scaesare

So, I think my timing belt went on my '97 4Runner with the 3.4... it had 115K on it, so was overdue.

A buddy has parts for a 2000 4Runner that he ended up selling before doing the job. I'm trying to confirm they are what I'd need. I'm going to go try and look these up online myself, but thought I'd throw out here to make sure I don't miss anything.

He has:

-Timing belt #13568-69095
-Idler sub-assy # 13505-62070
-Tensioner assy #13540-62021

1) Can anybody confirm if those are correct for the 3.4L 5VZ

2) Other than a water pump, anything else I should also get while doing the job?

3) If he has the tensioner, do I need the Snap-On compressor tool? (I've heard I need it for the A/C comnpressor?)

Thanks for any insight... I'm off to research.

-sc

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

You are lucky that engine is not an interference motor, I just got done doing a head on a Civic at work for the same issue. Your buddies 2000 4runner will have the same t-belt as yours. Might think about adjusting the valves also.

J2F42C

Take a couple of broken belts pics and post them please.

Besides the H20 pump (#16100-69398-83) I would get the upper camshaft idler #13503-62040. If your drive belts, thermostat, thermostat Oring, upper and lower radiator hoses and fan clutch are original, replace them now.

The snap on tool is not need if you are replacing the tensioner. You need a long extension and a 12mm swivel socket to reach the tensioner bolts. Kball has a pic of such, kudos for Elton for coming up with its use.

Those are the correct numbers.

scaesare

Excellent, thanks.

Is there gasket that the timing cover needs as well?

-Steve

J2F42C

Steve,

Unless the gasket has been covered in oil or antifreeze for some time, you should be fine.

I have never seen a TB fail, hence for my curiosity for pics.

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

from what I have seen usually the belt doesn't break, it strips all the teeth off the belt instead.

kball

I agree. I find it hard to believe a timing belt died that young. Has your water pump been leaking for quite a while? Especially being the first which means all OEM parts.

scaesare

Well...

Belt is fine. All cam and crank marks are fine, thus it didn't jump.

The bad news is this means I don’t know what to attribute the noise to.




No oil in coolant.
No coolant in oil.
No metal particles in oil.

The no particles/metal shavings in the oil leads me to believe that I didn’t lose lubrication anywhere, or have a rod bearing or ring go.

I wonder if a CPS starts going if it could cause bad injection timing leading to what sounds like mechanical failure, or if the computer would just shut it down. I know hte computer is SUPPOSED to stop it if the CPS stops sending pulses, but wonder what happens if it gets erratic?

Got a check engine light when I limped her home, so I guess I'm off to get a scanner.

Any other suggestions appreciated.

-sc

J2F42C

Get the code to see where to go from there.

scaesare

Codes:

301: Cyl #1 misfire
171: Bank #1 lean

I suspect I had an injector go. I just had to replace another in the same bank within thie last year...

Sure sounded mechanical though.

I believe the FSM has a test for checking the injector coil with an ohm meter... time to dig that up.

-sc

J2F42C

I would guess such. However, before buying an injector, switch the coils around and see if it is not one of them that is throwing the code first.

Are the O2 sensors original?

scaesare

My #1 coil pack stem was melted. Down inside the head, the plug was just sitting there (along with the metel core of the coil pack stem), no longer threaded in to the head:



The threads in the head are gone. The tip of the plug itself is still intact. It's as if the plug was just blown out of the head. I replaced these plugs about 18K miles ago, and believe they were all torqued down correctly. The other two plugs were still tight.

I'm debating if I want to pull the head to inspect the cylinder.

So, my chooices would seem:

1) Pull head and tap new coil threads

2) Pull head and replace head.

3) Scrap it and buy a new rig,

Sigh.

-sc

J2F42C

Have you tried to remove it counterclockwise at all?

If you know the threads are gone, and they can't be chased, and you have no qualms about removing the head (might as well do the TB/H20 pump now), I would take it to a machine shop. You may be able to insert a sleeve in it with the head still on. Take it to a mechanic or machine shop in the truck first if possible.

If you are close to a used head, that may be ideal (www.car-part.com)

I was hoping you would only be out $60 for a new coil pack.

Keep us informed.

scaesare

If I'm understanding what you mean, there was no need to try to remove it... it was just sitting in the bottom of the tube. It had been blown out of the head.

As best as I can tell, all of the threads are gone. If I had not torqued it correctly (i.e. galled threads when installing the plugs), and the plug was working it's way out, then I'd only expect the lsat few threads to be ripped out.

I bought a "Plug Saver" from the parts store, and of course the tap it comes with has a 19mm hex head on it.... the largest that will fit down the plug tube is 18mm.

I've removed the valve cover to see if I can remove the tube, but they appear to be pressed in to the head.

At this point I'm debating how much further to go with a 15 yr-old truck with almost 200K on the engine...

-sc

J2F42C

Good luck with it.

This link may be of some help for ya:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...-timeline.html

scaesare

So I took off the valve cover in order to try and remove the spark plug tube (you can see the three in the pic below) to try to get access to the plug hole threads. No deal, the tubes are pressed in to the head and there to stay:



So I did the next logical thing: I ground down the tap head so an 18mm socket would fit on it. I then cut the new threads in the head.

I packed the tap in grease to capture most of the shavings. I fashioned an adapter (duct tape!) so a piece of vacuum hose fit on my shop vac and sucked out as much additional would come out of the cylinder.

I then went three rounds of spraying down the newly cut threads with parts cleaner to remove all the remaining grease and shavings, vacuuming out the cylinder each time. I chased the threads with the clean tap one more time, and then sprayed/vacuumed one last time. I positioned the crank with the exhaust valves open, and using a rubber stopper with hole in the middle (from a beer brewing project), blew out the cylinder with my compressor.

I then drained the oil pan again in case any solvent seeped down, and refilled the crankcase with oil.

Finally I re-installed the valve cover and, with the plug out, cranked the engine over with the starter to help blow out anything remaining.

I then installed the thread insert using some high-temp epoxy on the threads, and set them with the included tool. Now it sits over night…

-sc

scaesare

Thanks man... we'll see what happens.

-sc

J2F42C

Wow; I'll be crossing my fingers for ya.

Now I wonder how that coil really just bit the dust so to say.

scaesare

Yes... or more specifically, what blew the plug out of the head, taking the head threads with it, thus alowing the exhaust gasses to melt the coil?

I'm replacing the injector as well, as I have concern that it may have failed mechanically, leaning out that cylinder.

The scan code read "lean" for that cylinder, but I don't know if that was the cause, or result of, the plug exiting the head...

-sc

scaesare

Now that I have threads back in cyl #1, I did a compression check before going further, only 30 PSI, the other cyl's are 180.

That cylinder got cooked. Looks like that's that.

I have a '97 3rd Gen 4Runner SR5 available for parts in the Northern VA area if anybody's interested...

-sc