growler3.0

Hi, Need help thanks.

Just replaced head gaskets on my 92 3vze, and all the other goodies also-
but now I have a grinding bearing noise coming from upper idler.

It`s new along with the water pump, belt tensioner and spring, and timing belt.
Could belt be too tight? I let the new spring take up the tension on the belt, before tightening bolt The bolt is now about 1/8" to the left of center where as the old one was 1/8" to right of center.

How much tension should be on the belt? Whats a good rule of thumb?

Could new idler be bad? Got timing kit on e-bay. Heads were milled slightly for warpage. Was told belt stretches,Driven about 30 miles still makes noise. Thanks,
growler3.0

TNRabbit

Did you ever get an answer on this? I'm not sure what you were talking about with the spring taking up tension before tightening the bolt; which bolt?

Bumpin' Yota

TNR - pre 91 3vz-e's dont have the automatic bolt on tensioner that post 92s have.

Growler, that seems correct and is what I did for mine. I let the spring take all the tension up, then bolted 'er down. The only place i screwed up was using my old spring over again, thus when I pulled my timing cover off yesterday, some 35,000 miles later, there was some slack around the #2 idler (idler btwn the camshaft pullys.) Short of breaking the belt, I dont think you can have the timing belt too tight (within reason.) If an idler is making noise it likely has a shot bearing, so Id replace it.

What really pissed me off about toyota is the last time it had its timing belt serviced they didnt bother to check the idlers, so when I dove in at 230k miles I discovered all of the idlers save the water pump had COMPLETELY shot bearings!

growler3.0

Hey, TNRabbit & bumpin`yota

The bolt I`m referring to is the one you tighten that holds the tensioner after the spring tensions the belt.

It really ticks me off cause both idlers are new which came in a kit from a distributor on e-bay. So last night I loosened the belt tension so much I could turn the large idler by hand, and guess what... it still grinds. I guess they sold me a bad new idler#*%$#@. I will E-mail the guy and let him know. As for now I`m going to have to go back in and tension the belt again cause I don`t think it should be that loose.
Thanks for the reply,
growler3.0

Bumpin' Yota

hmmm i bought a similar kit from a dealer on ebay named parts dinosaur, and everything I got was top notch including his prompt replies. If the guy doesnt do good then do a search for parts dinosaur.