Life Expentancy of Camry Timing Belts

biggoof

From what I've seen, it seems that Toyota recommends replacing the timing belt at about 60,000 miles for all model years. However, I see nothing about replacing it every 60,000 miles. Is there some rationale for only doing it once? Anyone know? Thanks in advance.

Mr_Shiftright

I think they mean 60,000 mile intervals in the owner's service guide. No, you wouldn't want to skip doing it at 120K.

dshepherd3

Later model Camrys after 96 I believe call for 90k interval.

millspd

Hey All,

My mother has a 1998 Camry LE with the 4 cylinder, though she only has 36,000 miles on it. So, she is quite a ways from the 90,000 mile or even the 60,000 mile interval for changing the timing belt.

Her dealer is recommending changing it though since the car is five years old. The cost estimte is approximately $350 OTD.

What do you all think?

Thanks in advance!

Mr_Shiftright

I'd wait. It's not old enough yet and unless a front seal is leaking and spewing oil on the belt, it would a premature replacement I think. If she hasn't hit 60K by 2005, then maybe.

armtdm

I have a similar problem with a 97 and only 23,000 miles. The cost to look at the belt in my case is close to just replacing it. Problem is,( it is an interference engine, Camry is not) when does old age, dry rot and simple deterioration come into play when the mileage is low? No one knows. I am hoping that the belts I can see are an indicator of the timing belt itself. As to $350 for the belt replacment, that is high, should be $180-$250 for a Camry, now if htey are including a new water pump as well, maybe.

millspd

Thanks for the replies. Armtdm, that's a good point about whether it is an interference engine. I didn't know if the 4 cylinder in the '98 Camry would suffer damage if the timing belt broke or if it just wouldn't go if it broke.

So, it's the latter, right?

Thanks!

armtdm

Camry's are non interference. Just a pain when that belt breaks in the worst part to the city at midnight.

Mr_Shiftright

Now there's a pessimist after my own heart! That's the way I think--lol!

swschrad

I'm sure one would be glad to call you a wrecker :-D

antiosama

I have a 1995 ES300(pretty much identical to a Camry V6), with 120K miles on it. I am still on the original timing belt. I think car manufacturers are too conservative on timing belt change intervals.

tmt1961

do you have original water pump and spark plugs too? do you eye inspect your timing belt at 120k? thanks

antiosama

tmt1961,

I still have the original water pump, and the plugs are about to get changed for the 2nd time(1st time at 60K).

My mechanic recently looked at the timing belt recently(at about 115K) and said it was still fine.

bronzemaxell

dealer suggest change timing belt at interval of 60k miles, and when i had my timing belt change on my 93 camry at that time was 191k miles, i was cheap on repair and only changed the timing belt, and didn't change the other 2 belts because they still look new and mechanic told me no need to change also, after driving for next 5000 miles, the uppper belt that drive the alternator splitted, and part of the belt also stuck inside the pulley, the car still drivable, but making those horror noise sounded like going to explode, and i didn't know if there will be further damage to the belt if i keep driving, and cost me $85 to haul it to mechanic, and another $50 to put 2 new belts on that i should've got done when changing timing belt at much lower cost, not to mention that my car has no sense of time, and belt broke in the middle of the nite. luckily no other damge except just the belt, and this taughht me a lesson that can't be cheap on schedule maintenance repair, and can't judge the belt by the look.

cutehumor

you should put new serpentine belt or v-belts asap. on my car, the alternator belt also drives the water pump. if the belt is not tensioned correctly, the alternator and water pump will become inoperable. good chance, your car will start to overheat if water pump is not working. Your car won't be able to start from the alternator belt being bad. good luck

cutehumor

you can't tell if the belt is good just by looking at it. You can see cracks yes but the belt could be overstretched. 120k, you got your money's worth. I would change out asap.

nippononly

change the water pump too - for the $100 cost of a pump, there is no point in repaying the labor cost for this job in 20K when it finally gives. Not a bad idea to change camshaft seals too, depending on how much $$ they want for that.

swschrad

if the tape deck or console is offline due to, say, a bad capacitor, you shotgun 'em all while you have that module pulled out of the machine... replace every freaking one of those parts... because they all have the same lifetime rating, and you're already taking losses of $100-4000 per 20 second commercial lost this station break, depending on how big your SMSA, or broadcast reach, is.

every.

single.

one.

of 20, 45, however many are on that board.

NOW!!

with the labor and downtime to get into that compartment, it's stupid to not replace the seals and pump, that only adds maybe 10% to the cost of the job. you pay it all again in a few months when the water pump fails if you don't change it now.

5speeder

Just had the belt on my '92 Camry (185+k miles)looked at last week. A seal was leaking and oil was dripping on the belt. Oil+belts do not mix! Had the belt and seal both replaced

swschrad

cars that don't have an inspection plug on the timing belt cover ought to.

marklud

Changed my 97 Camry at 75,000miles. Mechanic said seal was leaking oil on it and lucky it didn't break. Is there a problem with seals leaking? I read several letters here with same problem... anyone else? So lesson here is, maybe not the milage, but see if there is oil leak. I also had a gasket leak and half fill one spark plug access shaft with oil.