coworker 2014 Acura TL

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May 12, 2014
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No joke, what are the chances

My coworker has a 2014 Acura TL 3.5 with 122k

Last month my 1st time in the car while going to lunch i brought up have you done the timing belt on this thing..He goes timing What???

I explained everything about honda/acura and how timing belts need to be changed every 7/100k....he blew it off

He just called me now 11pm at night, he's stranded on side of the highway...I think the belt broke..i told him to start it so i can hear...u can tell no compression...he's still making payments on it.

He goes can i come by on the weekend and so we can change it...i explained to him your engine is done.. It was such a beautiful car

Had to post this before i go pick him up...peace
 
That's a sad story. So many just think as long as you change the oil regularly (means different things to different people) cars will last forever. They neglect most of the other maintenance items and this stuff happens. Sorry to hear.
 
I disagree. Just change per owners manual and you should be good!
They're such a gamble though. Sometimes they'll break right before the interval is due, and if it's an interference engine then you're screwed.

If I was choosing between 2 cars and had a hard time deciding, let's just say generically a Camry and Accord V6, I'd choose the Camry with the timing chain any day.

I had one break on my Camry. Luckily non-interference though.
 
Kind of a broad question here, all my cars have belts, but since you guys are discussing this---how expensive is it to replace the chain? Belts for my cars have run in the $700 range for a while. For a 4 or 6 cylinder engine, what would a range for replacing the chain?
 
Kind of a broad question here, all my cars have belts, but since you guys are discussing this---how expensive is it to replace the chain? Belts for my cars have run in the $700 range for a while. For a 4 or 6 cylinder engine, what would a range for replacing the chain?
Depends on how difficult it is to replace and your location. Around my area, replacement costs would be starting at $1000 plus.
 
Give me a timing belt that is designed to be changed any day over a chain setup with tensioners/guides that will fail and be a nightmare to replace because they are designed to last the 'life' of the vehicle.

Timing chains rarely fail. Why buy something with a belt that has baked in major repairs? Also the timing components on belt engines seem to always have issues - it's not just the belt failing but the tensioner or idler pulley. I don't mind a non-interference belt motor, but I'll never own another interference motor again.
 
Chains and belts both have their pros and cons.

If designed correctly and easy to get to for maintenance, with rugged tensioners and guides, chains are probably better but more expensive and heavier. And the good news is you tend to get *some* warning with a rattle when these are failing. However, companies cheap out on tensioners and also put chains at the back of the engine (Audi, Ford, etc.) requiring the extraction of the engine to service, and/or they are making the chains too thin/weak. A shade tree mechanic is not likely able to complete this repair task. And this is a prime reason you see old Audis in particular, once they reach an age/miles where the chain is doomed, going for scrap value. It's not cost effective to repair a 10 year 100,000 mile Audi with a rattling chain.

A 100k mile belt in the front, and you service it probably 2-3 times in the life of a 400,000 mile automobile. Not a huge expense, and if pressed I could do the swap even with my rudimentary mechanical abilities.

Of the two, a perfectly placed and designed chain is probably superior. But it's also probably more expensive. Does that added expense exceed the costs of a belt with replacements every decade?

Vehicle A has a chain, and it's probably at least somewhat more expensive and heavier. If it starts to rattle, it may mean the end of the vehicle.
Vehicle B has a belt and if serviced timely for ~$1000 each time, 3x in its life, it won't be a problem.

On many if either suddenly fail the engine is severely damaged.
 
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They're such a gamble though. Sometimes they'll break right before the interval is due, and if it's an interference engine then you're screwed.

If I was choosing between 2 cars and had a hard time deciding, let's just say generically a Camry and Accord V6, I'd choose the Camry with the timing chain any day.

I had one break on my Camry. Luckily non-interference though.
I have NEVER seen a belt break before its recommended change interval. Not once.
 
I have NEVER seen a belt break before its recommended change interval. Not once.

Likewise, and if it did I'd be filing a warranty with the company with repair and maintenance receipts.

I've rarely seen/heard of belts breaking even long-after the recommended change interval. The few that broke, like the subject of this discussion, were tens of thousands of miles beyond necessary service interval.
 
Give me a timing belt that is designed to be changed any day over a chain setup with tensioners/guides that will fail and be a nightmare to replace because they are designed to last the 'life' of the vehicle.
I'll take a pushrod engine with a timing chain that is probably going to outlast your next couple vehicle purchases. To be fair the 76 olds engine in the car had nylon coated gears which were replaced with the timing chain and water pump 15 years and 120k miles ago. But that job was easier than a lot of timing belt jobs.
The LS engine (4.8 V8) in the truck doesn't have that issue and the timing chain should last the life of the engine. 9300 hours and 210k miles so far.
Lots of people seem to be fine with timing belts but remember that if something else randomly fails like the water pump or a tensioner you could be replacing your engine just because of bad luck. I guess all the timing belt lovers are optimistic people.
 

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They're such a gamble though. Sometimes they'll break right before the interval is due, and if it's an interference engine then you're screwed.

If I was choosing between 2 cars and had a hard time deciding, let's just say generically a Camry and Accord V6, I'd choose the Camry with the timing chain any day.

I had one break on my Camry. Luckily non-interference though.
Let me guess and say it had 200k+ on the belt? Although I know of several Accords of that era with 200k when they were changed. Too bad for the Acura, sometimes they aren't toast and can be saved. Kind of 50/50.
 
I don't recall one before warranty but not too far past it on some Ford engines that were prone to it. But they usually just make a lot of noise and don't ruin the engine unless you ignore it.
I should also add, I have seen a LOT of timing chains fail before the warranty period is even over.
 
I have NEVER seen a belt break before its recommended change interval. Not once.
Most of the time it is the chain guide that worn out and the chain stretch, causing the timing gear to be off or something weird like that. Still start but will run horribly and may cause check engine light / fail emission / etc
 
Let me guess and say it had 200k+ on the belt? Although I know of several Accords of that era with 200k when they were changed. Too bad for the Acura, sometimes they aren't toast and can be saved. Kind of 50/50.
95k on the belt, 90k mile replacement interval.

My previous Camry went 186k miles on the original belt so I was not rushing to replace it.

It’s just a gamble
 
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