Ping: Elle, Michael, Teggar...

On my "antique" '83 Honda Civic 1300 FE, I can find no reference on
changing the timing belt other than an "inspection" at 60K (miles). I
have the factory manual and owner's manual.

The current belt is new but would I be correct to assume that 60K is a
good time to change it out?

BTW, I'm still driving it (in shakedown mode) and so far, all seems to
be working after a nearly two year rehab effort...

JT

 

From the book side, neither the UK site's factory service
manuals, Chilton's, nor Autozone.com's free online manuals
specify an interval for the timing belt.

The following say 60k miles for your Civic:
www.gates.com
and
http://www.motorwatch.com/automotivebible/auto_motive_bible/TimingBelts.pdf
These two site says it's the same for similarly aged
Preludes and Accords.

Wasn't 60k miles the standard for many makes of vehicles of
this era?

The timing belt sells for only $21 at Majestic. Perhaps it's
a flimsier design appropriate for a smaller engine, but its
fatigue life is shorter as a result?

I suppose there's a good mechanical explanation for why the
mileage interval is so short and why there's no time
interval. I have been lurking at another Honda forum lately:
http://www.honda-tech.com/ . If you want more of an
explanation, you might register there and ask. I think it's
free.

Your project sounds like fun. Me, I'm happy having just
installed three new bushings in the (older, more rusted)
rear control arm of my 91 Civic within 1.5 hours (hurrah!).

 

Thanks for confirming this. At my point in life, I have been known to
overlook (forget) things. I ain't goin' nutz after all!

I believe it is. Besides, it's about the same time that the water pumps
tend to go belly up.

Good question but no answer from here...

It was a languishing project until last fall when gas prices pushed the
$3 level after Katrina. The engine had already been swapped and all
that remained was hooking all the stuff up. I got a price of $250 (a
bargain) from a local independent shop to do that but when no progress
was being made after the car being there for a couple of months, I took
the task on my own.

I am now driving the car on a regular basis and it's getting 30+ mpg at
present. I am sure that some of the emissions stuff isn't working
properly and probably a few hoses are hooked up wrong. But sooner or
later, I nail down as much as I can and proudly be giving every gas
station that I pass the single finger salute!

I have about a grand (including the cost of the car + parts car) into
this and I like the relatively simplicity compared to today's vehicles.
Besides, it has neat racing side trim that was possibly installed by the
original dealer here in town and the original radio still works fine...

<G>

JT

 

Number 1, Gates sells belts. Gee, do you think they might have a vested
interest here?

And number 2, the belt change interval has gone up over the years mostly
because of advances in the belt material and construction. Nothing more.

 

Care to share a picture? Tegger might be willing to put it
up at his site, or I'll throw it up at my site for a
temporary period.

 

60K was probably for the original belt. New OEM belts are much better made
than those in 1983, and you can likely go by the modern 7yr/105K limit
(provided the belt you buy is actually new and isn't just NOS).

 

Sure, I'll get a couple to you in the next day or so. They'll be small
file size JPEGs.

JT

 

Your owner's manual specifies the timing belt change interval, as do all
factory shop manuals. It is in the same maintenance table as all other
maintenance items.

That aftermarket sources do not specify a change interval speaks more to
the quality (or lack thereof) of those sources than anything else.

 

Would you please find the page in the UK site's 1984-87
Civic factory shop manual that specifies the timing belt
change interval?

I don't see it here
http://media.honda.co.uk/car/owner/media/manuals/WorkshopManualCivic84-87/62sb200/4-5.pdf

or here

http://media.honda.co.uk/car/owner/media/manuals/WorkshopManualCivic84-87/62sb200/4-7.pdf

 

Great! I'll make it the "Honda of the Month" at my site and
post some of the history you gave on it. I love the look of
those older Civics.

 

I have to take new pictures as I have re-installed the original grill
(which I found under the folded down rear seat). The paint is basically
shot, the seats need to be re-done or replaced, (I know where there's a
decent pair of Accord buckets) but the body is basically rust free.

I'll write a brief history on how I acquired the car as well. Look for
it this evening.

JT

 

I challenge you find *any* reference to timing belts in the 1983 Owner's Manual...

JT

(I ain't totally incapacitated yet..)

 

Thanks for the backup Elle. I might be old, but I ain't senile yet..

JT

(Whose neighbors might disagree on occasion..)

 

The newer belt design is part of the reason they can go longer than 60k.
The old timing belts have squared off teeth. The newer ones with longer
change intervals are rounded off. I suspect that a new OEM belt for that
car is still only good for 60k because of the teeth.

 

Great. I'll look for it and may have the photos and your
history up at my Honda web site by Friday.

 

Huh. Don't that beat all. You're right. Guess they started listing that
somewhere between '87 and '90.

 

Challenge not taken. Why on earth would Honda NOT include something like
that? Especially in a day ('83) when people were les sused to fabric belts
than they are now?

 

I suspect that you are correct.

JT

 

As do I. Earlier I hadn't thought of tooth design, but it makes a lot of
sense.

My own Integra has the rounded tooth design and originally had a 6yr/90K
belt change interval. This has increased to 7/105 on account of belt
improvements.

I wonder if it would be possible on your '83 to retrofit (from the
wreckers) rounded tooth pulleys from a later version of your motor and thus
take advantage of extended belt life?

 

It would be much more of a project than I wish to tackle. Since
waterpump life is about the same as a belt change, I'll just bite the
bullet and do it that way. Besides, the car will travel well less than
10K per year at the rate gas prices are rising... My engine is a CVCC
and didn't they go away in '84?

My current concern is the cracked boots on the lower ball joints. The
joints are fine but I'm trying to find some sort of generic rubber to
protect the joint as I'll bet that they are good for at least another
50K (miles). All other lower chassis rubber seems to be OK.

JT