Buying a car is a big budget for the majority of us, however, to this one you will have to add the maintenance of your car, and for some maintenance acts the bill can be quite high. It is so obvious to ask yourself when is the most fortunate time to perform these repairs and not do them “for nothing”. On this page we are going to explain to you when to replace the timing belt on your Toyota Highlander? For that, first of all, we are going to find out why it is important to do this act of maintenance, then, when to do the timing belt of your Toyota Highlander , then, we are going to fairly quickly explain to you how this change is done, and, at last, how much it costs to do the timing belt of a Toyota Highlander.
Why do we need to replace the timing belt of an Toyota Highlander?
As we informed you in introduction, changing a timing belt on a Toyota Highlander represents an enormous budget, so we discover that you are reluctant to do it and to allow you to discover the importance of this repair, so we will fairly quickly explain why it is so important to do it on time.
Your Toyota Highlander’s timing belt objective
The timing of a Toyota Highlander has an essential role in the smooth running of your engine. Obviously, it will have the mission to synchronize the valves and pistons, and to make the link between the camshaft, the water pump, the crankshaft and the injection pump . It will allow the engine to work properly, and avoid any risk of engine breakage. The shorter the distance your vehicle travels, the more your belt will be solicited when starting the engine.
What are the risks if the timing belt is not changed in time?
The problem with the timing of a Toyota Highlander is that it is internal to the engine. And therefore, unlike an accessory belt, it is difficult to visually check its condition. So you might believe that this belt is just an insignificant part, but the risks you take if you don’t replace it in time are enormous. If the timing of your Toyota Highlander breaks, you will definitely have to replace the engine of this one. Obviously, the pistons will hit the valves and injure them, and the camshaft will also break. The faster the engine is running at the moment of the breakage, the more significant the results are. It is therefore crucial to make your timing belt on time .
When to do the timing belt of its Toyota Highlander?
We will now answer the question that you all have to ask yourselves, when to produce the timing belt of a Toyota Highlander? It is necessary to know that each engine is different and as we described earlier, we must not miss on the replacement of this part. The more we advance in time the more the manufacturers improve the timing belt and normally the more recent your Toyota Highlander will be the less you will have to get worried about your belt. Nevertheless, check out your Toyota Highlander’s service book to get the exact life and maximum mileage you can accomplish before you do the timing . Typically, timing belts have a life of 5 to 10 years and a maximum mileage between 80, 000 and 200, 000km .
How to replace the timing belt of an Toyota Highlander?
As the timing belt of a Toyota Highlander represents a high budget, one can logically wonder if it is not possible to replace it yourself. Regrettably it is very hard to access and only the most experienced amateur mechanics and the most equipped with tools will have the ability to consider this process, we will however fairly quickly illustrate the different steps to be executed to change this timing belt:
- Place the Toyota Highlander on stands, and based on your engine you may have to remove a wheel. Remove the timing gearboxes
- To do this, you must buy the timing kit so that all the engine elements remain in the right position, otherwise your engine will break. Remove the other components that bother you (damper pulley for example).
- Remove the old distribution after loosening the tension rollers. Before positioning the new one, you must remove all the tensioning rollers and the water pump.
- Mount the new water pump.
- Mount the new tension rollers, pay attention to the location of each one.
- Mount the new distribution of your Toyota Highlander by respecting the markers.
- Tension the belt as indicated by the manufacturer’s data.
- Put the rest of it back together.
- Verify that the engine is running properly.
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Changing the timing belt how much does it cost?
And finally, we’ll try to give you an idea of the price if you want to change the timing belt of your Toyota Highlander . Be aware that if you do it at the mechanic of the brand or at a car center like Feu Vert the price can vary a lot, but generally speaking we estimate that the price of the distribution varies between 400 and 900 euros , based on the place where you do it and your engine. Please be aware that the kits include the belt, idlers and water pump.
If you want more guides on the Toyota Highlander, go to our Toyota Highlander category.
