The Cellar - View Single Post - What might be making you a tad apprehensive, but might not, as it's too soon to tell

chrisinhouston · 05-03-2013, 08:52 AM

Today I have to try to finish fixing my wife's car and put it back together. She drives a 1996 Toyota Avalon and it's hovering at 280,000 miles. It began making a noise, kind of a grinding grown that was there until you hit the accelerator and revved it such a when you speed up or get out on the highway. Then it would subside but come back once the engine was at a steady rpm. It is a transverse engine and it sounded like the noise was on the passenger side where the belts are.

After listening to it while idling in the driveway I felt it might be the water pump or one of the big pulleys for the timing belt. We are way overdue for a timing belt change and since the water pump is only replaceable when the belt is removed I am doing replacing it as well which is what Toyota suggests. I suspect it is the water pump bearing making the noise as the shaft might get repositioned to not make the noise when you accelerate and water is forced harder through the impeller blades, sort of refloating the shaft to a centered position and not pushing the bearing off center.

I had to drain out all of the coolant, remove lots of stuff including the air plenum, engine mounts and brackets and today I need to break free the nut holding the big pulley on to the crankshaft. I need to insure that everything is perfectly lined up for cylinder 1 at top dead center or the timing could get off. I ordered the necessary parts, timing belt kit, water pump and several gaskets and they are all here.

So, I am uneasy because I always doubt my skills even though I did the timing belt a few years ago (supposed to be every 90,000 miles but this is only the second time) and I have successfully rebuilt a few engines in my youth. I just worry I will screw it up, something will go wrong or worse yet I will get it done and the noise will still be there meaning it is something else. And the last thing we need is for the car to just not be repairable (something worse or I fuck up), we just don't have room for a new car payment what with the kitchen redo and other things. I will have let my wife down or at least that what my Leo ego will think.

So why am I doing it? Well, having a shop do it would be $600-$800 as for them it's almost an all day job and they mark up parts. I took the car apart last week and ordered the parts, then I cut my thumb so I've waited for it to heel up mostly so I can use it. And the parts I have purchased only cost about $160 so far. I am also changing out the valve cover gaskets as they get old and brittle and let oil seep out.

Can't put it off any longer, it's like a tax return or getting in your thesis on time.

05-03-2013, 08:52 AM	#312
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	Today I have to try to finish fixing my wife's car and put it back together. She drives a 1996 Toyota Avalon and it's hovering at 280,000 miles. It began making a noise, kind of a grinding grown that was there until you hit the accelerator and revved it such a when you speed up or get out on the highway. Then it would subside but come back once the engine was at a steady rpm. It is a transverse engine and it sounded like the noise was on the passenger side where the belts are. After listening to it while idling in the driveway I felt it might be the water pump or one of the big pulleys for the timing belt. We are way overdue for a timing belt change and since the water pump is only replaceable when the belt is removed I am doing replacing it as well which is what Toyota suggests. I suspect it is the water pump bearing making the noise as the shaft might get repositioned to not make the noise when you accelerate and water is forced harder through the impeller blades, sort of refloating the shaft to a centered position and not pushing the bearing off center. I had to drain out all of the coolant, remove lots of stuff including the air plenum, engine mounts and brackets and today I need to break free the nut holding the big pulley on to the crankshaft. I need to insure that everything is perfectly lined up for cylinder 1 at top dead center or the timing could get off. I ordered the necessary parts, timing belt kit, water pump and several gaskets and they are all here. So, I am uneasy because I always doubt my skills even though I did the timing belt a few years ago (supposed to be every 90,000 miles but this is only the second time) and I have successfully rebuilt a few engines in my youth. I just worry I will screw it up, something will go wrong or worse yet I will get it done and the noise will still be there meaning it is something else. And the last thing we need is for the car to just not be repairable (something worse or I fuck up), we just don't have room for a new car payment what with the kitchen redo and other things. I will have let my wife down or at least that what my Leo ego will think. So why am I doing it? Well, having a shop do it would be $600-$800 as for them it's almost an all day job and they mark up parts. I took the car apart last week and ordered the parts, then I cut my thumb so I've waited for it to heel up mostly so I can use it. And the parts I have purchased only cost about $160 so far. I am also changing out the valve cover gaskets as they get old and brittle and let oil seep out. Can't put it off any longer, it's like a tax return or getting in your thesis on time.