Broken Timing Belt!

Noel · March 30, 2009

Hi All,

Well sh!t happened on Saturday, i was accelerating hard to join traffic when the belt broke, mechanic hasn't time to strip it down until tomorrow so I'm wondering if anyone knows if this engine is interference or not, or does it matter when your on WOT? will valves be fecked anyway or could it be ok?

Belt was done at 79k km's and there's 140k on the clock now so approx 40,000 miles, wasn't a Toyota belt as 3 years ago they were still snobs to imports, so i fitted a "Blueprint" belt i got from Fensport as they seemed to be the only ones familier with Altezza's back then....

thanks

Noel

is300_dino · March 30, 2009

there was a thraed posted not long ago which stated what were interference and non-interference engines but even then there was still some confusion give me a few minutes and ill try and find it for ya mate.

MacRS200 · March 30, 2009

Hi All,
Well sh!t happened on Saturday, i was accelerating hard to join traffic when the belt broke, mechanic hasn't time to strip it down until tomorrow so I'm wondering if anyone knows if this engine is interference or not, or does it matter when your on WOT? will valves be fecked anyway or could it be ok?

Belt was done at 79k km's and there's 140k on the clock now so approx 40,000 miles, wasn't a Toyota belt as 3 years ago they were still snobs to imports, so i fitted a "Blueprint" belt i got from Fensport as they seemed to be the only ones familier with Altezza's back then....

thanks

Noel

Afraid it is interference mate, you are most likely looking at bent valves etc. I remember the hassle Am (Mr Singh) had a couple of years back when his broke

is300_dino · March 30, 2009

have a read of this linky and also on page 3 of the thread lists the lot of engines and if they are intererence or not, http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...54124&st=40

Steviewevie · March 30, 2009

I think that the VVTi makes it interference, unfortunately

Noel · March 30, 2009

Thanks anyway lads ... might as well prepare for a big bill so ... :(

Asi · March 30, 2009

feel for you mate. hope its not too big of a bill

MacRS200 · March 30, 2009

Gen 4 3SGE has 11:1 compression ratio so basically no space for valves out of sync.

HERE is the Mr Singh thread when his went, not happy reading.

Brace yourself Noel, fear the worst and hopefully it will be better mate.

pojichan · March 31, 2009

Why dont you take this oppertunity to polish the head ports. lap the valves in nicely, may get a few more bhp.

mr frosty · April 4, 2009

Really sorry to hear this buddy, any news on the severity of the damage yet?

Noel · April 5, 2009

Really sorry to hear this buddy, any news on the severity of the damage yet?

nope... still waiting for my mechanic to get it all stripped down ... no point ordering parts till he has a full list together, hopefully the pistons will be ok :(

cheers lads

Dave1986 · April 5, 2009

Sorry to hear that mate, not a good thing to happen Maybe an excuse for a big transplant?

I just had my cambelt, waterpump, tensioners etc done a few weeks ago.. Now my car has developed an urge to randomly cut out when idling? Or when im driving along the motorway at 70mph its like it tries to stall but then keeps going coz its rolling.. its starting to annoy me, any ideas what can cause this? Im going to reset ECU later 2day and clean MAF sensor!

Robin H · April 5, 2009

sorry to here the news Noel :(

Asi · April 6, 2009

Sorry to hear that mate, not a good thing to happen Maybe an excuse for a big transplant?
I just had my cambelt, waterpump, tensioners etc done a few weeks ago.. Now my car has developed an urge to randomly cut out when idling? Or when im driving along the motorway at 70mph its like it tries to stall but then keeps going coz its rolling.. its starting to annoy me, any ideas what can cause this? Im going to reset ECU later 2day and clean MAF sensor!

i think the MAF sensor would be need a good clean

Thabo T Dube · October 23, 2021

So I drive a 1998 Toyota Altezza 4 cylinder with the Beams 2000 engine. An interference engine.

The worst thing that could happen did happen on Wednesday morning. I was around 20km/hr and my car 🚗 just came to a sudden halt, lost all power and stalled.

Engine light was the first to come on followed by the Battery light and I pulled over immediately. As human as I am the first knee jack reaction was to start the car again. I did so twice and it cranked but with no joy. I rang the mechanic 👨‍🔧 and we all thought it was something minor. He opened the engine cover and to my dismay 😩 oil was leaking on to the timing belt and it snapped.

I immediately thought am doomed but he said not to panic, let’s get a new timing belt and see. We bought the Continental timing belt 174 teeth and fitted it.

I can SAFELY SAY AM THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD 🌎. The car started beautifully with no engine check lights or any errors whatsoever. Still drives perfectly with all the power. I have owned the car for 6years now.

yes guys interference engines do survive.

steve2006 · October 23, 2021

Wow you are lucky, maybe the low engine speed saved you there.

I remember my brother buying a secondhand Ford Escort diesel and told him to make sure the cam belt had been replaced before buying it. A new belt was fitted and I then told him to have it replaced every 40,000 miles.

A couple of months later he mentioned that the belt had again been replaced, “ You’ve clocked up 40,000 miles in a few months?”.......”No just 4000 miles”