2.2 D4D Timing Control Method?

[alicecat]

We have recently bought my wife's former lease car, a January 2007 XT5 diesel. So it’s time I learn about how to service it myself.

It had done 65,000 miles so I am wondering whether it is about to damage itself if I don’t change the timing belt soon; this assumes it has a belt and not a chain!

The reason for my puzzlement is that the child in the Toyota service department told me it needs its timing belt changing at 70,000; but I am sure I have read here that the 2.2 D has a chain for valve timing.

I would be most grateful if someone could tell me what it has and what will need changing when.

Thanks in advance.

[shcm]

It's a chain and they are yanking yours.

Perhaps you'd like to ask them to point out the belt on the attached pdf.

Clearly the aux drive (alternator, water pump etc) is a belt.

FTVChain.pdf

[alicecat]

Thanks for that, I suspected as much particularly since the access doesn't seem obvious, as it usually is with a belt.

Is there anything potentially destructive which will need changing (e.g. chain tensioner, etc.)?

[anchorman]

Providing the oil is changed at least every 10k or 12 months, the chain will last the life of the engine.

It might need a serpentine belt at some stage but check it for cuts or nicks.

They last a very long time.

[alicecat]

serpentine belt

That would be the poly-V belt about 30mm wide which I can see on the front end of the engine which drives (at least, I can't see much more) the air-con?

[anchorman]

serpentine belt

That would be the poly-V belt about 30mm wide which I can see on the front end of the engine which drives (at least, I can't see much more) the air-con?

Correct yes. If in doubt change it but if you can see it is OK it can stay on.

[alicecat]

Very kind of you, thanks.

Different question, but while you're there... The coolant header tank markings appear to be nonsense; it sits normally about 2mm below the "MIN" mark. When I top it up to "MAX", it just blows out the excess to sit back at the starting point; no sign of loss (beyond what I have described), discolouration or other nasties. Should I worry?

[anchorman]

Thats a good question. You need to monitor that one as there is a potential for head gasket problems. Don't panic but just keep an eye on it. If it continues as it is OK but if it gets worse, take it to a Toyota dealer and let them look. They are accepting warranty for this problem and sometimes new engines get fitted. If you are unsure, take it in and at least get it logged on their system.

[alicecat]

Thanks for the caution; I will keep my eye on it.

It was in at a Toyota dealer just before Christmas for its 60,000 service (I managed to convince the lease company to do all but the first services at the same main dealer) so hopefully they would have told me if they suspected anything. There is no discolouration or emulsion showing, but I guess if the gasket failure was water to atmosphere or water to combustion chamber then you would keep clean coolant, just ever diminishing quantities. I am pretty sure the level is stable but will stay vigilant; especially if there's a chance of a new engine!

[alicecat]

I thought I should update this thread as I followed Anchorman's advice and took my car into a Toyota dealer. They told me the bad news was that I needed a new head gasket but the good news was there was a Toyota extended warranty on this item and it would be covered at no cost to me.

Due to a conflagration of bank holidays, it was with them for three weeks but they fitted a new block, head and pistons! Not bad for a 65,000 mile, four year old car.

It seems head gasket failure is pretty common on D4D engines around 60,000 miles. I suspect there must be issues bigger than just the gasket. I used to be a foundry engineer for Rover and was partially responsible for the HGF problems with K-series engines; this was an application of a modern knife-edge seal gasket design to a relatively porous casting and would have been much less significant if a traditional compound gasket had been used. Had Rover dealt with customer issues in a similar manner to Toyota with my recent problem, they might still be around today.

[crofter]

Very kind of you, thanks.

Different question, but while you're there... The coolant header tank markings appear to be nonsense; it sits normally about 2mm below the "MIN" mark. When I top it up to "MAX", it just blows out the excess to sit back at the starting point; no sign of loss (beyond what I have described), discolouration or other nasties. Should I worry?

Although mine is an earlier and petrol model,the coolant level has always run at the low mark so I have stopped worrying about it as seems perfectly happy to settle there,so maybe yours will be the same after the repairs.

Del