I'm Gutted

[tony4]

My mechanics says he can charge me £150 for changing a cambelt on my tubby. But then he said he doesn't have the hydralic tensioner......I need to find somewhere to get my cambelt change...

The most annoyed thing is he put the BEST SEMI SYNTECTIC oil into my baby I told him I want the best oil in the market like Mobil 1 or Castrol GTX?

Anyway, will my car go KABOOM?? or should I change it in 2000miles...

[Jimlad]

why would it go boom ?

[tony4]

because is semi syntectic.... bad lubrication and cooling for turbo

[Dame]

No Semi Synthetic should be fine, GTX Magnatec is semi synthetic anyway, and in the workshop manual, no mention of synthetic oil is made whatsoever.

[tony4]

But i will change it as it hits 2000miles... i have this turbo toasting in the back of my mind everytime i boost it...

But you have comfort me in someway..thanks Dame...

Oh, you did mention about your friend did the cambelt for you earlier. Did he use hydralic tensioner?

[Dame]

TBH Tony, I don't know about the Cambelt. However, looking at the service manual, i don't think there is any need for a tensioner. However, I will be changing the belt on the White GT over the next few weeks, so well find out what is needed then. hoping to do it with the engine in the car.

You shouldn't have to change your engine oil to 4,000 miles. I wouldn't bother earlier.

[mattmr2]

What is this hydralic tensioner you talk of..... I have changed several cam belts and needed no special tools..... The tensioner used on the cam belt can be compressed in a vice, pinned in position and released once in situ..... not difficult really. I'll look in to the oil thing - which specifically was is?

[JappyBeast]

I heard that if your cam belt went, its just a tow home with no damage to the valves etc..

[tony4]

Thanks Matt and Dame. I have told my mechanic about the vice & pin method, he seems to realise how easy it will be and he said it is the same as Renault Megane.

According to his service book, there's no need to take the engine out. Only one side of the engine mount. I hope my baby is in a good hand.

[tony4]

I wouldn't risk it Jappybeast.

Someone did try it and with a sad ending story, this is what I have read somewhere on the net.

My dad is the one of the stubborn guy I ever known of, he hasn't change his cambelt on his Toyota Celsior (Lexus LS400) and it is running at 180,000miles on his V8 4.0litre... it is still running smoother than a merz or bmw.

[DeusMR2]

the 3s engines were a non-interference design which means that the pistons had valve shaped cutouts in them, so if the cambelt broke then "supposedly" there would be no damage to the pistons. I wouldnt reccommend you test out this feature though...

[Dame]

Jappybeast, i agree with Tony over cambelt damage. Although in theory being a non-interference engine, the cambelt snapping shouldn't cause any damage, it all depends on how many rpm you are doing at the time of the break. Valve stems etc. can get bent if the belt breaks at high speed.

Tony, it is true you don't have to remove the engine to do the belt, just the engine mount. It's a tight fit in there, but it can be done, it's just not a particularly fun job.

I've never heard of the tensioner either, only the one that as Matt says sits as part of the assemply to apply the correct tension to the belt when it is fitted. From the workshop manual, the job looks pretty straightforward, there are plenty of guides etc. to ensure you get the belt on properly. the big problem is the space (or lack of) issue.

[tony4]

Well, my mechanics dissambled the mount, cover..etc... worked into getting the belt. Then he saw "hydralic tensioner" type pully assembly, he quickly refer to service manual and stated (Special tool required, toyota tools part number ####)

It was a major disappointment for him and he doesn't want to risk it, so he put everything back together and change the oil and air filter.

At the end of the day, he just charge me for the oil and air filter. No labour fee at all, all he want is just some drinks.... TOPMAN...

My baby has booked in for the 3rd cambelt change attempt next monday .First was cambelt out of stock, 2nd was stupid "hydralic tensioner"...i don't know what next..

Dame, your white Mr2 is a NA so i hope it will be alot easier to replace the belt. But have fun with your white mr2, best bargian I've ever heard.

Finally... Many thanks to everyone that helped me on my mr2....

[midmotorsteve]

he's not a very good mechanic then, i'm a biomedical scientist and i had no trouble with the tensioner, i followed the manual but inserted "vice" in place of hydraulic press, to reset the tensioner and it all worked fine.

[tony4]

Well...sometimes you have to look at it in a different angle.

If he is as intelligent as you, he wouldn't be just a mechanic fixing cars everyday.

[Dame]

My experience with the Toyota workshop manuals is that they frequently refer to various "special" Toyota tools. these can often be supplimented by normal tools that do exactly the same job. We know how much Toyota like to charge for parts and god only knows what they charge for their special tools. Another licence to print money.....

Hopefully the N/A will be a little easier, though TBH, there isn't really all that more room around that particular part of the engine. Will be fun though - can't wait ......!!

[midmotorsteve]

ha ha, don't know about that, he probably earns more than me! :D