I have a 1991, 3S-FE, Camry. I want to check the water pump because I think it's leaking, or the housing is leaking, or the gasket is leaking.... Something is leaking and I want to take the water pump out to check it and the housing. I looked up the procedure in the repair manual and it says I have to remove the timing belt so I looked up how to do that. According to the manual the belt comes off on step 14. Steps 15 thru 22 have to do with removing pulleys. Why? Do I really have to remove all of the pulleys? Assuming nothing is wrong with them, can I skip taking them out?

I would not remove any thing you don't have too to do the job.

Those procedures are in the book for a reason. At the very least, you have to loosen the belts.

mgta - It appears you are using the Haynes 87-91 Camry manual. You are correct, the pump removal procedure refers you to section 2A for the timing belt removal procedure and there it tells you to remove pulleys. Haynes should have put a statement there something like this:" continue with pulley removal only if you are dismantling the engine". Section 2A is the section you would use to completely dismantle the engine. Steps for that would include removing the pulleys. Since you are only removing the timing belt disregard removing the pulleys.

BTW - since you are removing the timing belt I would highly recommend replacing it if the belt has more that 30K miles on it, or there is any chance it had any kind of fluid sprayed on it. Please let us know what you found

mgta - It appears you are using the Haynes 87-91 Camry manual.

The manual is from Toyota. Or at least printed by them.


Please let us know what you found[/QUOTE]

I'm hoping to do everything this weekend. I'm going to change the timing belt(it's past time for it), the other belts(like the timing belt), the radiator(it's rusted inside), the thermostat(probably covered in gunk), and the water pump(what the Hell... :) and all of the gaskets for eveything.


What kind of antifreeze should I use? I think the antifreeze sold at the dealer is the "red" kind. I was thinking of buying gallon of "red" antifreeze from the auto parts store and mixing it with distilled water.

We started doing it last Saturday but ran into a problem. I guess I read the manual wrong, or it was wrong, but you have to take off the crankshaft pulley to take off the timing belt covers. The problem is that it's totally stuck. I tried spraying it with PB Blaster but it didn't work, and the next day heating it with a propane torch, but I couldn't get it off. Any suggestions as to how to get it off?

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I read the post "Camry FAQs and Information - SEARCH/READ HERE BEFORE POSTING". I used a cheater bar and I'm quite strong. I don't have an air gun.

Boy does that sound familiar. Went through the same thing when I changed my first timing belt. What worked for me was a pneumatic gun, socket, and an air compressor. Spins it right off and laughs at you. Barrow one somewhere. If you can't, take it to any type of automotive shop somewhere. They should do it for nothing. Just snug it back on to get it home.

BTW - I told you you don't have to remove the pulleys like the book tells you to. That still holds but, I would check them for any freeplay in the bearings by trying to rock them back and forth and spinning them and watching for at least a couple revolutions. Make sure you do the measurement for the tensioner spring if 91s have them. If there's any evidense of oil seepage past the crankshaft seal, change it.

mgta - Looking at my first post a second time , yup, I misspoke. Should have said you don't have to remove the idler pulleys. The crankshaft pulley, as you found out, has to come off. I apologize for the error.

Looking at your last post a second time, you are talking about the bolt in the center of the pully correct? Yes, you need an air gun for that. If not, and you have the bolt out, you will need a wheel puller (the type you would use for a steering wheel, not a gear puller). You most likely won't be able to pull the pulley off by hand.

mgta - Looking at my first post a second time , yup, I misspoke. Should have said you don't have to remove the idler pulleys. The crankshaft pulley, as you found out, has to come off. I apologize for the error.

No problem. I should have read the manual closer.

Looking at your last post a second time, you are talking about the bolt in the center of the pully correct? Yes, you need an air gun for that. If not, and you have the bolt out, you will need a wheel puller (the type you would use for a steering wheel, not a gear puller). You most likely won't be able to pull the pulley off by hand.

Yeah, I mean the bolt in the middle. A friend has an air gun that's 150 ft/lbs. Is that enough to get it off? I figured that i'd need a puller to get the pulley out.

This pulley is making this whole thing a much bigger pain in the ass. :)

150 ft lbs - I would think so.

Pain in the A - Yup, and afterwords when you're kicked back soakin up a brew, toast the guys that change these for a living. They deserve it.

The bright side - When you're done your wallet is a little fatter plus the next time you have to change one of these you know exactly what to expect and you'll do it in half the time it took the first time. I've changed 4 or 5 now and it gets easier everytime. The first one took me 4 days. The last one took me 4 hours. Cheers!

150 ft lbs - I would think so.

I was thinking... Wouldn't I be putting more than that on the bolt when I tried using a cheater bar? Also, when I couldn't pull any harder, I would hold it for 5 - 10 seconds.