New Timing Belt at 360K Miles?

Honda Gurus:

I own a '90 Accord with 360,000 miles on it. The car has been
very reliable over the past 15 years. I have replaced the
normal wear-and-tear items like brake rotors, brake pads,
tires, batteries, fuel pump, etc. I do have the original
engine, original transmission, and original clutch. The
car is starting to rust out pretty badly, but mechanically
runs as well as when it was new. I wonder, however, how
much longer the car can realistically run. Sooo, should
I replace the timing belt in anticipation that the car
will run another 90K miles; or, should I just leave the
current timing belt in and plan to replace the car when
the belt breaks?

Thanks for the advice.

Regards,

Jeff Kolodziej

 

Unless I hated the way the car looked (because of the rust you mention), and
based on your description of the car's condition, I personally would gamble
on the car lasting at least another 50k miles and so install a new timing
belt for the few hundred dollars it costs to do so. Even if you pay as high
as $600 at the dealer's for a new timing belt, that's still only 1.2 cents
per mile, which roughly suggests it's a good investment, car-wise.

Elle
91 Civic owner; 165k miles; planning on keeping it about five more years
(maybe longer); will install a new timing belt by myself in 2007.

 

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Passing a long load at highway speed (with on-coming traffic)is never a
good time to blow your engine. Murphy's Law says your timing belt will
break at the most innoportune time. Get rid of the car or fix the
engine, please :-(

'Curly'

 

your call, dude. its had a long life. personally, id consider selling it
for a thou or less and getting the new car now. when the belt breaks,
its not going to be worth trying to sell. and it might not make it
another 90k.

then again, it just might. how attached to the car are you?

 

I would replace the belt. Belts have a tendency to break at the most
inconvenient times.

 

hate to ask the obvious question, but when was it changed last? if it
was 150k ago, i'd change it. if it was 60k, i'd leave it.