scfocus

iTrader: (3)

So after taking the cover off I further inspected what was inside, I noticed that the inside of the timing belt is cracked (see below for pics). Also I took off the lower cover and found where the 'knocking' noise is coming from. (Again see below for pics) It seems the cam gear is hitting the lower cover.

I've also uploaded a video of how the gears rotate - so does this mean new cam gears and belt are needed or is it something more internal like the cams themselves?







Focus on the middle bolts of the cam gears (left seems to be worse)

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iTrader: (3)

Any ideas? I saw a video of the same thing on youtube titled 'cam gears gone bad'

JspecSC3

iTrader: (4)

That timing belt looks horrible.

scfocus

iTrader: (3)

I bought the car back in April of this year and the used car dealer I bought it from told me it had a new timing belt put in - he offered to show me but I took his word for it

Are the gears the only reason they seem to be off-center like that?

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iTrader: (3)

Anyone have any ideas before I bring it to a mechanic to have them charge me $100 for diagnostics?

sc1jzgte

i may be way off here... and its bee awhile since i heard a 2jzge, but i remeber something similar on mine years back. I think a normal mechanic that had a lot of respect for said that it was some kind of tensioner lexus auto adjusting device making causing that noice... like i said it was a long time ago and it may have been a different noise..

scfocus

iTrader: (3)

Maybe its the belt tensioner? I took it to someone and had them take a quick look and noticed its not the gears themselves that are rotating off balance but rather the nut. So perhaps its the tensioner..

scfocus

iTrader: (3)

Still looking for a solution :\

sorka

Well, you did say your camshaft was rotating off center as though it were bent. If it were bent, then your cam sprocket would wobble as well. Hopefully that's not the case because if it were, you'd need new cams and heads to fix it.