Tricks to Getting Timing Belt On 3.4l 5VZ-FE Toyota Tacoma/Tundra/4runner (Don't Make Same Mistake)

This is about how to get the timing belt lined up and slid back on a toyota 3.4l engine. It can be tricky because these belts are just big enough to fit even with the tensioner fully compressed. So there are some tricks to make it easier to get it back on. 1. Keep the bolts for the tensioner backed out almost all the way when you go to put the belt back on. 2. Keep the top idler pulley for last as you go to put the belt on work it on at same time. 3. You can put a wrench on the cam gears and with the belt clipped on or held in place you can take up the tension and then slip on the top idler at the same time. basically move the cams in towards each other and take up the slack so the slack comes up to the top. 4. Another set of hands helps 5. Once you have it set before you release the tensioner you can turn it over by hand a few times and make sure the marks all line up. The marks on the belt after the initial install won't realign again. 6. If you feel any tension or its hard to turn the engine over or it stops then do not try to crank it. You have the timing off and you need to fix it before you crank it (no big deal but a big deal if you try to start it). Never force any cam / crank gear to move. 7. You can take the spark plugs out or a few out to reduce compression on the engine and make it easier to turn over by hand if you want. 8. Always buy parts from Rockauto Aisin not amazon or ebay as they are likely to be counterfeits. Avoid Gates kits as they are all junk now. 9. Reusing OEM tensioner is okay if not leaking. They make at tool that allows you to compress it without removing it that would be clutch to have as getting it out can be a pain in the arse. 10. Torque the water pump bolts correctly and don't use RTV on the seal. 11. my original timing belt lasted 300,000 miles before I bought the truck and changed it it had never been changed. It looked okay, water pump however was leaking out the weep hole. Goes to show you why these engines are one of the best in the world. 12. If ya ever have a misfire after doing the plugs or the coils check to make sure you have the coil wires plugged in correctly and the secondary wires not switched around. These can be a bit tricky to actually get the belt on and lined up. Here are some tricks I used to get it on. I still battled it for awhile and then I saw this method online and figured I would give it a shot. Here are things to keep in mind, and there are many different ways to get this belt on. This is what worked for me.