1hZ timing belt tension spring

Hey Black Stump

I have always had someone else do my timing belt, Reason being is if it fails there is some come back.

May I suggest you also change you water pump, tensioner spring and cam shaft seal as this can be done while it's all apart.

I do this as preventative maintenance.

Cheers Steve.

Bj,

Just had a look in the Gregory's, and it does say that the spring is hard to get off and on.
There is a special tool, but they also say that a strong length of wire with a handle on the end would also do the trick.
I know it is a bit late now but like Steve I always get some one else to do the timing belt. In fact it will be done next Friday. Scott should have the piece of wire ready to go.

Wayne

I did my old 75 series ute years ago. To get it off I think I either used a pair of pointy nose pliers or a small screwdriver to lever it off. Off is the easy bit getting it back on involved copious amounts of swearing and sweating. You use the same principle that you took it off - lever the hook back over - unless you fluke it it will take atleast a dozen attempts (took me about 50). It certainly isn't easy but once you get it apart and see what you need to do I'm sure you'll find a way to get it back on - would be easier if you could get another set of hands for 2 minutes too. Good luck.

If your just changing the belt theres no need to remove the spring.
loosen the tentioner bolts use some kind of a lever to lever the tentioner to its weakest point and tighten the bolts again while holding tention.
slip out the belt
replace and set tentioner up
cheers
whole job takes less than half an hour

Hi, just loosen off and screw out the two bolts that hold the tensioner to the front of the engine [you should be replacing this as well as the belt] the spring will come away and de tension. Now fit the new belt correctly timed with the belt taught on the oppisite side to where the tensioner goes, Fit the tensioner without the spring and torque the bolts and last fit the spring by hooking one end into the hole in the tensioner and stretching the other end on to the hook with a small screwdriver.
Hope this all makes sense.
Regards Ken.

Hi Black Stump

I changed mine recently, and made a special tool for the job. Just grind a groove along the middle of the blade of a small screwdriver, so it won't slip off the pin as you lever the end of the spring over it. Piece of cake then!!

To get the spring off, I used a pair of long-nosed pliers to pull it off. You just have to be a contortionist to get yourself in the right position to get the leverage, unless you have arms like Popeye.

Good luck.
John

this remindfs me of my turbo hilux 2001 when I got stuck half way. The mobile mech showed in the end. I had to remove the tensioner and put it in a vice to close it up and put a drill bit through the hole to keep it in. Replace belt, replace tensioner and remove the drill bit.
So easy but it had me beat. $100 dollar lesson but at least I know now.

Owen

I have done this recently - i used a combination spanner (open end) with a small piece of coat hanger sized wire. I made a hook with the wire and looped the other end around the spanner just inside of the open end. I levered the open end of the spanner against the spring braket with the wire hook around the spring hook to pull it back. This method worked easily (first or second go) for both removal and installation.

Twigiee

Thanks to all replies.

In the end I used wire cutters to pull the spring off.
To put it on required another set of hands to pull the spring using wire and me to locate the spring back in the hole.

A bit hard first time around but all in all an easy enough job to do yourself.

TIP: To ensure you haven't got the the timing out, when you have finished put the vehicle in 5th gear and push it forward manually by hand. Go far enough to rotate the crack shaft one revolution. If this all goes smoothly then you should be right to turn the key and start the motor. If on the other hand you can't push the car foward it probably means the timing is out and a piston is coming into contact with a valve - DO NOT start the motor in this case..else tears!!

Hi everyone,
When I ran out of expletives doing my 80 series I made up a tool using a turnbuckle with a hook to engage the spring at one end and a couple of 'D' schackles at the other end to reach a point near the edge of the inside mudguard in line with the spring direction. I drilled a hole through the lip of the mudguard, drilled a 5mm hole through a 8-10mm bolt, placed it through the hole and put a small 'D' schakle through the 5mm hole and joined the whole lot up and used the turnbuckle to stretch the spring until it was level with the spigot and pushed it across. It seems a long winded explanation but it made the job extremely easy to do then and in the future.
Cheers,
Al-one