Owners of 2000-06 Tundra pickup trucks may complain about a squeal from the front of the engine during a cold start. According to Toyota, the noise is most obvious during the first start-up in the morning, and is likely due to the accessory drive belt slipping on the pulleys.
Installing an upgraded automatic belt tensioner, part No. 16620-0W100, along with a new-design a/c compressor mounting bracket, part No. 88431-0C012, should prevent further noise issues.
Begin the fix by removing the lower engine cover and draining the cooling system.
Next, remove the intake duct and the fan shroud, followed by the drive belt, fan, fluid coupling and fan pulley. Now remove the power steering pump and position aside, leaving the lines connected.
Continue the upgrade by removing the idler pulley and the right-and left-side timing covers.
Leaving the refrigerant lines attached, remove the a/c compressor from the old mounting bracket. Now remove the mounting bracket and discard.
Using the illustration, install the new-design a/c compressor mounting bracket along with the three attaching bolts.
While pushing the bracket forward, hand-tighten bolts 1 and 2.
Continue holding the mounting bracket forward, then tighten all three attaching bolts to 35 ft.-lbs. in the following order: bolt 2, bolt 1 and bolt 3. This will help to properly align the bracket.
Now install the a/c compressor to the mounting bracket. Remove the old automatic belt tensioner and install the upgraded unit in its place. Torque the new tensioner's three fasteners to 12 ft.-lbs. To complete the fix, reinstall the remaining parts and refill the cooling system.
"Factory Fixes" is written by Jim DePalma, a 30-year veteran of the auto repair business who has served stints as a service manager, parts manager and ASE-certified technician. His column provides vehicle manufacturers' authentic factory technical service bulletins (TSBs) that have been condensed for easier reading. Mr. DePalma advises that techs always check with a dealer or repair information system for the latest revisions before starting to work on a vehicle. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].