Time to change Timing Belts?

[tryme]

my 99 e21 has been a trooper.  really love it.  and I have been putting off doing the timing belt cause of some of the nightmare stories I have read.  the boat is no where near a Lexus/Toyota dealer that I would trust.  I am mechanical in that I have torn down my 92 300zx down to the manifolds.  I have seen the documentation on doing it and it seems like work but just don't know if there are any gotchas in the process.  I don't want to do the work and then find out that something was missed in the walk through and wham engine is trashed.  I only have 305 hours on the motor.  I haven't pulled the covers to look at the belts I plan on doing that in a couple weeks when I can finish winterizing it.  for people who have done it themselves is it worth it or should I bite the bullet and try to find a dealer?

[Water Sports]

Its not that bad, I'm a parts changer not a mechanic, done several.  Just need crankshaft holder to torque the main pulley.  I'd check the belt.  Where are you located?

[schick613]

I replaced my timing belt earlier this year it took me about 3 hours to replace it.  I got the directions from my local library just logged in and printed the instructions for a timing belt replacement for a 2000 Lexus LS400.  Also it looks like Auto Zones website has a maintenance section that has a instruction manual for removing/install the timing belt here is the link.
(http://www.autozone.com/autozone/repairinfo/repairguide/repairGuideContent.jsp?pageId=0996b43f8037916d)

I used a steering wheel puller to remove the crank pulley it worked fantastically.  The instructions I used said to rotate the cams with a special tool to a more stable position and then rotate them back to their original position when reinstalling the belt. I did not have the tool to do this. Instead, I was very careful to not move the engine (cams or crankshaft) from Top Dead Center of cylinder 1 while the belt was off. While the belt was off, I also replaced the water pump (parts came in the timing belt kit). The water pump was hard to get off. I just had to work at it for a while.  I used a torque wench to reinstall bolts to the proper torque (I like to mark the bolts with a paint pen once they have been torqued to make sure I do not miss any).

The boat has run good for me all season since I changed the belt. I had no problem changing the timing belt myself.

[tryme]

thanks sounds like ill give it a shot.   ill start purchasing everything this winter.  I am in Wisconsin boat is up north an hour north of green bay is where the boat is.  thanks for all the advice.  now just need to get a full list of parts.

[Water Sports]

I'm hour south of Green Bay, you can use the crankcase holder.  PM me if you wish.  Doug

[tryme]

thanks ill let you know.  I live in grafton great to know people are close. 

[JIMBO]

check out my post from when i did mine a few months ago there is a youtube video in my last post i found helpful

rock auto had the whole kit for cheap including the water pump (do the water pump while your in there!)

don't forget that RTV sealer stuff

if you have more questions pm me and ill send you my phone number, id be happy to help

[Sammamish Skier]

Definitely change it. The belts don't last forever, and if it fails, the engine is toast. It's worth noting that professionals have gotten the timing belt wrong. When I purchased my boat the belt was off by two teeth on one bank, and the shop that replaced it and left it wrong.  Surprisingly the engine still had a bunch of power, but a really rough idle. Just make sure you have the timing marks lined up.

[JIMBO]

http://www.epicmarine.com/forum4/index.php?topic=2393.0

forgot to add the link to my thread

[tryme]

thanks I am going to get everything together for a pull this spring.  does anyone have a complete list of tools needed?  sizes and so on.  the boat is not near anything so if I am missing a tool I will have to stop.  I saw a need for a 22MM for crank pulley. 

[toyotafreak]

Beg borrow or steal an air ratchet to pull the crank pulley without drama. And read up a bit on said ratchet to estimate how to get to approx the right install torque setting. Otherwise just your normal metric stuff. Bring a copy of the VT300 manual (soft copy) and some internet...get some good bleck rtv from the Toyota dealership.

[JIMBO]

-there are 3 main sockets for almost everything 10 12 and 14 mm i think
-allan keys probably in the 8mm area ? i think it says in the manual
-rtv silicone and a pulley puller (i bought mine from princess auto for cheap and it came with the correct bolts that thread in)
-i didn't pull the throttle body like the manual said and the water pump came off and went back on with ease
-razor blades to clean old gasket off of block where old water pump was
-small tupperware with dish soap and a splash or water to lube up any o rings right before install (this is what wasn't done on mine leading to a twisted water bypass o ring and early failure)
-LISTEN to toyotafreak about the 22mm pulley nut my electric impact wasn't enough to break the bolt free and online a few videos show putting a breaker bar on jammed against a piece of wood then bump starting the motor (broke my breaker bar) luckily i was able to get the mechanic at work to rattle it off. took him 20 seconds with a proper air gun
-torque wrench (i had to buy 2 as the first one didn't go low enough)

take it slow and remove one piece at a time laying them in a row so you can re assemble in reverse order i put every bolt back where it came from or in the removed engine component immediately so i had no doubts as to where they belonged. i did mine over a week just an hour or 2 every night but if you have everything ready you should be able to do it in an afternoon. ill try to post pics later

[Rambling Wreck]

I anguished for a few years about the timing belt. I don't recall any member that changed it saying they got to the belt just before it shredded and the pricing of the parts on the site had become ridiculous. Thanks to the members that found alternative parts, the wonderful pictures posted by DRHRSH and a marine mechanic that I have come to trust completely in Hartwell, Ga., I decided it was time. Well, it was past time considering the belt is supposed to be changed at 10 years and my boat is now 15 years old. I am happy to report that I am glad I got it done.

Had it been just the belt, eh, no big deal. I still look at it and think it had plenty of time. However, the water pump doesn't look good at all. Plenty of rust on the spindle holding the vane and deteriorated overall. Then I think about the pulley bearings that could go bad, etc. I think it was well worth it. My mechanic wanted to tackle the project even though he had no experience with this engine - but who does? I printed the tutorial and he felt confident. I did pucker when he called to say he was having a devil of a time removing the crankshaft bolt. His 500psi air wrench wouldn't do it nor would a friend's 700 psi wrench. I searched the Forum and BOOM - Jimbo's YouTube link to the breaker bar/alternator bump cheat did the trick.

This Forum and its members add so much to experience of owning an Epic. 

[JIMBO]

snapped the head off my brand new breaker bar ! glad it worked for you !!!

[Lakeside]

Check this thread.  M&L in Waterford (west of Racine) changed my timing belt as well.  Tony has done 2-3 other Epic timing belts back when I had mine done, so he is familiar with them.

http://www.epicmarine.com/forum4/index.php?topic=1874.msg15513#msg15513