Honda Accord timing belt change

[ds]

My wife's '99 accord has around 85K miles on it. The manual states that the timing belt should be changed every 100K or seven years. I am taking it into the shop to have the brakes checked out and my question is should I have them change the timing belt/water pump while they have it or should I wait until 100K?

Thanks in advance.

DS

 

[Dagwood]

If you have the money, you might want to get it done now for peace of mind. You could most likely put it off for 6 months. You should determine if you have an "interference engine" or "non interference". If it is an interference engine, and the belt fails, then the valves will get crunched by your pistons and your engine will be severely damaged.

 

[thrace]

Yes, the 99 Accord 4 or 6 is an interference engine.
Check this Gates timing belt table. It notes interference engines.
All Accords in this chart are from 1976 to 2004.

http://www.gates.com/downloads/download_common.cfm?file=TBR05.pdf&folder=brochure

 

[glennc]

I wouldn't do it early. 15k miles is quite a bit and it is unlikely to break prematurely.

- Glenn

 

[tuong]

dont get ripped off ont eh labor and serice. While your doing the timiing belt, might as wel dot he valves and the water pump. should expect to pay 3-4 hundred

 

[Schmoe]

If it's aV6, go ahead and change all the belts and waterpump. Worth the peace
of mine.

 

[ds]

Tuong,

What do you mean by "do the valves"? Is this something they would normally do when replacing the timing belt and water pump? Are there any other belts that should be replaced? (Sorry, I am slowly learning how to take care of our cars.)

ds

 

[tuong]

actually i think i meant the cam seals intead of the valves. Good think you ask. Anyways the timing belt takes a lot of work to get to, so these are parts that are readily available when all the taking apart taken apart. So you might as well change it. It takes about a whole day for you to change the timing belt, in most cases you would have to leave your car at the shop in the morning and pick it up later on that day. So why do change the timing belt one day and a few months later your water pumps goes, and you have to retake it to the shop again. Might as well change the part now so be rest assure for the next 100k. I hope that made sense. ANd i also suggest doing the valve timing, and heck why not do a full tune up,(but u can do a tune up yourself). spark plugs, oil, transmission fluid, gas filter. I know this sounds like a lot.but the full tune up you can do slowly, and on your own, transmission fluid one weekend, gas filter next weekend, etc. sorry i went off on a tangent

 

[Schmoe]

If you have the 4 cylinder, then there are cam seals that could be replaced. Historically, most of us don't as their failure is rare. The water pump is just a good idea once you are in there. Water pump will run about 50 to 60 bucks, but will cost 3X that amount in labor just to get to. Sparkplugs are good for 105K, but beware if you change them out, that is an aluminum head and you must wait until the car is fully cooled off to replace them. When the timing belt is properly lined up, timing will be fine. Those engines have hydraulic lifters and shouldn't need adjusting.

 

[BearZDefect]

Wait until the timing belt service is due. If it is recommended at 105k miles on your car then changing it at 85k is a waste of money IMO. Give it another year.

 

[tuong]

yea i guess it comes donw to how often you want to go to the shop. some people may just want to come once in a very long time. so if you dont mind coming again n ext year, than u can wait.
however, I do not know any spark plugs that last up to 105 k. My spark plug ngk iridiums only last 30 k. and platinum last up to 60k. But i guess its all how you drive the car.

 

[Schmoe]

Dude, your talking to one that has original plugs in an 02 Accord V6 at 103K. You wouldn't be able to tell any difference.

 

[tuong]

dude, that how u take care of your car then. I baby mine and follow the instructions on the plugs. but maybe your 02 accord different than my 01 lude. the harder i drive the faster they go and the faster my miles go down. so when i change those 6 dollars irridium its worth it for me. i guess everyone car is different. I know there is a lot different with the new model hondas. i.e. new hondas dont recommend oil changes till 7k. so heck i dontknow, maybe your spark plugs may last that long. I dont see how, unless maybe you got some double platinum or something, but if you had regular ngk iridium then your car just hates you or you just dont drive hard enough for them to wear out (which isnt bad)

 

[Schmoe]

stock plugs. It's the wifes car, 100 miles roundtrip everyday. I'm from the school of if it ain't broke, I ain't going to fix it. Manual also calls for 105K spark plug changes as well as my F150. That car is so clean you can eat your dinner off of the engine and it is well taken care of up and beyond any owners manual suggestion. Maybe because we "baby" it so much, the spark plugs last longer and it is never dogged. I guess our definitions of "babying" are dissimilar.

 

[michaelc80]

I would suggest waiting until it's closer to the recommended mileage change interval (unless there is a time recommendation on it as well). Check with the shop-most of them have a pretty good idea of what should be replaced "while they're in there". If it's a shop you are not familiar with, get more than one estimate and see what each one is recommending be done.

 

[ds]

michaelc80,

There is a time frame on the timing belt - 7 years/105K. It has been 7 years now and we have only had the car for 3. It was leased before and I have no idea how the previous owner drove it. I have already auto-rxed the transmission and the engine. Now I run Mobil 1 0w-20 and plan on doing so for the rest of the time we own it. I thought about waiting to take it in until closer to the specified milage, but 1) there is a 15% off discount going on ("So I got that going for me, which is nice.") and 2) I don't really want to have to go back to the dealer any more than I have to.

Thanks to everyone for all your help and advice. Sorry about the Caddyshack quote...couldn't resist.

-DS

 

[brianl703]

Just wait until you start getting misfire codes before you replace the plugs.

 

[V1]

ds, if you wind up getting that timing belt service, you may want to ask them about getting your valve lash adjusted. It would be good to have that done "while they're in there."

 

[Tennisjon2002]

don't take it to the dealer and then u will always be able to get more than ur "15%" off
my2cents