If you pay close attention to His work, you will notice that He really pays attention to detail! Always a pleasure to watch "Hardly Moving Productions" videos. Clear audio and great camera angles. I will be getting my Timing belt done from him in the next few days. This is the man I trust to do the job thoroughly and correct. If you are in his area you should definitely get in touch with him if you need your vehicle fixed or serviced correctly the first time! Awesome job as usual.
It's funny, I had the opposite reaction. I'm about to sell my highlander, but it's got 8 years on the current timing belt. This video made me remember that it's not that terrible of a task compared to some engines. Plus, I learned about a seal puller tool that I didn't know existed!
I was watching this to see if I should do the timing belt on my lexus or pay a shop. Nice vid but im halfway through and can't stop being jealous of all these tools. Wife must be real lenient
@@hardlymovingpro That is what I was thinking but was so worried I would ruin the timing somehow. Now that I see this I am definitely going to do the belt and pump when I get a nice weekend off.
@@hardlymovingpro I was thinking instead of the dielectric...I like to use the red anaerobic on anything rubber. The rock auto kit I got had a felt water pump gasket that came ripped, so I had to go get one from napa, and it was a metal one...seems way higher quality.
Good job. Just bought 06 rx400h and need to go thru it. 152000 miles. Plugs, injectors, coils, wp n pullys, timing belt, hybrid water circ pump. Oil, trans fluid, gear box fluids. Flush n fill anti freeze. Clean intake n mass.
just watched this video and i have a 2007 Highlander Hybrid and in need of what you just did in this great video. Wish you were here in SoCal. great video
When removing the side motor mount bracket (7:10 mark), do you have to jack up the engine a bit to get the mount off? Mine doesn't seem to have enough clearance to simply slide out sideways like yours on the video. I appreciate this video so much and thank you for the detailed explanations.
The tips of the two studs can accommodate an 'E' star socket (which is a female torx bit socket). You can buy an 1/4" E socket set for around $10 at any retail auto supply store or Harbor Freight. With the right size E socket, you can screw out the stud closest to the front of the car. From that point, you should be able to remove the side motor mount. Here's what it looks like in Amazon: amzn.to/3XBTPmD
Wow, I had the exact same question. I was able to wiggle it out eventually, but appreciate the follow-up. I did attempt to use the 'back-to-back' nut trick to unscrew the front stud, however, it was really difficult, went back to the wiggle out method. 😅
i have highlander 2006 and I enjoyed this video but I hope I will never need to replace the water pump in my car because I don't believe in our mechanics your work is highly appreciated --- well done
Looking to purchase a Lexus rx 400H and it will need this done in the next year. What would you estimate a dealer or other competent shop to charge for the job? Didn't realize how involved it was, glad I watched.
I wanted thank you for this video - it has helped me a ot. I actually managed to change the timing belt on my highlander hybrid - all seemed to go really well - everything lined up properly - then when I got it all back together it ran for maybe ten to fifteen seconds then just stopped ran a little rough but I started it about three or four times and it now runs smoothly - but still stops after a very brief run time. Took it apart again - enough to check timing marks and belt - all looks good but it seems I am missing something somewhere - all so getting a check hybrid system warning. WOuld appreciate any thoughts/suggestions as I am a bit confused as to what is going on.
Great video. Thanks. My harmonic balancer bolt will not break lose. I have a powerful 1/2" drive air gun and have been spraying it with liquid wrench. I will keep you informed as I progress. Do you have to pull off the Cam Pulleys and that cam cover plate to change the water pump or did you do that just to change the cam gaskets? Have not got that far yet because I can't get the bottom cover off yet. The water pump was leaking some but not too bad. Had some dried orange powder inside but nothing wet. 210,000 miles and the timing belt has never been changed. I think it may have slipped a tooth even though it looks OK. Every emergency light went on at once and the engine won't stay running plus a loud noise coming from the timing belt cover plate area. I will check the pully alignments when I get the Crank pully bolt and cover plate off. I plan on changing everything while inside there as well as the Coil Packs and plugs. Now I know that my AC compressor is all electric. I was wondering about that.
Dried orange/pink powder is a sign of a leaking water pump. You need a high mass 22 mm impact socket to get that pulley bolt off. That socket has been a God send for me. Spins the bolt right off. Here's the link: amzn.to/3QmiVDK You can get the water pump off without taking off the cam sprocket backing plate but I'd advise you replace those cam seals. They do wear out and cause a lot of oil leakage.
@@hardlymovingpro Thanks. I ordered the socket, crankshaft pully holder and cam shaft pully holder. I should be able to get this done. Amazon delivering all three items in 2 days. Can't beat that. I will change the tensioner, the idler pully, belt, water pump, and all seals. I will get that stuff from O'Reilly auto parts. I was still running on the same plugs for 210,000 miles. I was afraid to touch anything on this hybrid but now I'm in for the long haul. I'm thinking about changing the crankshaft and camshaft sensors as well. Maybe I can get another 100,000 miles out of this thing. Been a good car so far. Thanks again for the advice. I noticed I can't even buy a maintenance manual for this vehicle because it is a hybrid. I guess they are afraid we will all electrocute ourselves. This will get worse if we are ever forced to go all electric. They will probably make it illegal to work on your own car.
@@hardlymovingpro The high impact socket did the job in seconds, Well worth buying one. I had to order a kit on line because O'Reilly could not get all the parts. It was definitely cheaper buying the kit. Only issues were the water pump would not go on at first. The two little guide/alignment pins were larger than the holes on the new pump. I had to use a drill to elongate the holes just a bit and then it went on fine after. The new belt did not have the marks on them like the one on the video. I just made double sure everything was at top dead center, started with the back cam pully first, clamped it, pulled it tight to the front cam, clamped it, then down to the crank. Lastly over the tensioner pully and then pulled the grenade pin. I turned the crank shaft over twice and checked the alignment, then did it again and everything was still aligned at top dead center. Started right up and sounds better than ever. I changed the plugs and ignition coils but not the crank or cam sensors. Thanks again. The video helped me make sure my alignments were all good and I put it all back together in the right order. It was 2 weeks since I pulled it apart and I am getting older. The video helped me get it all fresh in my mind again before I continued, as if I had just pulled it all apart. I owe you a beer if we ever meet.
Thanks so much for the video! I just completed the full job on a Lexus RX400h and don’t think I would have done it without seeing your video first. Question: did you just torque up the crankshaft bolt with your impact gun only or do you get a torque wrench on there?
Just saw your video doing research to do the same on my 06 HHY. Your video is easily one of the best made and explained. Quick question. The tensioner you put in is actually the wrong one for later HHY and Lexus 400H. The correct one is 13540-20040, and it is indicated by a green dot on top, like the one you replaced. The one included in your linked kit is 13540-0030. I am not sure if the different tensioners have any functional difference, though both Aisin and Gates have them in different kits. Have you noticed any engine performance difference or issue from using the incorrect tensioner?
The only difference with the tensioners (aside from the pulley) is the tensioner bracket which holds the pulley. The bracket for the 1MZ-FE is not the same as the 3MZ-FE engines. The parts used in this video was provided by the customer and it was a Aisin timing belt component kit that he bought from Amazon. The kit did not, however, come with camshaft and crankshaft seals. To date, no negative feedback from the customer on engine performance.
Bravo. Well done. Reward yourself with a HFT 1/4" torque wrench for $10-$12. It'll be good enough and it's easy to calibrate/verify with a bathroom scale (bigger wrenches) or a smaller scale for the baby wrench (clamp the drive end in vise and measure force x distance when it clicks.
Wow! You went 60k beyond the service interval? I'd say $900 for the belt, pulleys and water pump. Add another $100 for the cam seals. Make sure they're using good parts: Mitsuboshi, Bando, Gates or Dayco timing belt; Aisin, GMB or Gates water pump; Koyo or GMB pulleys.
Don’t tell me you did this all in a day? I have a 2008 with 195k. I need to do but nervous about some of these steps. Aligning the belt, and the crank, ect. I do my own oil and brakes but this is a bit more advanced.
@@hardlymovingpro thanks, I’m gonna do it now. Trying to find the toyota kit with water pump and metal impeller. Need some longer wrenches, don’t have the Milwaukee ratchet but have it in my tool list now 😃 also want the toyota repair manual.
How much coolant did you have to add to get it back up to the proper level? I’m about to do this job on my 09 HiHy with the winter storm here in the south giving me some time off. I have everything I need but only one gallon of the red/pink pre-mixed coolant. Is that going to be enough? Is it a bad idea to strain and reuse the coolant if I need more than the gallon I bought? And do I need that special funnel or can I just use a regular funnel? Thank you for your time. Great video.
Around 1 gallon should suffice. If you get the coolant concentrate (Pentosin brand), you can get 2 gallons out of it by diluting it with 1 gallon of distilled water.
That's right ... IMHO it's easier since there's no ps, alt and a/c belt to remove / reinstall and tighten. But the time saving there is offset with moving of the brake fluid reservoir and removal of the battery. In spite of the ease of the repair, the customer was quoted $1,800 to perform the belt replacement from 3 different Toyota dealers! And from my understanding, it didn't include the replacement of the seals.
Are the front and rear pulleys any different? I noticed that the front has the ridge on the engine-side where the ack has the ridge belt-side but I can't tell that there is a difference between the two.
Does this make the actuator squeal I didn't have any squealling until in the timing belt and pump and oil change happened.. It's very annoying and now when stopping the feeling of flump flump goes on just right out of the shop
Question: followed along step by step. I am now getting misfire on cylinders 135. Going to take apart and do again. All timing marks line up with marks. What could I have done wrong to cause misfire on 135?
How do you get the engine bracket mount off the studs with the bolt that doesn't come out? Do the studs get removed? Or is it possible to wiggle it off? It doesn't seem possible as I'm trying right now!
I'm at the same step and there doesn't appear to be enough clearance to wiggle out the side motor mount on my 2006 Toyota Highland Hybrid. Do others jack up the engine an inch, buy the weird (e-torx?) socket, or just wiggle more? If you look closely at 7:24, the "shelf" of the bracket slipped between the metal A/C line and the frame, which in my case implies HardlyMoving jacked up his engine an inch (or maybe my engine is sagging down an inch after 193k miles)
You can remove the studs with a e socket or lift the engine up a inch or so using a floor jack and a block of wood to protect the oil pan. If lifting, loosen the center and side engine mounts
Excellent video! I had a Plymouth Breeze that had a timing belt that needed to be changed every 60K or so so I remember doing a lot of the things you are doing. It's a challenge but really satisfying once the job is done. I'm interested in getting a older Lexus RX400H or Toyota Highlander that may need a timing belt replacement therefore I am writing to you to inquire if you would do this job for me if I drove to your location and the cost. Your reply is appreciated.
Thanks for your comment and sure ... I'd do the job for you. As a matter of fact, this repair video was done on a customer who came from Nashville (around 3 hours away) to have me do the repair. He was quoted some ridiculous price of $1,800 by two Toyota dealers.
@@hardlymovingpro Thanks so much for the fast response. If I do find a Lexus or Highlander that needs a timing belt replacement, I will be checking with you to do the job. I am located in the Charlotte, NC area and would be thrilled to drive wherever you are. You are very good at this! Thanks again.
@@hardlymovingpro Uh oh. I had mine done at a local Toyota dealership a few years back - 90,000 miles - and it was $900 and some change. I had them replace the water pump as well and it was an additional $300 or so. I thought that was steep. But, now understanding how much R&R of auxilary parts is involved along with seals, etc., I can see why it's a costly maintenance item. Now, I've hit the 180,000 mile mark and was debating whether to do it myself or not. Your video convinced me not to. All the removal and replacement. Just a PIA. My next daily driver will NOT have a timing belt. And yes, I know that timing chains can wear and stretch but..... On one of my hobby cars, I might do this. A fun challenge that can be spread over time to avoid the frustrations that will arise. But on a daily driver that needs to get done in a few hours, just too tedious and frustrating. But, if the dealer wants $1,800. That will be a different story. I might even sell the car and let someone else deal with it. Full disclosure: It is beginning to show its age anyway - peeling paint on bumpers, worn steering wheel, needs new struts, non-functional front seat belts, worn leather seats - and making me not want to try and start "fixing" all the things it needs to run and look decent. It's been the most boring car I've ever owned. And, it's been the best and most reliable of all of them.
Hi I have the same car, Yesterday I was driving it, suddenly I saw it was overheating, at the same time it shows in the dashboard ( water pump). So do you think it’s the engine water pump? Also do you think that I can replace only the water pump without getting the timing belt out ? Thanks a lot in advance
Could be anything in the cooling system; water pump, hoses and radiator are all sources of coolant leakage. The water pump on this Toyota engine is driven by the timing belt. Must remove the timing belt.
@@hardlymovingpro Thanks a lot I think based on what you told I’ll go ahead and reply the Engine water pump because two months ago I replaced the hybrid radiator, the hybrid water pump and the radiator assembly due to leakage right after that I had no issue at and no leakage. Just happened that my car was overheating and as result for that the radiator start leaking so I’m thinking the water pump is maybe partially working due to it’s age about 12 years now and this causes a pressure buildup in the cooling system cause radiator leaking to release the pressure. Do you think I’m on the right path ? Thanks
Did you have to disconnect the high-voltage system prior to disconnecting/removing the battery? Local shops are telling me they cannot do this because of this.
Question: 9 months ago when I did this job on my HiHy, let’s say *hypothetically* I accidentally left a couple of the timing cover bolts off… could oil leak out of those empty bolt holes? Because **hypothetically**, I may have a massive oil leak that I can’t figure out… it’s dripping from the engine around the tensioner, like a lot. A drop of oil on the ground every 3-4 seconds. My AC reeks of burnt oil and my engine bay smokes sometimes. HYPOTHETICALLY I couldn’t imagine a timing cover bolt would act as a de facto drain for the engine, but… what do you think?
No. Cover bolts wouldn't cause oil leaks. The tensioner is below the firewall side camshaft seal. That seals tends to be an major oil leaker on high mileage V6 Toyota's.
@@hardlymovingpro yeah, I checked it out more thoroughly and it appears to be coming from inside the timing cover. Could it be one of the seals? Whenever I replaced the seals, I didn’t have a seal presser tool and had to improvise.. I wonder if maybe I didn’t press one in all the way? Possibly the oil pump seal? It’s not coming out of the tensioner, but right next to it. I can actually see it pouring out of the cover itself. I replaced the tensioner and it’s in there tight.
Yup. Without a seal press tool, replacement of new one can be hap hazard. I've replaced a lot of poorly pressed in new ones that were leaking. Recently replaced two where the quality of the seal gave out.
HMP, I followed these procedures for my 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Overall wonderful instructions, but I have an oil leak from the rear camlock oil seal. I used a Felpro oil gasket as in the video at first, and then switch to the Toyota's OEM part and I still have the leak. The gasket seating tool used and the slot was cleaned well before hand. Would surface scratches on the shaft from when I removed the old gasket be the problem? suggestions?
When installing cam seals I first coat everything with silicone (dielectric) grease and carefully spin the seal in place. If you just push them in, the inner lip may turn inside out which will cause a leak (happened to me enough times to be careful putting them on). The camshaft shaft portion that the seal rides on must be free of any residual debris or dried oil. You may want to clean those surfaces up with brake clean spray solvent and a cotton rag. Be careful not to over seat the new seal. Surfaces scratches on the shaft would have to be pretty deep to cause a leak.
I am doing this now and the cam shafts moved a little. The belt is lose. Unless I rolled one tooth and back but then the crankshaft wouldn't line up no play at ALL. Now the cams are snapping back and forth when trying to line them up. If I get them line up. And any minor touch makes them move a little to a "sweet spot" or something because they no longer move. The rear moved about 90 degrees and the front one keeps moving like 10 degrees. Any ideas? And why I don't have any okay on my timing belt. I see you do. But mine had no plays that's why I had to play with the sprockets and now it's messed up. Any help appreciated it!
Move the rear cam as close to the timing mark where the cam won't move. Mount the belt with the belt alignment paint mark with the cam and clip it to prevent the belt from slipping off. Now move the front cam to mount the belt with the 2nd alignment mark and clip it. Then all you need to do is to mount the belt to the crankshaft pulley.
@@hardlymovingpro the problem with that is that the rear cam or front can kept rolling due to the tension. Like snapping 90 degrees for the rear and like 15-20 degrees forward for the front one. I had to redo it. I put it together but was a couple tooth off. Did it again and turn the crank shaft a few teeth to line up with the belt marking on the side. Then line up rear one and then turn the front a couple teeth to line up and have some slack to Put the pulley between the cams and bolted it in. Then i straightened crankshaft and then front cam or then crankshaft and then a little more. All lined up and car running great again. What's a pain. I saw another video and the rolling of the sprockets cams it's pretty normal, I was freaking out cause I thought it was super abnormal and possibly damaged the engine. But all done now
Hello I watched your video and do the timing belt change after I finish and crank the car. It start then run about couple second then cut off. All the light is come on do you think I miss the timing? I know that I do mark very well. Please let me know it is about the timing or you think it is hybrid? Thank you very much
@@hardlymovingpro yes I did but it run for 10 seconds then cut off. All check hybrid light vsc light and engine light is on. After I start about 3 times and can not start I have to take out - from battery to reset then start it about 3-4 times. Do you think miss fire do that? Thank you very much
@@hardlymovingpro thank you very much. I’ll take it out tomorrow and see the mark again. The only problem I can not see the the mark on the inside camshaft pulley!
How long did you take to do the whole job? And also I seen videos where there's a "maintenance mode" and that mode stops the hybird system from kicking in, making the "gas mode" stay on all the time. Did you do that while bleeding the air out the cooling system?
With my video partner capturing the repair, about 6 hours. With no stopping for video, around 5 hours. From my recollection, if the car is in neutral and not running, depressing the gas pedal will turn on the engine and keep it on. This is needed to allow the engine to reach operating temperatures for bleeding out the air from the cooling system.
So I’m in the middle of doing this DIY. Whenever I was turning the crankshaft to align everything, it was very hard to turn for 3/4ths of the way and very easy the other 1/4th. Is that normal? Also, there’s reddish-brown dust all over everything. Is that from leaking coolant? Or is that dirt?
@@hardlymovingpro thank you. You are a life saver. So I’m snowed in and had to make do without a camshaft holder tool or chain strap wrench.. I had the latter but it was old and broke. I was able to rig something up with a come along-winch tool that held the sprockets in place for me to remove the camshaft bolts. It sort of worked. I finally got both bolts off (the rear was a nightmare), but it was very difficult without the proper tool and I ended up taking each sprocket off slightly eschew from TDC. It’ll be okay as long as I line both cams when I put the new belt on, right? And can I wait and do the final tightening of the cam sprockets once I have the whole thing put together and the tensioner pin pulled? Since I’m without the camshaft holder tool, I thought it would be okay to get it as tight as possible without moving the cams, put it all together, and then wedge a breaker bar to hold the crankshaft bolt in place and proceed with fully tightening the cams. I know this isn’t ideal but would it work?
@@scootitnbootit9231 Some people remove and re-install the cam bolts by keeping the timing belt on and prevent the belt from moving by locking the crankshaft bolt in place with a breaker bar. It can be done but I've avoided this method wondering if all that torque could potentially damage the camshaft bearings.
@@hardlymovingpro so in this scenario, you would just finger tighten the cam bolts, then proceed with the process that same as you did in your DIY video, but except after releasing the tensioner pin, you would go back and tighten the cam bolts with a breaker bar holding the crank in place. Is this correct as to the procedure you would do in my case?
My water pump (the original one from the factory that I just removed) didn’t have a gasket... is that normal? Could it have been left off at some point by some careless mechanic? I bought this car pre-owned with 84k, but the timing belt and water pump are the original ones. I’m wondering if this is why I had so much coolant leakage..
I just changed my timing belt, tensioners, pulleys, water pump, it's making ticking noise. I drove it and seems normal, the same as before I changed them. Is this normal?
I actually just finished the job on my RX400H. (Really I did). Thanks so much for the video. It was incredibly helpful. One minor thing is how to hold the crank bolt when you torque it? Below is a link to a UA-cam PDF with my homemade brace hack. Just find a few odd scraps (like a hinge or square steel tube) and brace against the frame and use the puller bolt holes and a couple of bolts to attach to the pulley. Worked like a charm...Pics here: ua-cam.com/video/OX4AeuqiEpo/v-deo.html - Thank you again. I hope this helps others...It's been a while since I've done a timing belt. Your video & workmanship is near perfect. Beautifully crafted content... Concise...amazing. Thanks again. I absolutely agree...get the High mass socket for the Crank bolt....just get it.
Thanks for your comments! Appreciate it! I just use my Milwaukee impact tool to torque down the crankshaft pulley bolt. No brace tool needed. Never, ever had one come loose.
If you pay close attention to His work, you will notice that He really pays attention to detail! Always a pleasure to watch "Hardly Moving Productions" videos. Clear audio and great camera angles. I will be getting my Timing belt done from him in the next few days. This is the man I trust to do the job thoroughly and correct. If you are in his area you should definitely get in touch with him if you need your vehicle fixed or serviced correctly the first time! Awesome job as usual.
Hey ... thanks for your post, comments and support!
No problem. I have watched all of your videos. That's why I am coming to you to do the work! You are damn good mechanic. Have a good night.
I don’t even have a hybrid Highlander, but I still enjoyed this video! Very well put together and you show the process in great detail. Bravo!
Thanks for your comment and support!
Thank you. Seeing how much is involved in this job, I decided (based on your video) to just have a shop do mine.
Understand ... but not as difficult as it seems with the right tools on hand.
It's funny, I had the opposite reaction. I'm about to sell my highlander, but it's got 8 years on the current timing belt. This video made me remember that it's not that terrible of a task compared to some engines. Plus, I learned about a seal puller tool that I didn't know existed!
I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to make this video. THANK YOU. Something tells me this isn’t your first timing belt.
Glad it was helpful!
By far one of the best maintenance video’s I’ve watched on UA-cam. And I’ve watched tons!
Thanks for your feedback and support!
I was watching this to see if I should do the timing belt on my lexus or pay a shop. Nice vid but im halfway through and can't stop being jealous of all these tools. Wife must be real lenient
More satisfying doing it yourself than paying someone else.
@@hardlymovingpro That is what I was thinking but was so worried I would ruin the timing somehow. Now that I see this I am definitely going to do the belt and pump when I get a nice weekend off.
@@stevenmaria6249 Good for you and good luck!
@@stevenmaria6249 plus you don't want to run into squealing when holding down your brake... because of the actuator they will say n then another 3k
You should be sponsored by a reputable Dielectric Grease company. Love your channel.
Ha, ha. I should be!
I agree he always use his dielectric grease.
Another great video of yours, no nonsense straight to the point.
Most underused cheap auto repair product! Petroleum grease is a big no no!
Will probably never do this but I like these videos. No trash talk, great job!,
I appreciate that!
Don’t even own any of these vehicles, but thoroughly enjoyed great workmanship. Like an art piece.
Thanks!
Quality content. Appreciate the time and effort of putting it all together.
Thanks!
I'm doing this job for my brother in a few days...glad I watched.
Those cam seals would be tricky without pressing it in the way you did.
Also, how do you feel about anaerobic sealer on the water pump gasket and the cam seals?
Don't need a sealer if replacing with a metal gasket. Cam seals don't need any sealer.
@@hardlymovingpro I was thinking instead of the dielectric...I like to use the red anaerobic on anything rubber.
The rock auto kit I got had a felt water pump gasket that came ripped, so I had to go get one from napa, and it was a metal one...seems way higher quality.
Good job. Just bought 06 rx400h and need to go thru it. 152000 miles. Plugs, injectors, coils, wp n pullys, timing belt, hybrid water circ pump. Oil, trans fluid, gear box fluids. Flush n fill anti freeze. Clean intake n mass.
Good purchase! It's a very nice vehicle.
Good Job! At least I can see what you are doing with good camera and light.
Thanks!
just watched this video and i have a 2007 Highlander Hybrid and in need of what you just did in this great video. Wish you were here in SoCal. great video
Thanks and good luck with the job.
If you remove the air filter housing then you don't need to unplug the brake fluid reservoir but just push it on the side
Thanks for sharing!
When removing the side motor mount bracket (7:10 mark), do you have to jack up the engine a bit to get the mount off? Mine doesn't seem to have enough clearance to simply slide out sideways like yours on the video.
I appreciate this video so much and thank you for the detailed explanations.
The tips of the two studs can accommodate an 'E' star socket (which is a female torx bit socket). You can buy an 1/4" E socket set for around $10 at any retail auto supply store or Harbor Freight. With the right size E socket, you can screw out the stud closest to the front of the car. From that point, you should be able to remove the side motor mount. Here's what it looks like in Amazon: amzn.to/3XBTPmD
@@hardlymovingpro Thanks for the quick response and for the tip (pun intended).
Wow, I had the exact same question. I was able to wiggle it out eventually, but appreciate the follow-up.
I did attempt to use the 'back-to-back' nut trick to unscrew the front stud, however, it was really difficult, went back to the wiggle out method. 😅
Thinking about getting a used rx400h, figured I'd look into how involved the timing belt job would be since. Great video, very descriptive!
I think doing the t.b. replacement is easier than a non hybrid.
i have highlander 2006 and I enjoyed this video but I hope I will never need to replace the water pump in my car because I don't believe in our mechanics
your work is highly appreciated --- well done
Thanks. Timing belt and water pump servicing is part of preventative maintenance to prevent catastrophic failures.
Thank you for this very detailed video. Excellent, in my view.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great job man I always get a valuable information when ever I watched your videos to work on a car project! Thanks !
Thanks for you support!
Excellent commentary and good photography,,, well done. Helpful too
Glad you enjoyed it!
good for another 10 years🥰🥰🥰
You said it!
Looking to purchase a Lexus rx 400H and it will need this done in the next year. What would you estimate a dealer or other competent shop to charge for the job? Didn't realize how involved it was, glad I watched.
Two price quotes for Toyota dealers were $1,800.
Great job! Thank you for the video!
Thanks and you bet!
I wanted thank you for this video - it has helped me a ot. I actually managed to change the timing belt on my highlander hybrid - all seemed to go really well - everything lined up properly - then when I got it all back together it ran for maybe ten to fifteen seconds then just stopped ran a little rough but I started it about three or four times and it now runs smoothly - but still stops after a very brief run time. Took it apart again - enough to check timing marks and belt - all looks good but it seems I am missing something somewhere - all so getting a check hybrid system warning. WOuld appreciate any thoughts/suggestions as I am a bit confused as to what is going on.
Could be something simple like a disconnected or loose vacuum line or electrical connector. Happens All the time.
Great video. Thanks. My harmonic balancer bolt will not break lose. I have a powerful 1/2" drive air gun and have been spraying it with liquid wrench. I will keep you informed as I progress.
Do you have to pull off the Cam Pulleys and that cam cover plate to change the water pump or did you do that just to change the cam gaskets? Have not got that far yet because I can't get the bottom cover off yet. The water pump was leaking some but not too bad. Had some dried orange powder inside but nothing wet.
210,000 miles and the timing belt has never been changed. I think it may have slipped a tooth even though it looks OK. Every emergency light went on at once and the engine won't stay running plus a loud noise coming from the timing belt cover plate area. I will check the pully alignments when I get the Crank pully bolt and cover plate off.
I plan on changing everything while inside there as well as the Coil Packs and plugs. Now I know that my AC compressor is all electric. I was wondering about that.
Sorry, It was pink powder not orange.
Dried orange/pink powder is a sign of a leaking water pump. You need a high mass 22 mm impact socket to get that pulley bolt off. That socket has been a God send for me. Spins the bolt right off. Here's the link: amzn.to/3QmiVDK You can get the water pump off without taking off the cam sprocket backing plate but I'd advise you replace those cam seals. They do wear out and cause a lot of oil leakage.
@@hardlymovingpro Thanks. I ordered the socket, crankshaft pully holder and cam shaft pully holder. I should be able to get this done. Amazon delivering all three items in 2 days. Can't beat that. I will change the tensioner, the idler pully, belt, water pump, and all seals. I will get that stuff from O'Reilly auto parts. I was still running on the same plugs for 210,000 miles. I was afraid to touch anything on this hybrid but now I'm in for the long haul. I'm thinking about changing the crankshaft and camshaft sensors as well. Maybe I can get another 100,000 miles out of this thing. Been a good car so far. Thanks again for the advice.
I noticed I can't even buy a maintenance manual for this vehicle because it is a hybrid. I guess they are afraid we will all electrocute ourselves. This will get worse if we are ever forced to go all electric. They will probably make it illegal to work on your own car.
@@hardlymovingpro The high impact socket did the job in seconds, Well worth buying one. I had to order a kit on line because O'Reilly could not get all the parts. It was definitely cheaper buying the kit. Only issues were the water pump would not go on at first. The two little guide/alignment pins were larger than the holes on the new pump. I had to use a drill to elongate the holes just a bit and then it went on fine after. The new belt did not have the marks on them like the one on the video. I just made double sure everything was at top dead center, started with the back cam pully first, clamped it, pulled it tight to the front cam, clamped it, then down to the crank. Lastly over the tensioner pully and then pulled the grenade pin. I turned the crank shaft over twice and checked the alignment, then did it again and everything was still aligned at top dead center. Started right up and sounds better than ever. I changed the plugs and ignition coils but not the crank or cam sensors.
Thanks again. The video helped me make sure my alignments were all good and I put it all back together in the right order. It was 2 weeks since I pulled it apart and I am getting older. The video helped me get it all fresh in my mind again before I continued, as if I had just pulled it all apart. I owe you a beer if we ever meet.
Are the transmission filter change pretty straight forward on these? Heard that theres a few bolts that are block by the subframe.
Can't say ... Only did the timing belt job
Thanks so much for the video! I just completed the full job on a Lexus RX400h and don’t think I would have done it without seeing your video first.
Question: did you just torque up the crankshaft bolt with your impact gun only or do you get a torque wrench on there?
Glad it worked out for you! I use a impact gun on the pulley bolt
Just saw your video doing research to do the same on my 06 HHY. Your video is easily one of the best made and explained. Quick question. The tensioner you put in is actually the wrong one for later HHY and Lexus 400H. The correct one is 13540-20040, and it is indicated by a green dot on top, like the one you replaced. The one included in your linked kit is 13540-0030. I am not sure if the different tensioners have any functional difference, though both Aisin and Gates have them in different kits. Have you noticed any engine performance difference or issue from using the incorrect tensioner?
The only difference with the tensioners (aside from the pulley) is the tensioner bracket which holds the pulley. The bracket for the 1MZ-FE is not the same as the 3MZ-FE engines. The parts used in this video was provided by the customer and it was a Aisin timing belt component kit that he bought from Amazon. The kit did not, however, come with camshaft and crankshaft seals. To date, no negative feedback from the customer on engine performance.
Bravo. Well done. Reward yourself with a HFT 1/4" torque wrench for $10-$12. It'll be good enough and it's easy to calibrate/verify with a bathroom scale (bigger wrenches) or a smaller scale for the baby wrench (clamp the drive end in vise and measure force x distance when it clicks.
Thanks! Been there, done that with 1/4" torque wrenches. Shear off some 10 mm bolts and you'll know what I mean.
This is a very impressive video, you make it look easy!
Glad you liked it!
what is the procedure for getting into neutral before disconnecting battery thanks
Why in neutral? Have the car in Park and the key out...then disconnect the battery.
Nothing special. In neutral you can't remove the ignition key. Or remove the shift lock cover, push down on the shift lock tab and place in neutral.
Is there a part kit that has items needed? I have a 2006 lexus RX400h
Kit for a Toyota 3MZ-FE V6 engine is what you want. Link is provided in the description area of this video.
Great video! is it worth it to change my timing chain on my 2010 hybrid Toyota and has 160,000 miles 60,000 passed the Maintance My shop wants 1200😱
Wow! You went 60k beyond the service interval? I'd say $900 for the belt, pulleys and water pump. Add another $100 for the cam seals. Make sure they're using good parts: Mitsuboshi, Bando, Gates or Dayco timing belt; Aisin, GMB or Gates water pump; Koyo or GMB pulleys.
Don’t tell me you did this all in a day? I have a 2008 with 195k. I need to do but nervous about some of these steps. Aligning the belt, and the crank, ect. I do my own oil and brakes but this is a bit more advanced.
I hear ya. Not for the faint hearted. But with the right tools and taking it step by step, the job is do-able for the shade tree mechanic.
@@hardlymovingpro thanks, I’m gonna do it now. Trying to find the toyota kit with water pump and metal impeller. Need some longer wrenches, don’t have the Milwaukee ratchet but have it in my tool list now 😃 also want the toyota repair manual.
@@hardlymovingproI’m building a list of parts right from Toyota. Can’t find the part number for the seals. Where did you get those?
rockauto.com
How much coolant did you have to add to get it back up to the proper level? I’m about to do this job on my 09 HiHy with the winter storm here in the south giving me some time off.
I have everything I need but only one gallon of the red/pink pre-mixed coolant. Is that going to be enough? Is it a bad idea to strain and reuse the coolant if I need more than the gallon I bought? And do I need that special funnel or can I just use a regular funnel?
Thank you for your time. Great video.
Around 1 gallon should suffice. If you get the coolant concentrate (Pentosin brand), you can get 2 gallons out of it by diluting it with 1 gallon of distilled water.
@@hardlymovingpro I just bought Peak OET red/pink for Asian vehicles. Is this not an okay coolant to use?
@@scootitnbootit9231 Sure ... that'll work!
at @7:50 what size and thread type is the bolt you use to turn the engine position?
I just reuse the crankshaft pulley bolt that holds the harmonic balancer (aka flywheel).
Hi there. How long it will take to complete job done ?
It took me with my tools and experience about 6 hours
Hey hardly moving. What do you think about a dayco timing belt kit for a 3.3l 3mzfe? Autozone has one with a lifetime warranty
Dayco is very good quality in line with Gates and Bando.
Same as j. The hybrid seems easier than the non hybrid to replace the timing belt with related. Will be doing a 98 honda prelude soon
That's right ... IMHO it's easier since there's no ps, alt and a/c belt to remove / reinstall and tighten. But the time saving there is offset with moving of the brake fluid reservoir and removal of the battery. In spite of the ease of the repair, the customer was quoted $1,800 to perform the belt replacement from 3 different Toyota dealers! And from my understanding, it didn't include the replacement of the seals.
Great video. Would you recommend the water pump to always be replaced if you are replacing the TB and vice versa?
Yes since I doubt the water pump will last to the next belt service interval which is around 8 years or 100,000 miles.
@@hardlymovingpro Great, thanks!
Are the front and rear pulleys any different? I noticed that the front has the ridge on the engine-side where the ack has the ridge belt-side but I can't tell that there is a difference between the two.
Are you referring to the accessory belt idler and tensioner pulleys?
@@hardlymovingpro No I believe you refer to them both as the cam sprocket in the video. The ones that you need a chain wrench to hold.
Does this make the actuator squeal I didn't have any squealling until in the timing belt and pump and oil change happened.. It's very annoying and now when stopping the feeling of flump flump goes on just right out of the shop
Can't saw. No such problem happened with me. You installed the belt yourself?
Thumbs up !! Great video !!
Thanks!
Question: followed along step by step. I am now getting misfire on cylinders 135. Going to take apart and do again. All timing marks line up with marks. What could I have done wrong to cause misfire on 135?
Maybe you have the belt alignment marks reversed. Flip the belt around.
How do you get the engine bracket mount off the studs with the bolt that doesn't come out? Do the studs get removed? Or is it possible to wiggle it off? It doesn't seem possible as I'm trying right now!
If you referring to the side motor mount with the two long bolts, remove the bolts and you may have to wiggle the mount off due to rust.
I'm at the same step and there doesn't appear to be enough clearance to wiggle out the side motor mount on my 2006 Toyota Highland Hybrid. Do others jack up the engine an inch, buy the weird (e-torx?) socket, or just wiggle more? If you look closely at 7:24, the "shelf" of the bracket slipped between the metal A/C line and the frame, which in my case implies HardlyMoving jacked up his engine an inch (or maybe my engine is sagging down an inch after 193k miles)
You can remove the studs with a e socket or lift the engine up a inch or so using a floor jack and a block of wood to protect the oil pan. If lifting, loosen the center and side engine mounts
Excellent video! I had a Plymouth Breeze that had a timing belt that needed to be changed every 60K or so so I remember doing a lot of the things you are doing. It's a challenge but really satisfying once the job is done. I'm interested in getting a older Lexus RX400H or Toyota Highlander that may need a timing belt replacement therefore I am writing to you to inquire if you would do this job for me if I drove to your location and the cost. Your reply is appreciated.
Thanks for your comment and sure ... I'd do the job for you. As a matter of fact, this repair video was done on a customer who came from Nashville (around 3 hours away) to have me do the repair. He was quoted some ridiculous price of $1,800 by two Toyota dealers.
@@hardlymovingpro Thanks so much for the fast response. If I do find a Lexus or Highlander that needs a timing belt replacement, I will be checking with you to do the job. I am located in the Charlotte, NC area and would be thrilled to drive wherever you are. You are very good at this! Thanks again.
@@waynehendricks8187 You bet! Live around Memphis.
@@hardlymovingpro
Uh oh. I had mine done at a local Toyota dealership a few years back - 90,000 miles - and it was $900 and some change. I had them replace the water pump as well and it was an additional $300 or so. I thought that was steep. But, now understanding how much R&R of auxilary parts is involved along with seals, etc., I can see why it's a costly maintenance item.
Now, I've hit the 180,000 mile mark and was debating whether to do it myself or not. Your video convinced me not to. All the removal and replacement. Just a PIA. My next daily driver will NOT have a timing belt. And yes, I know that timing chains can wear and stretch but.....
On one of my hobby cars, I might do this. A fun challenge that can be spread over time to avoid the frustrations that will arise. But on a daily driver that needs to get done in a few hours, just too tedious and frustrating.
But, if the dealer wants $1,800. That will be a different story. I might even sell the car and let someone else deal with it.
Full disclosure: It is beginning to show its age anyway - peeling paint on bumpers, worn steering wheel, needs new struts, non-functional front seat belts, worn leather seats - and making me not want to try and start "fixing" all the things it needs to run and look decent. It's been the most boring car I've ever owned. And, it's been the best and most reliable of all of them.
Hi I have the same car,
Yesterday I was driving it, suddenly I saw it was overheating, at the same time it shows in the dashboard ( water pump). So do you think it’s the engine water pump? Also do you think that I can replace only the water pump without getting the timing belt out ?
Thanks a lot in advance
Could be anything in the cooling system; water pump, hoses and radiator are all sources of coolant leakage. The water pump on this Toyota engine is driven by the timing belt. Must remove the timing belt.
@@hardlymovingpro
Thanks a lot I think based on what you told I’ll go ahead and reply the Engine water pump because two months ago I replaced the hybrid radiator, the hybrid water pump and the radiator assembly due to leakage right after that I had no issue at and no leakage.
Just happened that my car was overheating and as result for that the radiator start leaking so I’m thinking the water pump is maybe partially working due to it’s age about 12 years now and this causes a pressure buildup in the cooling system cause radiator leaking to release the pressure.
Do you think I’m on the right path ?
Thanks
How much should it cost on a 06 highlander timing belt replacement
I charge $800 parts and labor. Dealers, from what I've been told, up to $1,800.
Did you have to disconnect the high-voltage system prior to disconnecting/removing the battery? Local shops are telling me they cannot do this because of this.
B.S. Just remove the 12v battery in the engine compartment.
Question: 9 months ago when I did this job on my HiHy, let’s say *hypothetically* I accidentally left a couple of the timing cover bolts off… could oil leak out of those empty bolt holes?
Because **hypothetically**, I may have a massive oil leak that I can’t figure out… it’s dripping from the engine around the tensioner, like a lot. A drop of oil on the ground every 3-4 seconds. My AC reeks of burnt oil and my engine bay smokes sometimes. HYPOTHETICALLY
I couldn’t imagine a timing cover bolt would act as a de facto drain for the engine, but… what do you think?
No. Cover bolts wouldn't cause oil leaks. The tensioner is below the firewall side camshaft seal. That seals tends to be an major oil leaker on high mileage V6 Toyota's.
@@hardlymovingpro yeah, I checked it out more thoroughly and it appears to be coming from inside the timing cover. Could it be one of the seals?
Whenever I replaced the seals, I didn’t have a seal presser tool and had to improvise.. I wonder if maybe I didn’t press one in all the way? Possibly the oil pump seal?
It’s not coming out of the tensioner, but right next to it. I can actually see it pouring out of the cover itself. I replaced the tensioner and it’s in there tight.
Yup. Without a seal press tool, replacement of new one can be hap hazard. I've replaced a lot of poorly pressed in new ones that were leaking. Recently replaced two where the quality of the seal gave out.
HMP, I followed these procedures for my 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Overall wonderful instructions, but I have an oil leak from the rear camlock oil seal. I used a Felpro oil gasket as in the video at first, and then switch to the Toyota's OEM part and I still have the leak. The gasket seating tool used and the slot was cleaned well before hand. Would surface scratches on the shaft from when I removed the old gasket be the problem? suggestions?
When installing cam seals I first coat everything with silicone (dielectric) grease and carefully spin the seal in place. If you just push them in, the inner lip may turn inside out which will cause a leak (happened to me enough times to be careful putting them on). The camshaft shaft portion that the seal rides on must be free of any residual debris or dried oil. You may want to clean those surfaces up with brake clean spray solvent and a cotton rag. Be careful not to over seat the new seal. Surfaces scratches on the shaft would have to be pretty deep to cause a leak.
I am doing this now and the cam shafts moved a little. The belt is lose. Unless I rolled one tooth and back but then the crankshaft wouldn't line up no play at ALL. Now the cams are snapping back and forth when trying to line them up. If I get them line up. And any minor touch makes them move a little to a "sweet spot" or something because they no longer move. The rear moved about 90 degrees and the front one keeps moving like 10 degrees. Any ideas? And why I don't have any okay on my timing belt. I see you do. But mine had no plays that's why I had to play with the sprockets and now it's messed up. Any help appreciated it!
Move the rear cam as close to the timing mark where the cam won't move. Mount the belt with the belt alignment paint mark with the cam and clip it to prevent the belt from slipping off. Now move the front cam to mount the belt with the 2nd alignment mark and clip it. Then all you need to do is to mount the belt to the crankshaft pulley.
@@hardlymovingpro the problem with that is that the rear cam or front can kept rolling due to the tension. Like snapping 90 degrees for the rear and like 15-20 degrees forward for the front one. I had to redo it. I put it together but was a couple tooth off. Did it again and turn the crank shaft a few teeth to line up with the belt marking on the side. Then line up rear one and then turn the front a couple teeth to line up and have some slack to Put the pulley between the cams and bolted it in. Then i straightened crankshaft and then front cam or then crankshaft and then a little more. All lined up and car running great again. What's a pain. I saw another video and the rolling of the sprockets cams it's pretty normal, I was freaking out cause I thought it was super abnormal and possibly damaged the engine. But all done now
Hello I watched your video and do the timing belt change after I finish and crank the car. It start then run about couple second then cut off. All the light is come on do you think I miss the timing? I know that I do mark very well. Please let me know it is about the timing or you think it is hybrid? Thank you very much
Must keep your foot on the gas pedal to allow the engine to keep running on hybrids.
@@hardlymovingpro yes I did but it run for 10 seconds then cut off. All check hybrid light vsc light and engine light is on. After I start about 3 times and can not start I have to take out - from battery to reset then start it about 3-4 times. Do you think miss fire do that? Thank you very much
@@anthonytran9005 if the check engine light is on and the error code is camshaft position sensor related, then the belt is out of time.
@@hardlymovingpro thank you very much. I’ll take it out tomorrow and see the mark again. The only problem I can not see the the mark on the inside camshaft pulley!
Idk how I got here but I just keep going "ahh" like I understand what's going on. Good watch non the less.
Thanks for your critique!
How long does it take to change completely thank you
Around 5 hours using the tools shown in the video.
How long did you take to do the whole job? And also I seen videos where there's a "maintenance mode" and that mode stops the hybird system from kicking in, making the "gas mode" stay on all the time. Did you do that while bleeding the air out the cooling system?
With my video partner capturing the repair, about 6 hours. With no stopping for video, around 5 hours. From my recollection, if the car is in neutral and not running, depressing the gas pedal will turn on the engine and keep it on. This is needed to allow the engine to reach operating temperatures for bleeding out the air from the cooling system.
So I’m in the middle of doing this DIY. Whenever I was turning the crankshaft to align everything, it was very hard to turn for 3/4ths of the way and very easy the other 1/4th. Is that normal?
Also, there’s reddish-brown dust all over everything. Is that from leaking coolant? Or is that dirt?
The turning resistance is normal because of cylinder compression on the last stroke of a 4 stroke engine. The reddish brown is dried coolant leakage.
@@hardlymovingpro thank you. You are a life saver.
So I’m snowed in and had to make do without a camshaft holder tool or chain strap wrench.. I had the latter but it was old and broke. I was able to rig something up with a come along-winch tool that held the sprockets in place for me to remove the camshaft bolts. It sort of worked. I finally got both bolts off (the rear was a nightmare), but it was very difficult without the proper tool and I ended up taking each sprocket off slightly eschew from TDC. It’ll be okay as long as I line both cams when I put the new belt on, right? And can I wait and do the final tightening of the cam sprockets once I have the whole thing put together and the tensioner pin pulled? Since I’m without the camshaft holder tool, I thought it would be okay to get it as tight as possible without moving the cams, put it all together, and then wedge a breaker bar to hold the crankshaft bolt in place and proceed with fully tightening the cams. I know this isn’t ideal but would it work?
@@scootitnbootit9231 Some people remove and re-install the cam bolts by keeping the timing belt on and prevent the belt from moving by locking the crankshaft bolt in place with a breaker bar. It can be done but I've avoided this method wondering if all that torque could potentially damage the camshaft bearings.
@@hardlymovingpro so in this scenario, you would just finger tighten the cam bolts, then proceed with the process that same as you did in your DIY video, but except after releasing the tensioner pin, you would go back and tighten the cam bolts with a breaker bar holding the crank in place. Is this correct as to the procedure you would do in my case?
Good video, I like all your video and i hope that i will get knowledge from this video.
Thanks!
Subbed. Thank you. Starting tomorrow. Lexus 400h 08
Good luck!
My water pump (the original one from the factory that I just removed) didn’t have a gasket... is that normal?
Could it have been left off at some point by some careless mechanic? I bought this car pre-owned with 84k, but the timing belt and water pump are the original ones.
I’m wondering if this is why I had so much coolant leakage..
If the gasket wasn't present and no RTV was used, most definitely the cause of the leak.
I just changed my timing belt, tensioners, pulleys, water pump, it's making ticking noise. I drove it and seems normal, the same as before I changed them. Is this normal?
Probably valve tap.
I always drill a hole and use a self tapping screw to pull the seals out
A different technique that will work. I use to do it that way until I found a faster way.
@@hardlymovingpro it looks like a useful tool you used!
Great job man thanks for the video
You bet!
At what mileage did you do this. Failing or just following the maintenace schedule?
Maintenance schedule.
Are you in New York by any chance I would really love to drop my car off to you LOL
Nope. Live in Tennessee. But every six months I travel to Toms River, NJ to visit my mother.
Where are the thermostats located on these hybird engines?
At this time, do not know
I actually just finished the job on my RX400H. (Really I did). Thanks so much for the video. It was incredibly helpful. One minor thing is how to hold the crank bolt when you torque it? Below is a link to a UA-cam PDF with my homemade brace hack. Just find a few odd scraps (like a hinge or square steel tube) and brace against the frame and use the puller bolt holes and a couple of bolts to attach to the pulley. Worked like a charm...Pics here: ua-cam.com/video/OX4AeuqiEpo/v-deo.html - Thank you again. I hope this helps others...It's been a while since I've done a timing belt. Your video & workmanship is near perfect. Beautifully crafted content... Concise...amazing. Thanks again. I absolutely agree...get the High mass socket for the Crank bolt....just get it.
Thanks for your comments! Appreciate it! I just use my Milwaukee impact tool to torque down the crankshaft pulley bolt. No brace tool needed. Never, ever had one come loose.
Absolutely, great video. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a massive job
Not that bad.
What kit was it can you tell
Kit made by Aisin.
Great video thank you I learn a lot
You bet!
What was the cost of this job?
$200 parts + (6 hours labor x hourly rate)
Why Dielectric Grease on the seals?
Petroleum grease makes rubber swell and can get washed off with solvents
Awesome job!
Thanks 👍
Great video thanks much
You bet!
Great tutorial thanks
Thanks!
Good working
Thanks!
Thank You
You bet!
This video will be 100% good if you put some touque detail.
Or you can purchase an inexpensive Haynes repair manual with the torque specs.
Thanks so much
You bet!
Merci 👍🏿
Thanks!
God job!!!
Thanks!
This job looks like a nightmare O.o
After doing a couple of Toyota V6 belt replacements, it's not as bad as it looks...with the right tools.
Won't be complaining about the labor cost of this job...
You will when the dealer quotes you $1,800.
I would do more than $1800 worth of damage...