Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
gone less than 55,000 km.

I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.

Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

On 3/14/08 12:34 PM, in article 7HyCj.86857$w94.49814@pd7urf2no, "really
real" <reallyreal@shaw.ca> wrote:

> I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
> needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
> gone less than 55,000 km.
>
> I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
> it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.
>
> Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
> belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?

It is an interference engine, which means the valves can interfere with the
pistons. It the belt breaks while the engine is running, it is highly
likely that some of the pistons will hit valves, bending them or damaging
the piston. Very expensive repair compared to preventatively replacing the
belt.

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

In article <7HyCj.86857$w94.49814@pd7urf2no>, reallyreal@shaw.ca says...

> I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
> needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
> gone less than 55,000 km.
>
> I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
> it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.
>
> Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
> belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?

What does the owner's manual say? I'd bet it says replace every xxxxx
miles OR x years, whichever comes first.

7 years is old for a timing belt. As someone else already pointed out,
it's a lot cheaper to replace a t-belt than it is to replace your valves
when the t-belt breaks. Sounds like you also need to find a new mechanic
that's better-informed about Hondas.

Dave

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

"Dave Garrett" <dave@compassnet.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.224489d68e3f0d7298a21c@207.14.116.130...
> In article <7HyCj.86857$w94.49814@pd7urf2no>, reallyreal@shaw.ca says...
>
>> I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
>> needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
>> gone less than 55,000 km.
>>
>> I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
>> it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.
>>
>> Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
>> belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?
>
> What does the owner's manual say? I'd bet it says replace every xxxxx
> miles OR x years, whichever comes first.
>
> 7 years is old for a timing belt. As someone else already pointed out,
> it's a lot cheaper to replace a t-belt than it is to replace your valves
> when the t-belt breaks. Sounds like you also need to find a new mechanic
> that's better-informed about Hondas.
>
> Dave
>
>
Agree, had mine done at 50,000 mi and 7 yrs. As noted, either one, mileage
or time, is the criteria.
MLD

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

really real <reallyreal@shaw.ca> wrote in
news:7HyCj.86857$w94.49814@pd7urf2no:

> I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
> needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
> gone less than 55,000 km.
>
> I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
> it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.
>
> Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
> belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?
>

Some engine have the valves crash into the piston heads;bent valves,broken
conn.rods,damaged pistons...not very good.they are called "interference"
engines.

my 94 Integra GS-R never had it's timing belt changed,unless the theives
who stole it June 07 changed it before they put it in one of their cars.
The car only had 59K miles on it.

I hope they didn't and it broke on them.
I also hope they contract incurable illnesses,preferably disfiguring ones.
I hope someone catches them stealing and shoots them dead.I curse them.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

really real wrote:
> I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
> needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
> gone less than 55,000 km.
>
> I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
> it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.
>
> Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
> belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?

dude, learn to cross post. then you'll see the answers from both groups
at the same time.

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

On Fri, 14 Mar 2008, Dave Garrett wrote:

>In article <7HyCj.86857$w94.49814@pd7urf2no>, reallyreal@shaw.ca says...
>
>> I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
>> needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
>> gone less than 55,000 km.
>>
>> I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
>> it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.
>>
>> Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
>> belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?
>
>What does the owner's manual say? I'd bet it says replace every xxxxx
>miles OR x years, whichever comes first.
>
>7 years is old for a timing belt. As someone else already pointed out,
>it's a lot cheaper to replace a t-belt than it is to replace your valves
>when the t-belt breaks. Sounds like you also need to find a new mechanic
>that's better-informed about Hondas.
>
>Dave

I've yet to replace the timing belt on my 98 Civic (45K miles). Yes,
I'm overdue. Last week, a Honda dealer gave me estimates for the job:

$105.38 water pump
56.85 timing belt
18.51 alt belt
21.92 compressor belt
20.54 p.s. pump
13.83 gasket, cyl hd cvr
12.92 coolant typ2 blue
--------
249.95 parts total
402.70 labor
9.88 environmental fee
25.00 shop supplies
------
704.15 total

Sound reasonable? heh

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

On Fri, 14 Mar 2008, ident wrote:

>20.54 p.s. pump

Correction--should read p.s. pump belt.

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

ident wrote:
> On Fri, 14 Mar 2008, Dave Garrett wrote:
>
>> In article <7HyCj.86857$w94.49814@pd7urf2no>, reallyreal@shaw.ca says...
>>
>>> I got some good advice here about my '01 Prelude which apparently now
>>> needs a new timing belt because they decay with age, not mileage. I've
>>> gone less than 55,000 km.
>>>
>>> I found a mechanic who will do it for a reasonable price, considering
>>> it's a four hour job, but he doesn't want to, thinking it's unnecessary.
>>>
>>> Is there a school of thought that says we can ignore the age of a timing
>>> belt? Just what happens to a car if the timing belt breaks?
>> What does the owner's manual say? I'd bet it says replace every xxxxx
>> miles OR x years, whichever comes first.
>>
>> 7 years is old for a timing belt. As someone else already pointed out,
>> it's a lot cheaper to replace a t-belt than it is to replace your valves
>> when the t-belt breaks. Sounds like you also need to find a new mechanic
>> that's better-informed about Hondas.
>>
>> Dave
>
> I've yet to replace the timing belt on my 98 Civic (45K miles). Yes,
> I'm overdue. Last week, a Honda dealer gave me estimates for the job:
>
> $105.38 water pump

majestic honda has that at a full retail price of $88, or $61
discounted. i think you need to call around other dealers.


> 56.85 timing belt
> 18.51 alt belt
> 21.92 compressor belt
> 20.54 p.s. pump
> 13.83 gasket, cyl hd cvr
> 12.92 coolant typ2 blue
> --------
> 249.95 parts total
> 402.70 labor
> 9.88 environmental fee
> 25.00 shop supplies
> ------
> 704.15 total
>
> Sound reasonable? heh

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

In article <k5bmt3127bhg3q7j1lvj99njhnl5toe5er@4ax.com>, asdf@asdf.edu
says...

> I've yet to replace the timing belt on my 98 Civic (45K miles). Yes,
> I'm overdue. Last week, a Honda dealer gave me estimates for the job:
>
> $105.38 water pump
> 56.85 timing belt
> 18.51 alt belt
> 21.92 compressor belt
> 20.54 p.s. pump
> 13.83 gasket, cyl hd cvr
> 12.92 coolant typ2 blue
> --------
> 249.95 parts total
> 402.70 labor
> 9.88 environmental fee
> 25.00 shop supplies
> ------
> 704.15 total
>
> Sound reasonable? heh

$400 sounds way high on labor to me. So does $25 for "shop supplies".
I've had a t-belt and water pump replaced on my CRX before for under
$500 total. I believe the same work on my V6 Accord was a bit more. I've
also seen some posts here in the past with wildly varying estimates for
t-belt replacement. You need to comparison shop several more places
before deciding what's reasonable.

Dave

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

Labor costs vary widely depending where you are. So you cannot dispute the
labor cost without knowing where the service is being done. From what I have
read the total cost is in the average ballpark. You also want the job done
by a good reliable mechanic, not some cheap DIYer.

"Dave Garrett" <dave@compassnet.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.2245025b42e7e42798a21d@207.14.116.130...
> In article <k5bmt3127bhg3q7j1lvj99njhnl5toe5er@4ax.com>, asdf@asdf.edu
> says...
>
>> I've yet to replace the timing belt on my 98 Civic (45K miles). Yes,
>> I'm overdue. Last week, a Honda dealer gave me estimates for the job:
>>
>> $105.38 water pump
>> 56.85 timing belt
>> 18.51 alt belt
>> 21.92 compressor belt
>> 20.54 p.s. pump
>> 13.83 gasket, cyl hd cvr
>> 12.92 coolant typ2 blue
>> --------
>> 249.95 parts total
>> 402.70 labor
>> 9.88 environmental fee
>> 25.00 shop supplies
>> ------
>> 704.15 total
>>
>> Sound reasonable? heh
>
> $400 sounds way high on labor to me. So does $25 for "shop supplies".
> I've had a t-belt and water pump replaced on my CRX before for under
> $500 total. I believe the same work on my V6 Accord was a bit more. I've
> also seen some posts here in the past with wildly varying estimates for
> t-belt replacement. You need to comparison shop several more places
> before deciding what's reasonable.
>
> Dave
>
>

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

In article <lpRCj.653$p24.563@nlpi061.nbdc.sbc.com>, TheDuck@pond.net
says...

> Labor costs vary widely depending where you are. So you cannot dispute the
> labor cost without knowing where the service is being done. From what I have
> read the total cost is in the average ballpark. You also want the job done
> by a good reliable mechanic, not some cheap DIYer.
>
> "Dave Garrett" <dave@compassnet.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.2245025b42e7e42798a21d@207.14.116.130...
> >
> > $400 sounds way high on labor to me. So does $25 for "shop supplies".
> > I've had a t-belt and water pump replaced on my CRX before for under
> > $500 total. I believe the same work on my V6 Accord was a bit more. I've
> > also seen some posts here in the past with wildly varying estimates for
> > t-belt replacement. You need to comparison shop several more places
> > before deciding what's reasonable.

That's why I said "shop around". And the prices I mentioned were from a
Honda dealer and an independent shop with Honda-certified mechanics.

Dave

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

| 7 years is old for a timing belt.
My '90 F20A 's t-belt broke in 10-05 ( lasted ~15yr ) @
79,800 km . I plan to open my 2nd F20A 's t-belt cover to
chk belt's condition every 6 mth after 5yr.

| find a new mechanic that's better-informed about Hondas.
He may have seen this belt, & think it's still fine, & nitrile
( costlier ) lasts longer than neoprene.
www.aa1car.com/library/ar594.htm
www.napabeltshose.com/index.cfm?location_id=1206

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

On 3/15/08 9:59 PM, in article 47dca436_2@news.tm.net.my, "TE Chea"
<4ws@gmail.com> wrote:

> | 7 years is old for a timing belt.
> My '90 F20A 's t-belt broke in 10-05 ( lasted ~15yr ) @
> 79,800 km . I plan to open my 2nd F20A 's t-belt cover to
> chk belt's condition every 6 mth after 5yr.
>
> | find a new mechanic that's better-informed about Hondas.
> He may have seen this belt, & think it's still fine, & nitrile
> ( costlier ) lasts longer than neoprene.
> www.aa1car.com/library/ar594.htm
> www.napabeltshose.com/index.cfm?location_id=1206

You really can't tell anything looking at a timing belt unless its frayed.
Usually, if they are going to fail, they look brand new right up until the
moment of death. Better to just follow the time and mileage recommendations
that came with the car.

Re: Prelude 7 year old timing belt
 

TE Chea wrote:
> | 7 years is old for a timing belt.
> My '90 F20A 's t-belt broke in 10-05 ( lasted ~15yr ) @
> 79,800 km . I plan to open my 2nd F20A 's t-belt cover to
> chk belt's condition every 6 mth after 5yr.

But can you tell when a belt is going to go just by looking at it?

Jeff

> | find a new mechanic that's better-informed about Hondas.
> He may have seen this belt, & think it's still fine, & nitrile
> ( costlier ) lasts longer than neoprene.
> www.aa1car.com/library/ar594.htm
> www.napabeltshose.com/index.cfm?location_id=1206