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Timing belt change

It varies from make and model to make and model, of course. Check your owner's manual. Generally, though, you'd should do it at around 60,000 miles.
 
Industry standard is 60,000 miles. Some manuals cite slightly longer intervals, but I would personally never go any longer than 60,000 miles between timing belt changes. If the timing belt breaks, the engine will most often do very expensive bad things. (Bend valves, snap valves, damage pistons, etc.)

ZV
 
I am a mechanic and I have told a lot of people, I DON'T CARE WHAT THE MANUAL SAYS, DO IT AT 60000 MILES.
Its cheaper to do a Timing belt, even on a Jap car, then it is to replace the heads or engine. One customer towed his 944 to me and I said you have 98000 miles and never did a timing belt, his answer was I thought I could make it to 100000 miles. So close, but not close enough, it not only bent the valves in the head but cracked 2 of the pistions. It needed a whole NEW motor.

So many break downs are because people don't do basic stuff, like fuel filter at 10-30K miles, or trans service, etc....

Pay a little now, save a lot later. Its up to you, I will get paid either way, it just depends how much.
 


<< Honda's interval is 90K or 105K, I think. >>

Must just be the newer ones. My '88 has an interval of 60,000 miles. According to most publications and most mechanics, 60,000 miles is the norm.

ZV
 
It is also wise to replace your water pump when you R&R the belt as well. It all has to come off to replace the pump so it may save you $$ to do it now rather than to pay the same labor again next week. If you are a DIYer, will save you the pain of doing it again.
 
The previous owner of my 94 Toyota Corolla had some attempt to replace the timing belt but they stopped midway screwing up a lot of things leaving a few things in disarray. When I had my 90,000 mile tune up my mechanic noticed this and said NOW is the time to replace the timing belt (actually probably 30,000 miles earlier was the right time). It cost me $600 which included a lot of other maintenance, just the timing belt parts & labor cost around $350-$400.
 
Just make sure you don't have a Maxima. Cus if you do, it has a timing chain, so you can just sit back and laugh at all the people who have to change their timing belts 🙂
 
Like in september, the night before I was goign to drive to UCD, some liquids were leaking outa my car. I took it to the mechanic the next day, and he said timing belt needs to be replaced. 93 camry had about 83k miles on it.

The mechanic lives across the street from me, and has done every single thing done to the car since we bought it new back in 93. 🙂 Nice to have a trusted mechanic. Too bad I need to drive 500 miles if I want him to fix something... 🙁
 
SuperTool I am sorry but you are wrong. Unless the newwest Maxima has changed they all have Belts. I know. The first head repair I had to do was on a Maxima where the belt broke. So the majority of Maxima's out there DO HAVE TIMING BELTS!!! 60K, do it.

And yes when you do a Belt it is a good time to do the Water pump, front seals, and any other small items that are near there.
 


<< SuperTool I am sorry but you are wrong. Unless the newwest Maxima has changed they all have Belts. I know. The first head repair I had to do was on a Maxima where the belt broke. So the majority of Maxima's out there DO HAVE TIMING BELTS!!! 60K, do it.

And yes when you do a Belt it is a good time to do the Water pump, front seals, and any other small items that are near there. >>



Maxima's have either or depending on the engine. All new Maximas use chains as opposed to belts. See more info here:

http://www.kalebonline.com/maxima/tutorials/faq.html
 
I thought significant engine damage to timing belt breaks only applies to interference engine? Non-interference engine won't sustain those costly damage.
 
my first belt was replaced at 70,000 and the second was done at 129000. The second belt was in a bad shape and wouldtn have gone the extra mile ... luckily the service guy caught it. I totally forgot about the timing belt.

I prefer teh saturn way.. put a chain.. no need to replace for 100000 miles.
 


<< I thought significant engine damage to timing belt breaks only applies to interference engine? Non-interference engine won't sustain those costly damage. >>

That's right. I had a Nova (Corolla) and the original (AFAIK) belt made it to about 151,000 miles. I wasn't making much money at that time, and I knew that a broken belt in that car would do nothing worse than strand me, so I let it go on it's own. I don't think the repair bill was even $300. I've forgotten the exact amount, but except for the tow, it was no more than doing it before it broke.
 
My 1983 Grey Market 323 Harky (sp) BMW only made it to 64K before the belt let go. I was lucky, it only bent 9 valves. Even though I did my own work it cost me about $750 1990 dollars to fix it.

I just rebuilt the engine in my 163,00 mile 92 Accord. The heads were still in spec according to Dover Head. Using Honda parts, I replaced both belts (including tensioners), piston rings, bearings, water pump and distributer for a little over $1,500. This was my third set of timing belts to this car.

The hardest part of the job was getting the head bolts out without striping threads. Snap-on tools to the rescue.

This car still looks and runs like it is new.

BTW, The Honda chrome molly rings took about 2,000 miles to break in.
 


<< I prefer teh saturn way.. put a chain.. no need to replace for 100000 miles. >>

Jaguar had DOHC engines with timing chains in 1948, or perhaps even earlier earlier!
 


<<

<< Honda's interval is 90K or 105K, I think. >>

Must just be the newer ones. My '88 has an interval of 60,000 miles. According to most publications and most mechanics, 60,000 miles is the norm.

ZV >>


90K for newer models of Honda, I believe.
 


<<

<< I had a Nova (Corolla) .... >>





AAAhhhh. The dread Toy-let. >>


Watchit, buddy, that was a good car for me. Bought for $850, it took me almost 40,000 miles. I got $350 when I sold it, too. I Woulda asked for a lot more, but it needed a CV joint replaced.
 
<<I prefer teh saturn way.. put a chain.. no need to replace for 100000 miles.>>

Originally, most engines used chains for timing. Those that didn't use chains used a set of gears, no chain and no belt. There was a mass move to belts in the 1980's because belts were quieter than chains and the decrease in engine noise was worth the trade-off in durability, also belts do not stretch while chains get longer over the life of the chain. (The latter reason is why Harley motorcycles use a belt drive instead of a chain drive.) Currently, technology has improved and belts don't have the advantage of being quieter anymore and the increased durability offered by chains is leading some manufacturers to go back to chain-driven camshafts.

ZV
 
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