- Take the key out of the fob. Right above the key portion of your key fob is a tiny metal button.
- Activate the fob.
- The green circuit board should be removed.
- Refresh the battery.
- Place the key inside the fob after putting the fob back together.
In This Article...
When should a Toyota Tacoma’s timing belt be changed?
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.
Can I change the timing belt on my own?
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
- a fresh timing belt
- Set of Allen keys
- a fresh water pump
- Tip-Ex, white chalk, and white paint (for marking the cogs for simpler reassembly)
- jar or bucket (for collecting coolant)
- leather gloves
- new antifreeze/coolant
- tools for driving screws, such as Philips and slot drive
- bags made of plastic and a permanent marker (for labelling nuts, bolts and parts you remove from the engine)
Step 1: Preparation
Get your car and work area ready first. Depending on your level of skill, 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.
- To stop the engine from spinning while you’re removing the timing belt, put the engine in drive and use the handbrake.
- Prepare all of your tools, and have bags and a pen on available to name and store the engine parts you remove.
- 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.
- Before starting, make sure the engine is entirely cool.
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:
- Crankshaft pulley: Loosen. To access the engine and remove the bolt, you’ll need a long wrench arm.
- 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.
How much does a Toyota Tacoma belt replacement cost?
Timing belt replacement price range for the Toyota Tacoma. Timing belt replacement for a Toyota Tacoma typically costs between $633 and $949. While parts are priced between $389 and $640, labor costs are predicted to range between $244 and $308.
A timing belt’s lifespan is 200 000 miles.
That concludes our examination of the timing belt’s nature, operation, and significance. Can a timing belt travel more than 200 000 miles? Not at all. And to be honest, unless you have a junker that you don’t mind giving up, you really shouldn’t try this out in person. Expect severe engine damage if you continue to drive your automobile with a timing belt that is worn out, installed incorrectly, or otherwise flawed.
The cost of replacing your timing belt is by no means a cheap one. You’ll have to pay several hundred dollars, or in some cases nearly or more than a thousand. But this is little compared to the $2,000, $3,000, or even higher needed to rebuild a broken timing belt-related engine that has failed. Who would have thought that this tiny piece of rubber could fail and give you such heartache?
Before a timing belt breaks, is there a warning?
You should keep an eye out for certain telltale warning indications that your timing belt is likely to fail, such as ticking noises, difficulty starting the vehicle, piston misfires, exhaust smoke, excessive vibrations, and oil leaks.
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.
Will my engine be destroyed if my timing belt breaks?
First of all, how could you possibly predict when your timing belt will fail? Your car cannot function at all without a timing belt, which is really fairly basic. The automobile will quickly break down if the belt breaks while you’re driving, and your engine could sustain extremely catastrophic damage. In order to take action before it is too late, you need to be on the lookout for warning signs and symptoms of a weakening timing belt. These include your engine making loud clicking or screaming noises, misfiring, and not starting at all.
What symptoms indicate timing belt issues?
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.
How long does a timing chain on a Tacoma last?
The timing chain should be changed between 80,000 and 120,000 miles, barring a specific defect. Chain issues are common in vehicles with higher mileage. Watch for indications that the timing chain is failing if you have an older or high-mileage vehicle. It’s crucial to be able to identify the symptoms and get the timing chain serviced before it completely fails since the timing chain may break and need to be replaced.
How frequently should a Toyota Tacoma timing chain be changed?
Older cars might have a timing chain, which is comparable to a motorbike chain and has a lifespan of about 60,000 miles. For robustness and long life, more recent models use timing belts consisting of polyurethane and Kevlar. Although they can last up to 100,000 miles, it’s always a good idea to change them before that.
Has a Toyota Tacoma has a timing belt or a chain?
The Toyota Tacoma has a variety of engines with either a timing belt or a timing chain from the model years 1995 to 2021. Both interference and non-interference engines are also present.
Does the timing belt resemble the serpentine belt?
The alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, and (sometimes) water pump are some of the engine accessories that are powered by the serpentine belt, a long rubber belt.
Serpentine belts are sometimes referred to as fan belts or accessory belts. This is due to the fact that earlier automobiles had many drive belts connecting the engine to the accessories (such as the radiator fan).
But in current cars, all the accessories are often powered by a single belt that passes through several pulleys.
The most reliable and effective method is to use just one belt, but this also means that if your car’s serpentine belt breaks, everything stops operating. The A/C will stop working, your battery will eventually fail, and the engine could overheat. Additionally, it might harm the engine accessories that it regulates.
This is why it’s crucial to change your serpentine belt on a regular basis.
Serpentine Belt vs. Timing Belt
Be careful not to confuse a timing belt with a serpentine belt. Your car’s timing belt and serpentine belt serve quite distinct purposes.
The timing belt, which is housed inside the engine, maintains alignment between the crankshaft and camshaft. As a result, the engine operates smoothly because the intake and exhaust valves open and close in sync with the pistons.
The engine accessories are kept working smoothly and effectively by the serpentine belt. It links all of the engine’s accessories to the crankshaft on the outside of the engine.
When examining the grooves, it is simple to distinguish between the two. The horizontal “teeth” of a timing belt are shaped to fit the crankshaft and camshaft cogwheels. Multiple V-shaped grooves run vertically along a serpentine belt’s length.
Ask your mechanic or check the owner’s handbook to determine if you also need to change your timing belt at the same time as these other belts, as they frequently need to be replaced at the same time.