In 2007, my stepmother's 2000 Camry 2.2L 4 cylinder had its original timing belt break at almost exactly 120k miles. That was the day we learned it was a non-interference engine.
OEM Timing Belts - do they really break?
- Thread starter DIY4quality
- Start date
My family had an old Volvo wagon with a B21A.
When the belt snapped, it just rolled to a stop.
It needed to be towed to the repair shop where they simply installed a new belt and we were on our way.
That car had many problems, but keeping that old redblock running wasn't one of them.
When the belt snapped, it just rolled to a stop.
It needed to be towed to the repair shop where they simply installed a new belt and we were on our way.
That car had many problems, but keeping that old redblock running wasn't one of them.
That would be a 5S-FE, Surprised one would break so early unless it was contaminated?
Does anyone have any first hand information on what a shop, (or dealership), would approximately charge to preemptively change one out?
The heat itself is not a problem, because the materials used in the construction of these belts can absorb it, and still function as they were designed to.
It's the continuous heating / freezing cold cycles that hurt over time. Taking these belts from subzero temperatures to extreme heat, (operating temperatures), is hard on them. Sooner or later something has to give.
It's the same with radiators, water pumps, and heater cores. They all last much longer in warmer climates given equal care.
The constant thermal expansion and contraction is an excellent source for creating leaks. Just as it's hard on belts by making them stiffer and more brittle.
Las Vegas, NV, '96 Toyota Rav4, approx 12 years old, 105k miles. OEM belt failed due to dry rot.
I believe one broke on my girlfriend's 1973 Pinto. Some belt broke and it quit running and it got replaced.
It did not damage the engine and I think it was a timing belt. Maybe some of you old fogies will know if a '73
Ford Pinto had a timing belt. It was a silver hatchback with MT. Those were the days.
I remember I convinced her to
put Uniroyal tires on it for longevity. When it rained she had to go a different route to get home because one way
there was a particular stop sign on a slight incline. After coming to a stop she could not move forward without
spinning the rear tires. Absolutely no grip on wet pavement. LOL This was when I transitioned to MIchelin.
It did not damage the engine and I think it was a timing belt. Maybe some of you old fogies will know if a '73
Ford Pinto had a timing belt. It was a silver hatchback with MT. Those were the days.
I remember I convinced her to
put Uniroyal tires on it for longevity. When it rained she had to go a different route to get home because one way
there was a particular stop sign on a slight incline. After coming to a stop she could not move forward without
spinning the rear tires. Absolutely no grip on wet pavement. LOL This was when I transitioned to MIchelin.
Run them long enough and they will break eventually.
I've seen a few broken ones in junkyards but never experienced one. The only timing belt failure I've personally dealt with is on my dads '97 Corolla, it went at 315,000 miles. When I took everything apart, the belt stripped a few cogs off, and it had cracks between each and every cog, but the belt itself was still in one piece. The tensioner on the other hand was in multiple pieces all over the place, which is actually what likely caused the failure.
I changed the belt in my '01 Sequoia at 90K when it was about 10 years old and it didnt look a whole lot different than the new belt I was replacing it with. The tensioner on the other hand did have noticeable slop in the bearings so I was glad I was changing it.
I changed the belt in my '01 Sequoia at 90K when it was about 10 years old and it didnt look a whole lot different than the new belt I was replacing it with. The tensioner on the other hand did have noticeable slop in the bearings so I was glad I was changing it.
Not a Toyota, but a buddy of mine has a '98 Ranger pickup with the 2.5 engine. He's got over 275K miles on the original timing belt. I razz him once or twice a year that it needs to be replaced, but he doesn't ever travel too far from home with it, so he's just going to run it until it breaks, if it ever does. It's a non-interference engine, so he won't spend the money on the replacement until he needs to.
The tires, belts, hoses and batteries I've driven in Calgary for the last 38 years beg to differ. Tires don't dry rot, rot or crack here. Belts look new after 10+ years. Batteries last many years if they don't freeze while discharged completely. Huge temperature swings are the norm.
Scotty is like a water lily, where ever the current flows he goes...I didn't know that Scotty Kilmer posted here
Yes, and at 10 years and 97,500 miles just 2 weeks shy of my planned replacement date (had 2 weeks off work coming up and wanted to replace it in that time frame).
Usually they strip the teeth off instead of actually breaking.
From what I see it is usually not the belt itself but a bad idler, WP or tensioner that fails and that takes the belt out.
May NOT break, but wears and stretches, and will come off the pully. When replacing also check the tension. Finding these days that the tensioner often needs replacing too!
I wouldn't keep using Gates belts if they break in 6.5 years/80k miles.
Are you new to cars? Under 25 years old?
