Confused about timing belt...?

I will be in possesion of a 1993 camry le 6 cylinder 1993, it has 133k kilometers. It was my Dads, I brought in to a mechanic to hoist it up and the rust condition is good.

My Dad didn't drive it much in the last 3-4 months it was stationary more or less except for short drives.

I had the oil changed and now I plan to drive to another city 500k away, but a mechanic is saying I should do the timing belt, if not I will blow the engine on the highway. (my Dad didn't do the belt)

I called local toyota dealer and he said you should change the t. belt every 120 thousand kilometers another dealer says 80 thousand.

Someone else says you should do the water pump and the belt at the same time.

Now they spooked me , I know folks are always trying to scam you into service unecessarly but I'm hoping you guys have a little more knowledge than me, I'm used to GM's.

Is it safe to take a 6 hour drive after being stationary for a while? And what do you think of the belt?

Thanks kindly L.

Reply to
Liam T.
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I'm more familiar with the four, but i *think* the V-6 of that era is also 'non-interference.' If so, then what you risk is being stranded, not a blown engine. If no one here tells you for sure, ask the dealer if the engine is "interference type" or not. It probably should have the timing belt and water pump relaced due to age and mileage, though.

Reply to
mjc1

It could go, it probably wont, but its time to fix, and its time for the trans fluid, differential oil, etc etc.

Reply to
ransley

What I want to know is how you are going to drive 500,000 (miles or kilometers) in 6 hours. :lol

I'm guessing you mean 500 kilometers or 500km. 500k is 500 thousand.

Reply to
username

There are two kinds of engines: interference and non-interference.

These terms really apply to the engine, not the timing belt, but if the belt on an interference engine breaks, the valves will not retract when they are supposed to, the piston will hit the valves, and the engine will probably be ruined.

I believe that 93 Camry V6 is a non-interference engine (I once owned a 92 V6) so if the belt breaks, the worst that will happen is that you will be stranded (no serious harm to the engine). My recollections is that Toyota recommends changing the belt at 90K miles, which is about 120K km.

The reason that it is often recommended to change the water pump at the same time as the timing belt, is that the timing belt has to be removed to replace the water pump anyway. However, not all mechanics will give you a discount for replacing both at the same time.

I would not worry about it and take your 500 km trip. You can decide what to do when you return.

The timing belt is one of those things that I would always have done by a reputable Toyota dealer with a good service reputation. When done improperly, your engine will not run as well as before the change.

Reply to
Mark A

90k miles is 150k km, my '99 is at 188k km and still on it's original timing belt -- knock on wood ;)
Reply to
Father Guido

I had my timing belt (99 Camry 6 cyl) changed at 117,000 kilometres. Even though it IS a non-interference engine, the car will stop in its tracks, basically, if that belt brakes. Even if it occurred in my own driveway, it would be a MAJOR pain in the ass, e.g. towing to a garage, delay while having it fixed, etc etc. That's why I didn't wait until the recommended

136,000 km.--yes, that is what the dealer's manual recommends for the 99 6 cyl Camry in Canada. This is little extra cost spending the money NOW, on PLANNED, scheduled maintenance, rather than at the time of atotally UNPLANNED emergency. Hell, I could just see it happening hundreds of kilometres into the bush, out of cell-phone range. Yes, there are various places in Alberta NOT in cell-phone range and who carries a satellite phone with them?
Reply to
sharx35

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