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Autopapyrus · Toyota Hiace 1KZ-TE 3.0 Diesel (1998)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/toyota/hi-ace/timing-belt-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Toyota Hiace 1KZ-TE 3.0 Diesel (1998): Timing Belt Replacement

The 1KZ-TE is an interference diesel: if the belt breaks, the valves hit the pistons, which leads to expensive cylinder head repairs. The belt replacement interval is every 100,000 km (62,000 miles) or 7-10 years. The hydraulic tensioner and idler pulley must be replaced at the same time. The water pump and thermostat are strongly recommended (they take the same labor to access).

Difficulty: Medium Time: 6-8 hours Steps: 15 Tools: Socket and wrench set 10-22 mm, 10 mm hex socket (for the tensioner bolt), crankshaft pulley puller, torque wrench, jack and jack stands, pry bars, 1.5 mm hex key (for locking the tensioner), bench vise (for compressing the tensioner)

Part

  • 🔩 1KZ-TE timing kit includes: Toyota timing belt 13568-69085, Toyota hydraulic tensioner 13540-67020, Toyota idler pulley 13505-67040. A water pump 16100-69356 and thermostat 90916-03093 are also recommended

Step by step

15 steps
  1. Raise the front of the vehicle on jack stands, remove the right front wheel, and remove the fender liner to access the crankshaft pulley.
  2. Remove the serpentine accessory drive belt, unbolt the alternator belt tensioner, and remove the serpentine belt pulley itself.
  3. Remove the lower plastic timing belt cover (held by 10 mm bolts).
  4. Turn the crankshaft clockwise until the marks align: the mark on the crankshaft pulley must line up with the 0-degree (TDC) mark on the engine front cover; the mark on the camshaft gear must match the mark on the rear timing belt cover (the injection pump gear also has a mark, which must point straight up). Mark the positions with a marker.
  5. Remove the center bolt of the crankshaft pulley with a 22 mm socket (tightening torque 240-260 N·m (177-192 lb-ft); you will need a puller or an impact wrench), then remove the crankshaft pulley.
  6. Remove the timing belt tensioner bolt (10 mm hex socket) and remove the tensioner. Remove the idler pulley bolt (tightening torque 35 N·m (26 lb-ft) at assembly) and remove the pulley.
  7. Remove the old timing belt. If you are replacing the water pump, remove the pump mounting bolts (6 bolts, 12 mm; tightening torque at assembly 18-20 N·m (13-15 lb-ft)), take out the pump, clean the mounting surface, and install the new pump with a new gasket.
  8. Prepare the new hydraulic tensioner: slowly compress the tensioner rod in a bench vise with a force of 100-1000 kgf (no more), align the holes in the rod and body, and lock the rod with the 1.5 mm hex key (inserted through the holes) so the rod stays compressed during installation.
  9. Install the new idler pulley and tighten the bolt to 35 N·m (26 lb-ft). Check that the pulley spins smoothly.
  10. Fit the new timing belt onto the gears in this order: crankshaft → idler pulley → camshaft gear → injection pump gear → tensioner location. The belt must be taut on the drive side (from the crankshaft to the camshaft), with the slack on the tensioner side.
  11. Install the compressed hydraulic tensioner and tighten the bolt to 18-20 N·m (13-15 lb-ft). Remove the 1.5 mm locking hex key; the tensioner will extend and tension the belt.
  12. Turn the crankshaft by hand 2 full turns clockwise and make sure all the marks line up again (crankshaft at 0 degrees, camshaft and injection pump marks pointing up). If the marks do not line up, the belt is installed incorrectly; repeat the procedure.
  13. Install the crankshaft pulley and tighten the center bolt to 240-260 N·m (177-192 lb-ft).
  14. Install the lower timing belt cover, the serpentine belt pulley, the alternator tensioner, and the serpentine accessory drive belt.
  15. Install the fender liner and the wheel, then lower the vehicle. Start the engine, warm it up to operating temperature, and check for unusual noises and coolant leaks (if you replaced the water pump).

Common mistakes and warnings

  • The 1KZ-TE is an interference engine: a broken timing belt bends the valves and damages the pistons and cylinders. Do not run the engine with a worn belt (cracks, delamination, oil stains). Do not reuse a used tensioner; its hydraulic mechanism loses its resistance, and the belt will slacken and jump teeth. Be sure to check that the marks line up after 2 turns of the crankshaft before final assembly; being off by even 1 tooth will cause the valves to hit the pistons at startup. When replacing the timing belt, it is strongly recommended to replace the water pump and thermostat as well. The labor is the same, the 1KZ-TE water pump tends to leak after 100,000 km (62,000 miles), and a lower-temperature thermostat (82 degrees instead of the standard 88) reduces the risk of cylinder head cracks on high-mileage engines. If you have no experience working on the timing of interference engines, take it to a repair shop, because the cost of a mistake is a cylinder head overhaul.
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