YotaTech Forums - 3.0 timing belt pre-replacement questions

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3.0 timing belt pre-replacement questions

Getting ready to replace timing belt/water pump on truck and have been reading some other guides and have a few questions.

Been reading horror stories of removing cam pulleys; needing specials tools and whatnot. My question is do the cam pulleys have to be removed to replace belt and water pump. From pictures it doesnt look like it but maybe I am seeing something wrong. I have done other cars and dont remember needing to remove pulleys. Maybe my memory sucks though. Maybe this truck is different. Just want to know up front.

Also, I do not have a pulley puller for the crank pulley. Is it threaded so I could use my steering wheel puller or should I rent/borrow a dedicated pulley puller?

Getting a timing kit from Napa, water pump, thermostat. Anything else that is a "for-sure" replace while I am in there?

You do NOT need to remove the cam pulleys to replace the belt. You will need to pull the crank pulley to replace belt. You DO want to remove the lower idler (spring or hydraulic, depending on year) and I'd CERTAINLY check both idlers because you don't want to go through that again anytime soon...

I'd recommend you go with the dealer on the water pump & thermostat.

EDITED FOR CORRECTION: You WILL need to pull the crank pulley!

I always replace the cam seals as a cheap precaution against leakage that will ruin the timing belt so I remove the cam pulleys. I made a special tool to remove the pulleys that works great and makes the job simple. For a description of the making of this tool go here: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...l-tool-186081/

In my experience, the crank pulley will have to come off to remove the timing belt as the belt goes around the inner crank timing belt pulley, which is behind the lower timing belt cover. The lower timing belt cover cannot be removed unless the crank pulley is removed. A steering wheel puller will work fine on the crank pulley. Replace the crank seal while you're there.

Bolt the tool onto the crank pulley where the threaded holes (8mm x 1.25) are and it will hit either the floor or frame and stop the crank from turning while you remove or install and torque the crank bolt.

Install the two gold bolts in the tool and it can be use to hold the cam pulley from turning while loosening or re-torquing the cam bolts. Place the gold bolts through the openings between the spokes of the pulley and then use a pipe on a breaker bar to loosen the cam bolt while you hold the tool to keep it from turning.