How Long Should White Marks Stay on Timing Belt?

[Gebo]

Having some timing issues on my 98 LS400. The timing belt was replaced 2 months ago. Now, there are
no white timing marks on the belt to be seen???

Do they wash off? Are they like disappearing ink?

The reason I am asking is because the guy currently working on my car said the marks are gone and I am wondering
if the first mechanic did something weird.

 

[Spectre694]

It's been a while since I've had to do a timing belt but alot of them don't have the white marks.

The sprockets will still have marks on them and those are what you want to verify anyway the ones on the belt are just supposed to make it easier to see.

 

[The Critic]

Not very long...

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Long enough for you to align it properly

 

[mk378]

Even if the marks were still there and the engine is in time, you would have to turn the engine many many times to bring the crank to TDC at the same time the marks are back to installation position.

 

[Lubener]

The mechanic must have done something shady by washing off the timing marks. Maybe its the the disappearing ink scam.

 

[skyactiv]

Heat makes them disappear on counterfeit timing belts.

 

[The Critic]

Heat makes them disappear on counterfeit timing belts.

Those marks are only there for the initial install.

 

[Imp4]

There is no set time limit for belt markings.
The assumption is until installation is complete and no longer.
Belt markings are not a product performance feature, rather, a potential installation reference and inventory notation convenience.

 

[skyactiv]

Heat makes them disappear on counterfeit timing belts.

I was joking

 

[Number_35]

Are these white marks from the factory to help the installer? I wasn't aware of them.

My big epiphany was learning to mark the old belt while it was in place, and then transferring those marks to the new belt before installation.

I used a yellow paint pen.

Last installed a timing belt in 2014. I wonder if they'll come back into fashion?

 

[Gebo]

On Toyota and Lexus the OEM belts purchased from dealer have several white marks on them to ensure they are being installed properly. I was surprised they are already gone in a couple of months. 3 for crankshaft and 2 for VVT gears.

 

[The Critic]

Those

On Toyota and Lexus the OEM belts purchased from dealer have several white marks on them to ensure they are being installed properly. I was surprised they are already gone in a couple of months. 3 for crankshaft and 2 for VVT gears.

Those marks really aren’t necessary for install. Nice to have, but hardly critical.

 

[cpayne5]

Here's a pic of an OE timing belt on a 2006 Toyota Highlander 3.3 V6. It was my mother's and I was doing a timing belt job on it in August 2012. I set the engine to whatever the FSM spec'd and I noticed that the timing marks aligned perfectly. Better odds than hitting the lottery, but still unlikely so I took a picture. Anyway, the point of the pic is to show that there was still remnants of the marks on a 6+ year old belt after 100k+ miles.

 

[Gebo]

Those

Those marks really aren’t necessary for install. Nice to have, but hardly critical.

Just curious. Have you ever done a timing belt on a 98 LS400? If not, there are some great YouTube’s showing the 2 step process utilizing the 5 timing marks. My Toyota mechanic (30 years experience) is having me buy a new belt because he needs the marks to ensure he can install the belt properly. I guess he’s still learning. LOL

 

[The Critic]

Just curious. Have you ever done a timing belt on a 98 LS400? If not, there are some great YouTube’s showing the 2 step process utilizing the 5 timing marks. My Toyota mechanic (30 years experience) is having me buy a new belt because he needs the marks to ensure he can install the belt properly. I guess he’s still learning. LOL

Not a LS400, but I have done 4.7’s. Similar concept.

 

[Jarpin]

Here's a pic of an OE timing belt on a 2006 Toyota Highlander 3.3 V6. It was my mother's and I was doing a timing belt job on it in August 2012. I set the engine to whatever the FSM spec'd and I noticed that the timing marks aligned perfectly. Better odds than hitting the lottery, but still unlikely so I took a picture. Anyway, the point of the pic is to show that there was still remnants of the marks on a 6+ year old belt after 100k+ miles.

View attachment 62671

The 3MZ-FE (unlike the venerable 1MZ-FE) is an interference motor, so the timing marks had better line up!

 

[mk378]

The FSM should show how many belt teeth are between the marks. You can count the teeth and mark it yourself.

There is a school of thought that any time a timing belt is removed, a NEW one should be put back on.

 

[Asterix]

Timing belts for my Toyota 7M never have marks like those above either from Toyota or Gates. You have to use marks on the crank pulley and cam pulleys to get things lined up, not that it's rocket science. That said, the belt marks are a nice sanity check.

I just reused a belt, but it had under 1000 miles on it before I had to take the engine apart for another reason. If it had less than half its life left, I'd put on a new one just because it's a major operation to replace. The 7M is easy on the timing belt, as even after 60k miles it always looks fine.

 

[jeepman3071]

Having some timing issues on my 98 LS400. The timing belt was replaced 2 months ago. Now, there are
no white timing marks on the belt to be seen???

Do they wash off? Are they like disappearing ink?

The reason I am asking is because the guy currently working on my car said the marks are gone and I am wondering
if the first mechanic did something weird.

If you are having timing issues 2 months after the belt was replaced, that tells me the job was done incorrectly or there is an issue with the parts. Could be a faulty tensioner, belt was installed incorrectly, etc.

Yeah, a non-OEM belt might have marks that aren't printed the same way as OEM, but it shouldn't make a difference. The belt either works and is installed correctly, or it doesn't. A non-OEM belt won't work differently, it just might not last as long.