Changing Timing belt

89 civic. I went to a shop and asked about the leaking.
The man told me it is the engine oil is leaking not coolant.
He said it's about $400 to fix the timing belt, camshaft seal
and water pump. I asked him it's bit expensive for 16 yr old car.
He said that he used a good part and warned me not to use
cheap made in china stuff. I don't know if I believe him.
I would like to fix by myself. I can take out the drivebelt.
My problem is the timing belt and it's alignment thing. I did read
about timing belt thing from manual and other self-help book but I'm
not smart enough to understand it. I'm still confused. Do you know any
website article by step by step help? Photo website could be much
helpful.

 

If you don't know what you're doing, take it to somebody else to do it. It
is not easy for a beginner. It is the only thing I don't do to my car as
preventive maintenance. $400 is about right if he uses Honda parts and
includes the water pump.

 

It is especially difficult for someone that doesn't know the difference
between leaking oil or leaking anti freeze......

 

Replacing the timing belt is not a big mental challenge, but the
consequences of doing it wrong are grave. If you don't get the timing
right, you could very easily ruin the valve train, as most Honda engines
are interference engines.

Doing the timing belt yourself is a big pain in the you know where,
access is very limited and you have to fight with the crank pulley bolt
(torque to 135 lb - ft on my engine, takes a lot more than that to get
it loose). I have changed timing belts on other cars, but after reading
the shop manual for my Civic I decided it was money well spent to have
someone else do it.

 

$400 bucks is a good price. The Honda dealer will want $650-700.

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