered in the DIY thread. Most of it can be done and little or no cost, just time and patience.



Good luck, congrats on the new car and again, welcome aboard.

how to install cheap fuel gauge



hi sirs i need help on my toyota corolla gli 93 the wire on my dashboard burnt out the fuel gauge doesn't work anymore ..i need help on how to install this cheap fuel gauge for the meantime thanks for the help there are three slot for the wire and for the light, S,-,+ here is the pics



http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/...5/IMG_5651.jpg



http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/...5/IMG_5650.jpg

Reply 1 : how to install cheap fuel gauge



S Is your Sending wire (use existing Sending wire from broken gauge)





(+) Is your 12v+

(-) is a good ground

These are for illumination. You should wire them to the Light switch circuit

Reply 2 : how to install cheap fuel gauge



sirs im just a newbie can you tell 1 by 1 where should i tapped on my dashboard wires thank you so much

Reply 3 : how to install cheap fuel gauge



Yellow / Lime wire going to the Gauge should work.



...



why don't you just get a new fuel gauge from the salvage yard and swap it with your existing one instead of cutting wires? the fuel gauge is only held in by 2 or 4 screws in the cluster...





If the Yellow / Lime wire doesnt work .. there are only two more wires that control the gauge level:



>> Yellow / Red



>> Brown ( Ground )



I'm almost positive the Y/L wire is the wire though because its the only one on the circuit that is a Rheostat (Potentiometer -- Variable Resistor)

Reply 4 : how to install cheap fuel gauge



once you get the function of the gauge to work, the next step is to hook up the illumination.



Best, safest way to do this is to get a fuse tap (http://www.advanceautoparts.com/1/1/...rt-bp-hhh.html)



Pull the coin try off on the left side of your dash, Remove the GAUGE fuse and install the Fuse Tap. hook the 10A fuse into the top of the tap, and run your (+) Wire to the fuse tap and Crimp it in place.



For the ground, it can go almost anywhere. Any good BODY ground. Make sure you dont mistake plastic for a good ground, this will not work. You can run a wire over near the fuse panel, and where the coin try bolts in (Phillips head screws) Those are good grounding points. Where your Radio attaches to the dash those are good grounding points... you get the picture



Good Luck, and let me know if you have any more problems!

Friday, March 25, 2011

power steering fluid leak



I took my 1996 V6 Camry in for an oil change at the stealership and they told me that my power steering fluid was a little low. I have not noticed any leaking fluids in my garage. The car is steering normally and does not make any noise when turning. My car only has around 85,000 miles on it. I was told that leaking fluid may be sign that the power steering pump and rack are going bad. They wouldn't tell me for sure since I refused to pay them a $60 diagnosis fee.



Given the age and mileage of my car, what is a probable cause for a power steering fluid leak? What kind of tests can be done to determine the condition of my power steering pump and rack? I assume that I need to get the hoses checked since they are original.



I do not know much about power steering so any advice would be appreciated.

Reply 1 : power steering fluid leak



Usually it's the seals in the PS pump that wear out and cause the leak. You can either rebuild the PS pump yourself by getting the seal kit or buy a new/reman pump.

Reply 2 : power steering fluid leak



Try Lucas Power steering fluid first. Its great stuff and it stops leaks becuase it's so think. I used it because I was bleeding powersteering fluid. It slowed the leak dramatically. I found the problem later (i never tightened the bolt to the power steering pump) and its been fine ever since. You can also add some flourescent dye to your reservoir and check the source of the leak with a UV light.

Goodluck

Reply 3 : power steering fluid leak



there a crush washer on the ps pump that normaly goes bad. that and the clamps they use. i have a leak too mine getting kind of bad i need to retop off about every 2 weeks or so.

Reply 4 : power steering fluid leak



i took my car to the workshop because of a leek they apparantly changed the pump, still leaked pretty seriously too. a friend told me it was the pressure hose. went to get a suspension check the mechanic wanted to charge me $350 for a new pump.. he can shove it up his ass

Reply 5 : power steering fluid leak



i took my car to the workshop because of a leek they apparantly changed the pump, still leaked pretty seriously too. a friend told me it was the pressure hose. went to get a suspension check the mechanic wanted to charge me $350 for a new pump.. he can shove it up his ass

Reply 6 : power steering fluid leak




Quote:







Given the age and mileage of my car, what is a probable cause for a power steering fluid leak?


Wear and tear is the usual cause...unless the car was beat on or the steering was run low on fluid. The fix is to replace parts as needed. The power steering pump is the usual problem since it has most of the moving parts.



As an aside, i have some comments on prevention being worth-a-pound-of-cure about many car problems, so here they are. You cant stop wear but i think you sure can slow it down a lot with just a little bit of work. Most people know they have to check the power steering fluid once in a while but few people ever take the trouble to change it.



The manufacturer is of little help here since they will tell you this fluid never needs to be changed. And strictly speaking, it doesnt, since the car will still run long enough to get out of the warranty period (and after all, this is all the car manufacturer is concerned about). But for you and me, who are mostly concerned about driving the car for a million billion miles til we are forced to buy a new one - the end result is that on most cars, the same factory fill of p/s fluid is in there for the life of the car. And we all know what causes the most wear to mechanical parts: dirt and other contaminants. As a result, any dirt that gets in, stays in, and important anti wear additives in the fluid eventually wear out. dirty, worn out fluid is not doing much for your car except speeding up the wear process.



As a result...I simply refresh my power steering and brake fluid, at every other oil change to get some of the dirt out and get some new fluid and additives in. By "refresh" i mean i suck the old stuff out of the reservoir with a 99 cent turkey baster, and then top it up with new fluid. Do this 3 or 4 times and you've pretty much changed the fluid. (Its alot easier to me than unbolting hoses and all that and just about as effective.) If you refresh once in a while (its never too late or too early to start doing this) i think you will remove or eliminate ost or all of the dirt that causes wear and help your car last a little bit longer. And save yourself some money and trouble too later.






Quote:







i took my car to the workshop because of a leek they apparantly changed the pump, still leaked pretty seriously too. a friend told me it was the pressure hose. went to get a suspension check the mechanic wanted to charge me $350 for a new pump.. he can shove it up his ass


sorry for the bad experience, hope you found a better mechanic!

Reply 7 : power steering fluid leak



I just had a very expensive repair done my 1998 Camry V6 @ 115k. I was also losing power steering fluid, and the independent mechanic ended up replacing the power steering rack as well as rebuilding the power steering pump. Ouch! He also replaced some of the hoses. He said the reason was the fluid never got changed. Word to the wise: flush the power steering fluid and the brake fluid regularly even though the manual doesn't say so.

Reply 8 : power steering fluid leak



I have a severe power steering leak on my 1994 4-cylinder Camry (full reservoir lasts only about 4 hours). It may be too late for it, but after reading positive postings on this site, I was going to try Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak. Does anyone know where it can be purchased in Canada or, failing that, where on-line? The leak is on the steering wheel side of the car, not the reservoir. My mechanic said it would cost almost $800 if all 3 power steering lines need to be replaced. (He has inspected the underbody, but is still not sure where the leak is coming from). Any info or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Reply 9 : power steering fluid leak



As a follow-up: I found this on Canadian Tire's website for $11.99. I am going to try it and will post again to advise how it turned out. Meanwhile, if anyone knows of a reliable mechanic in the Toronto area who can deal with this type of problem, please let me know. I think mine may be past his prime.

Reply 10 : power steering fluid leak



The pump was replaced about three years ago, and now power steering fluid is still leaking. Not that seriously leaking, but kind of annoying.

My HL doesnt seem to believe in DST!!!



Hey guys, a couple weeks ago we changed the clocks for daylight savings time. My truck never seemed to change on its own.



I remember when changing the clocks in the fall it didnt do it, but I figured that was the first time and the DST must have not been on. I know I went through all the menus, and checked DST ON, but it didnt change this time around either!



I'm wondering if I'm missing something? Any special tricks to this?

Next time I'm in the truck I'll write down the exact steps I've taken.



Thanks