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Toyota Corolla - Timing Belt Change - mickburkesnr

I bought a 1998 1.3 Toyota Corolla for £250 about 2 months ago for a daily commuter (will be covering 300 miles per week). The car has done 98,000 miles and I bought it from a woman I know through my girlfriends mother. For the last 2/3 years all it has done is trips from her house to the local tip and to pick a Christmas tree up, so it's done about 40 miles per year. She wanted rid of it because she didn't see a point in having two cars.

The car has a valid MOT and from what I've seen of it there is nothing stopping it passing another one, so it's mechanically sound. It's a surprisingly lovely car to drive, no wandering on the road, makes all the right noises and drives better than the 2010 Peugeot 3008 it's replacing. The one thing letting everything down however is the timing belt which was last changed in 2005. I've inspected the belt and it doesn't look worn or cracked, but I want to replace it just so I know it's been done.

From looking for a replacement belt I've noticed some retailers, but not all, provide a timing belt kit. Do I need to change the whole assembly or is just the belt that requires replacement? I'm fairly sure it's just the belt that I need to change, but if I'm wrong I'd like to know.

Toyota Corolla - Timing Belt Change - RobJP

If you're going to do the job, do it properly. The kit will include the tensioners and rollers (and possibly a waterpump, depending on the car), which also undergo wear over the years.

Toyota Corolla - Timing Belt Change - madf

Frankly I would not change it if it is not cracked.

BUT if you want to, it is pointless to change a belt without as a minimum the tensioner pulley. And if it drives the water pump, that too.. Toyota belts last well but the water pump/tensioners wear through use. And if the pump is driven by the belt and fails, you have wasted your money.

I personally would drive it till it drops ..