2001 Lexus RX 300 Timing Belt

2001 LEXUS RX 300

151,000 MILES • 6 CYL • AWD • AUTOMATIC

TEMP725

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Recently I took my Rx 300 to a local mechanic who replaced the timing belt pullys water pump and spark plugs. 3 months 18,000 miles later car starts missing hesitating and shuts off in the road. I take the car back to my mechanic who originally replaced the timing belt and he stated the engine had alot of top end damage and I would need a new engine and stated was better off just to scrap the car. I looked into a remanufactured enginge my mechanic stated it was too big of a job for him to handle. So the car went to another shop and this shop stated that the timing belt was not installed to manufactures specification and this is what caused the engine to fail. His explanation was When the crankshaft is TDC (Top Dead Center). The left bank camshaft was 4 teeth off, the right bank camshaft was 3 teeth off. This made the engine in advance position before Top Dead Center. The camshaft sensor was trying to retard this engine via computer control but to far out. Because the timing was so far out this engine failed. He took pictures documenting everything. Original mechanic is saying that is impossible car must have jumped timing that it would have never run like that[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_4182_Old_Engine_Crank_TDC_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_0010_Old_Engine_Left_bank_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_0009_Old_Engine_Right_Bank_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_008_Old_Engine_Major_view_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_007_Old_Engine_Pouley_View_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_006_Old_Engine_Letf_Bank_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_005_Old_Engine__Right_bank_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_004_Old_Engine_Top_view_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_001_Old_Engine_Left_Bank_3_teeth_out_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_002__Old_Engine_Right_Bank_4_Teeth_out_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]
[img:70eb398dad]http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/589799_Picture_003_Old_Engine_Cransk_TDC_1.jpg[/img:70eb398dad]

Not sure what to belive here can you please help shed some light on this.

Thanks

Nov 6, 2010 at 11:37 AM

KHLOW2008

CERTIFIED EXPERT
41,814 POSTS

Hi temp725,

If the timing belt had not been installe correctly, the engine would not be performing correctly and would ahve failed much earlier so it should not be the case.

Unless you have performance issues if not the belt was installed correctly. The timing belt had skipped as indicated in the pictures and possible causes for the belt skipping are :

1. Belt tension was loose. Belt was installed correctly but the tension was insufficient and the slack in the belt had allowed the belt to skip. This could be due to a weak tensioner or the belt is not of the correct size ( number of tooth more than OEM)

2. Foreign materials in timing belt compartment. If anything had gotten between the timing belt tooth and the pulleys, the belt can skip tooth.

3. Failed valve train. If any of the camshafts had seized due to insufficient lubrications, the belt would skip.

Tooth can skip one tooth initially and subsequently additional skipping occurred resulting in the numerous tooth skipped.

Nov 6, 2010 at 12:25 PM