CJM

Ive been hearing a really bad tapping noise coming from the t-belt tensioner area. Once it warms up it gets really loud. Theres nothing else that could be wrong imho besides a bad valve, but at 100k on the engine I doubt this. Specially since its rare on a 3.4L V6.

Just ordered up my t-belt kit from ebay (all oem toyota stuff), all new belts on ebay and I sourced the dealer for the rad hoses and crank bolt. Toyota was $ for them hoses, but I figured if they lasted this long I might as well spend the extra 20/ea for OEM vs dayco or goodyear. Crank bolts 10 bucks tho lol.

Ill be attempting the work in about 2 weeks. Going to try and just yank the crankshaft bolt off with a 3/4 or 1" impact if need be. I suppose I could make the tool or buy the nice tool online but Im already stuck with the t-belt tensioner tool Ill only be using once. Torquing it on..that might be an issue. Course nothing a 3/4 impact cant take care of I guess. Im prob gonna remove the rad and grill so I can do the entire job easier.

Wish me luck!

MudHippy

A what now?

What t-belt tensioning tool would that be? And/or why/how would you be using it to tension the t-belt? And/or why would it not also work for holding the crankshaft(pulley) so you can properly torque the bolt?

rworegon

A 2x4 and a couple of bolts can make a cheap crank holding tool.

http://home.centurytel.net/stevenjac...lt/timing.html

CJM

Its a tool that takes the tension off the t-belt. I had to use it awhile back b/c I had to remove one of the cams.

Number 21 in the link that rworegon posted. Do you need one, not really, but it makes the job easier-if you run into an issue.

Im almost positive my nice 3/4 air impact will make short work of torquing it on

MudHippy

I see. I've never heard of such a thing. I guess(not 100% sure) you could use it on some 3VZ-Es too. Why though? I still haven't a clue. But if you say it makes the job easier, I suppose I'll take your word for it.

My next questions are, how much easier, and is it worth the price? Being as you can most definitely get by without one, and not even Toyota recommends that you use it.

CJM

What I needed it for was the following:
About 3 years ago a plug blew outta my head, after buying the kit to put the insert in I was blowing whatever chips were in there out. I had also had the valve cover off b/c the force of the plug blowing out had busted the valve cover.

Went to crank over the truck (efi fuse removed) to blow whatever out and the rag I had left on the plenum FELL into the exposed cam and got shredded by the gears.

I had to remove them and clean what was left of the rag up. I had to partially remove the T-belt and the only way to get the t-belt back on was to use that little tool b/c I had to take the tension off the thing to get the 1 idler pulley in the middle of the cams back on. It pushes the tensioner against the waterpump iirc, gives you slack.

CJM

T-belt was not the issue, yes it was slightly worn but not really that bad. What was the issue was the crankshaft pulley separated. There is a large puck like pieceof metal in there that I assume just dampens vibrations, its held in when they make the pulley with urethane. this part separated. The noise was this part clattering around

I used a special heavy duty rtv thats actually stronger than anything else I have ever seen(buddy BROKE oil pan on a honda after he put it on and forgot to change the oil pick up and by broke it was literally broken/sheared metal) to glue it back in place. Then I loctited two grade 8 bolts in there to make sure it didnt go anywhere. Course now i couldnt even do anything else but run it home with a 3/4 impact gun.... bolts filled the holes where the tool woulda gone and I was using a chain wrench to hold it.

Otherwise everything was changed out, waterpump, theromostat, all belts, etc. No other issues. Infact waterpump wasnt leaking at all and the dealer (who did the last t-belt according to the previous owners records) had just siliconed it on.

I just pray nothing breaks, but the cost of a toyota crank pulley is 300 and dorman is 200 so for now I think Ill wait and see.

1997taco

Did it still tap at higher rpms? Mine is doing the same thing except while you are driving it doesn't tap until it goes back to idle

CJM

The tap was totally unrelated to the timing belt, was the stupid crank pulley coming apart. No more taps since I fixed everything.

1997taco

Ok did you have to take off all the timing covers to get to the pulley? I'm new to these motors

CJM

Not at all. Pulley is out in the open. Just need to remove all belts, fan, fan shroud and fan pulley I recall. If you have the special tool to make one to hold the pulley you dont need to remove the radiator. I removed the rad and fit a 1/2 impact in there to yank the bolt off.