Last modified ages ago

Timing Belt

When I first got the car I took it to a rolling road, AVA in Renfrew, to get it tuned up and generally checked out for health. First reports were good with a solid bottom end, always nice ;-)) but with dodgy cam timing as the power was dropping off quite early and we only had 80BHP at the rear wheels. No problem thought I as the timing belt was first on the list of things to change. Not knowing the history of the car I wanted the timing belt changed as a snapped belt is just horrible and expensive. I have since found out that the engine is a non interference type meaning the valves and pistons shouldn't meet in the event of a breakage. I do not want to test this cause its expensive if it turns out to be bogus information.

So I get the belt changed and say to the mechanic that the timing is suspect so don't just change the belt without checking it first. After a couple of weeks I decide to take the car to a franchised dealer to get a couple of things checked with the ECU and by the way can you check the timing belt is in properly as a rolling road showed lack of power. I picked the car up later that day and the report was

• thermostat not working - they are a git to change and we don't want to attempt it (and your job is?)
• spark plugs not Toyota brand ?? as if on a 13 year old car
• cam timing ok its an old car so can't expect factory power figures

Armed with the knowledge that everything was ok, a couple of weeks later I re visited the rolling road to get the engine re tuned and guess what? Exactly the same pish power curve as before. After much head scratching the guys at AVA took the timing cover and No 1 spark plug and had a look at the cam timing manually. Putting a screwdriver down the plug hole and turning the engine over using the rollers it was discovered that the cam timing was one tooth out on both cams!! How the fcuk can that be asked all of us. One garage had changed it and another had checked and they both said it was ok and yet we were looking at proof that it wasn't.

I gave garage such a hard time for their sloppy workmanship that they actually refused to work further on the car for either the timing belt or future needs. Banned for finding out they didn't do their job!! S'not like I was going to go back anyway so no great loss I suppose. Anyway, the car was taken back to original garage and they fixed it after me giving them abuse. The car was then stuck on the rollers and hey presto another 20BHP or 1/4 more power and another 2k rpm to play with. Big differences eh!