99SC4Runner

I'm replacing the timing belt and water pump on my3.4 and would like to know if anybody can tell me how to remove the timing belt tensioner or has some pics of it being removed? I don't have the special tensioner tool from Snap On, I wish I did.

Thanks,
Doug

Jdizzydub

Is your timing belt toast and water pump not working or are you just keeping up with preventive maintenance??

I'm about to change out my belt, but was gonna leave the WP alone since it works fine.

99SC4Runner

I just changed a knock sensor and the knock sensor wiring harness. Since I had the upper timing belt cover off, I figured I'd just do the timing belt since I had one. I noticed that the water pump had leaked a little bit sometime during its lifespan, because there's some caky residue at the weep hole.

I just wanted to know how the tensioner comes off because the Hayne's manual is pretty vague in that area.

dairyjato

you must pull a.c. compressor and bracket to get tensioner off. its kind of a bear. then you have to compress and pin tensioner. to put back on. that little tool would probaly save you 1-2 hours

lexustech

go buy the tool it makes it so much quicker and next time you need it you ll already have it

toy_tek

You don't need the tool and you don't need to remove the ac compressor. You can remove the tensioner in about 5 or 10 minutes.

You can access the two mounting bolts from directly underneath, you will need a wobble extension for the aft bolt. There is a plastic wire loom that mounts on the front side of the oil pan with (2) 10mm bolts, you may need to remove those bolts and slide the wire loom toward the drivers side to get access to the tensioner bolt.

Really not that difficult. My original post was in this thread.

99SC4Runner

Once you have the tensioner off, what is the best method to collapse the tensioner so that you can pin it back so that you can install the timing belt once you install the tensioner back onto the engine?

Thanks,
Doug

toytech76

try this. I know a few people who used this method before buying the tool. With the tbelt still in place, take a shop rag and fold it up and stick it between the tbelt and the tensioner. Roll the motor over so the rag gets pinched between the belt and tensioner. As the tensioner compresses from the rag, get a pin to fix the tensioner in place when it is compressed enough. See if that works for you

99SC4Runner

Dang it.....I already pulled the old t-belt and water pump......

toytech76

or ya could of come down to norcal and had me do the whole thing for ya in about an hour. lol

99SC4Runner

Well I got it all back together and no CEL yet....I removed the 2 tensioner mounting bolts and then I understood what was going on.....

Thanks for the help,
Doug

gpcollen1

Someone should have pointed you to (or you should have searched around) for the write-ups and posts for this. They are plentiful. Glad you did ok...