Ugly Toyota Timing Belt

[jdmidwest]

I have had a chattering noise in the front of the engine for a little while but could not pinpoint it. Could not tell if the timing belt had ever been changed, should be changed every 70k, odometer at 225k. Coming home tired and wore out from the gun show a week ago Sunday nite, I heard a noise and the temp gauge started rising. It stabilized and was not leaking bad, tried to limp on to town instead of walking (left cell phone at home that day). Finally about a mile out of town running 60, she sputtered and dies, coasted in to a gravel lot. I had to hoof it back into town. Here is the mess, timing belt still in one continous piece, held together by steel cords. Idler and water pump seized up, belt tensioner blown up with ball bearings all over the inside. Belt melted to the components, not sure what really failed or was a combo of all. $400 in new parts and some labor, back on the road and running good so far. Word to the wise, if you have a belt, check it from time to time. My engine was the "non destructive type" luckily, no damage to pistons, heads, or valves.

[gotmuddy]

Your incredibly lucky. If that happens to my TDI the motor is ruined.

[David Unnerstall]

Timing belts and impellors for outboards: you will replace them in your garage or out on the road/water.

[patfish]

What model and year is your Toyo JD?

[jdmidwest]

It is a 1999, one of the non interference motors. When it shot craps, my mechanic thought it would be valves and pistons and head work. But when we found out that from 1996 up it did not affect it to lose the timing belt at high speed, I started breathing a little easier.

When we cracked it open yesterday and I looked at the mess, my only thought was "wow". Looks like the tension idler was failing and causing the other failures. Everything was fused together and all the bearings were locked up from the heat of the belt. Except for the cam bearings, they were intact and unharmed. It is really a rugged design. I have grown to love Toyota engineering in the past 2 years.

[mhall02]

That is why I prefer the vehicles with the timing chain (i.e Jeep 4.0 inline six and a Chevy 6.0 V-8).

[taxidermist]

Lucky, no more than 100K.