Should I replace the timing belt?
- Thread starter ram_man
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I would replace it. There is a high probability that the belt is 13+ years old. Age counts as much as miles. As I recall, the general standard is replace at 7 or 8 yrs, and you are way past that.
When dealing with extremely low frequency maintenance items like timing belts, you need to think more about the whole lifecycle of your car ownership instead of eeking it out until it's due.
Are you going to do the timing belt once or twice?
Do you see yourself doing it eventually or are you going to sell or get rid of the car before needing to do it?
If you see yourself needing to do it, then you might as do it now for both piece of mind as well as getting use of timing belt2.
Think of it like a pit stop on a race in simple terms (no complex strategies). if the race is 100laps, and you need 1 pit stop. You don't use up the tires for 75laps then put on the 2nd set for only the last 25laps, you split it 50/50 even though tires#1 weren't used up.
If the first timing belt lasted 13 years, the timing belt buys you 13more years (assuming your same usage).
So, if you know for sure you need belt#2, you might as well get it in service sooner and put some use on belt#2.
As a side note:
If the timing belt#2 isn't going to last to the end, then you extend belt#1 a bit more so you can avoid belt#3. If you're getting rid of the car soon, you extend so you don't need belt #2.
All this depends on if it's convenient and if you can schedule other service at the same time to save time and money,
e.g. apply the same logic for the waterpump that's often included in timing belt jobs.
Even if it looks good, and by the book it says inspect water pump; perhaps it's super inexpensive to just have your mechanic change the water pump at the same time rather then inspect, put it all togehter, then have to take it all back apart to replace 1 year down the road.
Are you going to do the timing belt once or twice?
Do you see yourself doing it eventually or are you going to sell or get rid of the car before needing to do it?
If you see yourself needing to do it, then you might as do it now for both piece of mind as well as getting use of timing belt2.
Think of it like a pit stop on a race in simple terms (no complex strategies). if the race is 100laps, and you need 1 pit stop. You don't use up the tires for 75laps then put on the 2nd set for only the last 25laps, you split it 50/50 even though tires#1 weren't used up.
If the first timing belt lasted 13 years, the timing belt buys you 13more years (assuming your same usage).
So, if you know for sure you need belt#2, you might as well get it in service sooner and put some use on belt#2.
As a side note:
If the timing belt#2 isn't going to last to the end, then you extend belt#1 a bit more so you can avoid belt#3. If you're getting rid of the car soon, you extend so you don't need belt #2.
All this depends on if it's convenient and if you can schedule other service at the same time to save time and money,
e.g. apply the same logic for the waterpump that's often included in timing belt jobs.
Even if it looks good, and by the book it says inspect water pump; perhaps it's super inexpensive to just have your mechanic change the water pump at the same time rather then inspect, put it all togehter, then have to take it all back apart to replace 1 year down the road.
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If you bought the car with 49K, it's not much of a leap to consider it original.
One minor concern:
Is this an interference engine?
If not, I'd be a little comfortable dragging my feet.
If it is, then change it or have it changed ASAP.
The original belt might well go another 20K or more.
It also might well not.
Interference or not, a new timing belt and associated parts will have your PT set for as long as it's likely to last.
One minor concern:
Is this an interference engine?
If not, I'd be a little comfortable dragging my feet.
If it is, then change it or have it changed ASAP.
The original belt might well go another 20K or more.
It also might well not.
Interference or not, a new timing belt and associated parts will have your PT set for as long as it's likely to last.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Time to replace. You'll be kicking yourself in the butt if it breaks, wishing you did. You also probably don't want to be pulling the head, to replace the valves when it breaks.
It's definitely original, no one's going to change it before 50k when they are about to get rid of it
Do an Internet search to get a feel for replacement interval, looks like ~100k miles. The belt does look a little funky and the mileage is getting there.
Timing belt, tensioner, water pump (driven by timing belt). It's pretty much standard procedure on Cruisers. It's a dual cam engine and the valves can crash into each other when the timing belt breaks. It's a bit of a job because the engine is a tight fit in the car.
Timing belt, tensioner, water pump (driven by timing belt). It's pretty much standard procedure on Cruisers. It's a dual cam engine and the valves can crash into each other when the timing belt breaks. It's a bit of a job because the engine is a tight fit in the car.
Those cars are valve benders. They don't hit the piston but the valves can all collide with each other if the belt breaks
Probably should have been replaced at the 10 year make to be safe. I'd probably go with an oem belt.
Per talking with Trav, Gates belts are fine. But their tensioners are made in China so might want to get an oem tensioner if you replace it or if it's noisy.
It has the pentastar On it.it's the original
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