There are numerous specialized tools needed to replace the timing belt on a Toyota Corolla from 1993 to 1997, all of which are accessible at any Toyota dealer. 1.6L 4-cylinders make up the powerplant. Since the engine is freewheeling, any engine damage that would result from the belt stretching over its useful life is very unlikely. Toyota does not specify a period for timing belt replacement, however history and past service use indicate that the timing belt has to be changed every 60,000 miles.
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Step 1
Make sure the battery ground cable does not touch any metal as you disconnect it and set it aside. Use the floor jack to jack up the front of the Corolla and jack stands to support it. Utilizing the lug wrench, take the right wheel off. Using the proper sockets, remove the right splashguard.
Step 2
Utilizing the proper socket, remove the windshield washer reservoir. Use the proper sockets to remove the cruise control actuator after unscrewing it. To alleviate the tension on the belts, loosen the auxiliary drive belt tensioners. Pull the belts away from the pulleys.
Step 3
Lift the floor jack just high enough to contact the oil pan’s bottom in order to support the engine. Use the proper brackets to remove the right engine mount. Remove the air conditioning wires but only the air conditioning compressor’s bolts. Clear a space for the compressor. Using the appropriate sockets, remove the valve cover, top timing belt cover, and middle timing belt cover.
Step 4
Until the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley aligns with the dot on the block at the one o’clock position, turn the crankshaft clockwise. Verify the camshaft’s timing mark. The dot on the head at 12 o’clock should match up with the little hole in the sprocket. The marks will line up if you turn the crankshaft one more time if they are not.
Step 5
Utilizing the holding tool and handle, remove the crankshaft pulley bolt. Utilizing the puller, remove the pulley. Using the proper sockets, remove the lower timing belt cover and belt guide. Verify that the two timing marks are still in alignment.
Step 6
Pull the tensioner away from the belt by loosening the tensioner bolt. Just enough bolt tension should be applied to keep the tensioner out of the way. Lift the timing belt away from the pulleys and sprockets.
Step 7
The tensioner pulley must be removed. Turn the pulley you are holding. Replace it if you hear it squeaking or grinding. Replace it if there is any resistance. Measure the tensioner spring after taking it out. Replace the tensioner spring if it does not measure 1.40 inches from end to end on the 4A-FE engine (the code is on the sticker on the hood) or 1.25 inches on the 7A-FE engine. Install the spring and tensioner pulley. Make that the timing markers are still in alignment.
Step 8
On the crankshaft, take a look at the timing mark. Install the timing belt counterclockwise, starting on the crankshaft, moving up to the camshaft sprocket, and maintaining tension on the belt between the two if your engine has a dot on the block that aligns with a notch in the pulley. Behind the tensioner, lower the belt. The timing belt should be placed at the bottom of the crankshaft sprocket if your engine has a gauge on the block and a notch in the pulley. Install the crankshaft pulley, the bolt, the belt guide, and the lower timing belt cover. Lightly tighten the pulley bolt. Verify that the timing markers on the crankshaft are aligned. Maintain strain on the belt between the two sprockets as you move the belt up to the camshaft in a counterclockwise direction. Remove the plug from the bottom timing belt cover.
Step 9
Bolt tensioner loosening When both timing marks coincide, turn the crankshaft two turns clockwise. The tensioner bolt should be torqued to 27 foot-pounds. Halfway between the camshaft and crankshaft sprockets, apply 4.4 pounds of tension to the belt. Repeat the tensioning procedure if the deflection is not between 0.20 inches and 0.24 inches (Step 9).
Crankshaft pulley bolt removal (if it was reinstalled). In reverse sequence of removal, assemble the remaining components. The crankshaft pulley bolt should be torqued to 87 foot pounds.
How long does it take to change a Toyota Corolla’s timing belt?
It does need some engine knowledge to replace a timing belt and water pump, so if you don’t have much expertise working under the hood, we advise leaving it to the experts. However, if you prefer making your own repairs and restorations, you can do it yourself and avoid paying hefty repair expenses in the process.
Starting with the tools you’ll need, we’ll walk you through the replacement of a timing belt and water pump step by step.
What You’ll Need to Replace the Water Pump and Timing Belt
- Wrench socket set
- tools for driving screws, such as Philips and slot drive
- Set of Allen keys
- jar or bucket (for collecting coolant)
- bags made of plastic and a permanent marker (for labelling nuts, bolts and parts you remove from the engine)
- leather gloves
- Tip-Ex, white chalk, and white paint (for marking the cogs for simpler reassembly)
- a fresh timing belt
- a fresh water pump
- new antifreeze/coolant
Step 1: Preparation
Get your car and work area ready first. Depending on your degree of experience, changing a timing belt and water pump can take anywhere from one to three hours, so make sure you have the time and space necessary. Before you begin, carry out the following:
- To reach the undercarriage beneath the engine, jack up the front of the automobile.
- Since coolant will spill out when you remove the water pump, place a bucket underneath it. To find the pump, see your car’s manual.
- Prepare all of your tools, and have bags and a pen on available to name and store the engine parts you remove.
- Before starting, make sure the engine is entirely cool.
- To stop the engine from spinning while you’re removing the timing belt, put the engine in drive and use the handbrake.
Step 2: Removing the Belts
You must first remove the fan belt and power steering belt because they are located next to the cover that protects the timing belt and water pump. To remove the belts, take the following actions:
- The fasteners holding the alternator in place should be loosened. The fan belt can then be removed by lightly tapping it.
- To access the timing case and crankshaft pulley, do the same with the power steering belt by moving it aside.
- Crankshaft pulley: Loosen. To access the engine and remove the bolt, you’ll need a long wrench arm.
How long do Toyota Corolla timing belts last?
Although they can last up to 100,000 miles, it’s always a good idea to change them before that. The valves, pistons, and other internal engine components can sustain significant damage in the event of a belt failure.
What occurs when a Toyota Corolla’s timing belt fails?
With a broken timing belt, your automobile cannot operate. You won’t be able to drive at all by the time the belt snaps because the harm has already been done. The vehicle will need to be towed to an auto repair facility.
How can I tell if my timing belt needs to be replaced?
Even though you might not pay much attention to it, your car’s timing belt is crucial to how it works mechanically. An internal engine part called the timing belt ensures that each cylinder fires at the proper moment by synchronizing the crankshaft and camshaft rotations. Near the front of the engine, under a timing cover, is where you’ll find your car’s timing belt. Because it’s probably made of high-quality rubber, it will eventually need to be changed. We’ll examine a few typical signs that your timing belt might need repair in this blog.
You Hear A Ticking Noise Coming From The Engine
Your timing belt may be significantly damaged if you hear a ticking sound emanating from the engine of your car. Your car’s timing belt is connected to the crankshaft and camshaft of the engine through a number of pulleys. The connecting rods of the engine, which are connected to the pistons inside the combustion chamber, provide power. The rocker arm assembly and cylinder head valves are controlled by the camshaft, which delivers gasoline to the combustion chamber. The exhaust manifold is the next point of exit for the released gases. Your car’s timing belt may start to twitch inside the engine when it begins to wear out. This can potentially be a symptom of low oil pressure.
Your Car’s Engine Won’t Turn Over
Your car’s engine won’t start or turn over properly if the timing belt is damaged or nonreplaceable. As a result, even though you might hear the starter motor turn on when you turn the key, it won’t fully ignite because the timing belt is what drives the crank and shaft. You won’t be able to operate your car at all if your timing belt breaks. The timing belt frequently fails when the car is in motion. Rocker arms, push rods, and valves on cylinder heads may sustain catastrophic damage as a result.
You Notice An Oil Leak Near The Motor
An oil leak is another typical indicator that your timing belt needs to be replaced. Your car may be experiencing an oil leak if you start to see it around the engine; these leaks frequently originate from the timing belt cover. A number of nuts and bolts may hold your timing belt cover in place, but it’s very possible that they could loosen over time. When the gasket between the engine block and timing cover deteriorates or cracks, an oil leak may also happen. This may cause your engine to overheat and necessitate a number of costly repairs.
You Experience Exhaust Issues
There may be a problem with your timing belt if your car’s exhaust has been releasing a lot more smoke than usual. Your engine may try to run under pressure by working harder than it should, which could result in expensive repairs down the road. This extra work causes your car to emit more emissions than it should.
Your Revs Start Acting Up
Your timing belt may be having problems if you’ve observed that your RPMs (revolutions per minute) have started to behave strangely. Your timing belt’s condition, including any missing teeth or a complete break, can have a significant impact on your car’s RPM meter.
Unfortunately, sometimes there are no overt indications that the timing belt in your car needs to be repaired. Because of this, highly regarded mechanics advise changing your timing belt every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. You can also look for the manufacturer’s advice in your owner’s manual.
Should a timing belt be used to replace the water pump?
Many modern engines now use timing belts instead of timing chains. The appropriate sequential operation of the crankshaft, pistons, and valves is guaranteed by both belts and chains. Compared to chains, belts are more efficient, lighter, and quieter.
Unless your vehicle has a time chain, which doesn’t often need repair, both parts are essential to the vehicle’s correct operation and should be replaced on a regular basis. See how these parts function below, along with information on the internal parts of the timing belt and water pump system that are related to them.
For information on when to replace your water pump and timing belt, consult your owner’s manual, or stop by and speak one-on-one with one of our service specialists. In general, whenever the timing belt is changed, the idler pulleys, tensioner, and water pump should also be replaced. Since the water pump is often driven by the timing belt, now is the ideal time to replace it. In addition, the manufacturer advises it.
A WORD FOR THE SMART. When requesting a “over-the-phone estimate for replacing a timing belt and/or water pump,” use caution. Less reputable businesses will offer you what appears to be a wonderful price to entice you in and not disclose the “full picture” (see above). The vast majority of the time, it is cost-effective and complete maintenance to replace the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, and idler pulley (where equipped) all at once. This is because, if one element needs replacement, the others are typically not far behind. For details, consult your owner’s handbook.
Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)
Let’s get to it: The less honest repair shop provides you a lowball estimate to replace the timing belt or the water pump with little to no labor and little to no cost for parts. When they get you in and your car is disabled on the hoist, they dial your number and ask, “Guess what you need? You guessed ityou need the complete timing belt and water pump package, which also includes the new idler pulley and new timing belt tensioner that your quote ought to have originally included! Hello!
Because you frequently need to remove the water pump in order to access the timing belt, the labor cost difference to perform both units at the same time is practically nonexistent in most vehicles! When compared to having to pay all that labor AND the expense of a water pump in the not-too-distant future when the water pump blows up, the cost of most water pumps is small.
In our humble opinion, it is misleading not to provide you with an accurate estimate of the total cost to replace the water pump, the timing belt, and any other small ancillary parts at the same time.
How much does a Toyota Corolla timing belt replacement cost?
Belts don’t cost a much by themselves. Since many pieces must be removed in order to reach the belt, labor is where the true expense lies. Your best chance is to shop about and compare prices, but be prepared to pay anything between $409 and $919. (including parts and labor).
How long does a timing belt replacement take?
Timing belt replacement is a pricey service. Depending on the vehicle, it is a complex, time-consuming process that can take 48 hours. However, repairing the timing belt before it breaks will avoid engine damage and ultimately cost you less money.
How much does a Toyota Corolla timing chain replacement cost?
Timing chain tensioner replacements for Toyota Corollas typically cost between $218 and $240. While materials are priced at $132, labor expenses are predicted to range from $85 to $108.