Timing belt

Are any of them interference engines? If so when it breaks it's too late.

OP I'm not familiar with your engine but if it's an easy engine to do the timing belt on I'd try one of the $50. kits with a non interference engine. When I drove an '88 Escort it was so easy to change the belt that I used Auto Zone Duralast belts/water pumps and only changed the water pump every other belt change. I was doing 100K mile change intervals. The '88 went 518K miles and I never changed the tensioner.
No don’t believe so. I know my truck isn’t. Don’t believe any of them are.
 
I've thought of it. I have no reason to think it'll last another 100k. Then again, I have no reason to think it wouldn't. It's old but maybe it's got another 4 years left in it? No rust, no dents, and most everything still works. $125 to ensure another 4 years? It's almost pocket change if I do it myself.

But I do try not to be attached to it. It's just a car, when a repair outweighs the cost of replacement, then I need to move on.
how much would recovery or disposal cost if the belt breaks away from home? Seems to me that's the risk involved...
 
Yes, breakage from home would be annoying. Pre-pandemic I'd take this car anywhere, which often meant weekly trips 100 miles from home. Post pandemic I'm hoping to visit my parents and that'd be 1,000 miles from home. This is a low cost job for a shop but have to figure, Murphy's law and all, any breakage will be at the worst moment and involve a hotel stay.
 
take the top cover off and inspect the belt. should be a 10 minute job including starting and stopping the engine a few times (or turning the crank with a wrench) so you can inspect it all. Also inspect the tension on it. If it's in good condition, go with it.
 
Are any of them interference engines? If so when it breaks it's too late.

OP I'm not familiar with your engine but if it's an easy engine to do the timing belt on I'd try one of the $50. kits with a non interference engine. When I drove an '88 Escort it was so easy to change the belt that I used Auto Zone Duralast belts/water pumps and only changed the water pump every other belt change. I was doing 100K mile change intervals. The '88 went 518K miles and I never changed the tensioner.

When compared to an Escort, it's harder to change the belt on one of these Camrys, but the water pump is easier to change.
 
Thinking about doing the timing belt on my car. It's nearly due after 4 years / 81k, might as well tackle it while it's still parked. It's rated for 90k.

Was thinking about a TBK kit so as to get the Aisin water pump, but I'm not sure if NPW makes ok water pumps? I found a similar kit that seems ok on eBay; while I'm tempted to go with the TBK as that is what I used last time, if NPW is good enough... then I could save a few bucks. It's $190 vs $125 or so. [The really cheap kits are under $50!]

For the record it's for a 5S-FE which is *not* an interference engine. Both kits use a Mitsuboshi belt. Only looking to get a few more years out of this car, had half a mind to trade out of this car *before* doing this job again, but the used car market is nuts right now.
Back in the day, we would replace Toyota water pumps at every other timing belt job. If the current pump is of decent quality and functioning fine, why not just install a new timing belt?
 
Back in the day, we would replace Toyota water pumps at every other timing belt job. If the current pump is of decent quality and functioning fine, why not just install a new timing belt?
Usually the advice is to do the WP, almost the same amount of time. I did use an Aisin so it should still be good and all. I also did the oil pump o-ring and seal, but I don't think I did crank and cam seals when I was in there 4 years ago.
 
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