# 2003 Camry 4 cylinder - timing belt or chain

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** belts, toyota, camry, timing-belts\
**Created:** [August 16, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623 "2010-08-16T15:40:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![raycyrx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@raycyrx](https://community.cartalk.com/u/raycyrx)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623/1 "2010-08-16T15:40:34Z")

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My mom just bought a 2003 Camry with a four cylinder engine. Maintenance records/receipts show a water pump replacement at 102,xxx miles, but no timing belt (on the receipt.) I called the mechanic and he said that that engine has a timing chain.  
  
  
  
 Anyone KNOW whether it’s a belt or a chain?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623/2 "2010-08-16T15:49:19Z")

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The 2003 Camry 2.4 liter engine utilizes a timing chain.

Tester

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**Author:** ![raycyrx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@raycyrx](https://community.cartalk.com/u/raycyrx)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623/3 "2010-08-16T16:39:41Z")

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Thanks for the help!

When/why did Toyota switch to a chain? I thought they traditionally used belts.

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**Author:** ![raycyrx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@raycyrx](https://community.cartalk.com/u/raycyrx)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623/4 "2010-08-17T16:17:35Z")

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Has Toyota switched to timing chains om most of their motors… or just this one? When did they do so, and why?

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623/5 "2010-08-17T16:53:57Z")

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Both Toyota and Honda have switched to chains on their 4-bangers. Neither says why, but I suspect it’s a customer satisfaction issue.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623/6 "2010-08-17T16:59:45Z")

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Many Toyota 6 cylinder engines still use timing belts. The 4 cylinder units are mostly timing chain equipped.

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**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-camry-4-cylinder-timing-belt-or-chain/53623/7 "2010-08-17T18:47:25Z")

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Go to Gates Rubber website and you can tell if any car has a timing belt and whether or not the engine will destroy itself (called am interference engine).