timing belt scam...

Just Had a belt changed....148,000 miles on it......I know the history
of the car, the belt looked in great shape, maybe this timing belt thing
that the companies tell you about is just a money making scam?...I kept
the old belt for proof , it looks in great condition , even the mechanic
was surprised!!!!

 

Are you the original owner? What year/model? What kind of weather/driving?
Just curious...

 

How can you tell the integrity of a belt by just looking at it?

 

It's a 1992 accord...Owned in my family since new ...no cracks or
deteroration in the belt at all....Has anyone ever seen a worn tioming
belt?....or are you taking the word of the mechanic that it's worn?

 

broken timing belts only look bad at the break. the look good
everywhere else. take your chances next time. we love when people
don't listen and come in on a wrecker with a head full of bent
valves!!
Chip

 

One - belts fail from the inside out. When failure has
reached the surface, then it is too late. Surface cracks have
nothing to do with belt failure.

Two - GM would recommend replacing timing belts every 40,000
miles. Why? Because the accountants who designed those 1970
and 1980 GM products estimated belt failure averaged 40,000
miles. But product thinkers first learn statistics. Belts
would be replaced because one might fail at 90,000 miles. In
statistics, it is called a confidence level. Just another
example of cars designed by 'bean counters' verses cars
designed by 'car guys' - names from within the industry.

Three, those GM belts would fail where internal nylon
reinforcement threads were clumped together at one spot - the
spot where each belt broke at 40,000 miles +/- 500 miles.
Failed due to manufacturing defect because nylon threads were
not kept uniformally separated. I not only had many belt
failures, but also took cross section samples to see why the
belt was failing. Always at one spot where all nylon threads
were bunched together. Most surprising the belts would fail
right at the 40,000 mile interval all three times. If Honda
says replacement is required, then believe them. Hondas were
designed by 'car guys'.

 

It's not a scam I had my break on my Toyota luckily engie was not
damaged. I'm not goiong to chance it when my 01 civic hits 90,000 I'm
changing it.

 

Consider yourself fortunate. I've changed many timing belts. It's usually very
difficult to see anything wrong with them until they're just about to fail. One
common mode of failure is for the teeth to strip off down by the timing gear on
the crankshaft. Sometimes you can see small cracks forming in the corner where
the teeth meet the main part of the belt. However, more often the wear is not
detectable. Changing the timing belts at the recommended interval, 6 years or
90K mi, is not a scam. It's preventive maintenance.

Eric

 

Timing belts wear and break, and a visual inspection is not always
sufficient to determine its condition.

 

You can't check to see if a timing belt is good. If it's past the safe
life expectancy, you're playing with fire and it could break or the
teeth can sheer off and then your hosed. You're extremely lucky that
your belt didn't break.

Time is more the enemy than mileage is the enemy on a timing belt. The
rubber on the timing belt will deteriorate over time. The constant
heat cycles it goes through also will shorten it's life. Have your
timing belt changed per recommendation of your car's service manual.

I'm sure if your timing belt did break, you wouldn't be saying it was a
scam.

 

As someone who had two belts break on a Camry, believe me, yes, they do
break.

Norm

 

Yeah, the belt will "look fine" until it breaks, then you're screwed. It's
called preventative maintenance. If this concept is new to you then start
looking forward to very high repair bills. Next you'll be telling us that
oil changes are a money making scam because you didn't blow your engine yet.

 

Yes! It is a SCAM! And so is the oil change. These places recommend 3k
changes. I guarantee if you just add when it is needed the engine will run
50k before it seizes. Just save all that oil money and replace the motor at
50k

Sometimes I can't help myself

G-Man

 

i had 248,000 on my original timing belt.. a 83 civic 1500
i bought the car new

 

Hi,
You're driving that car on borrowed time on the belt.
wish you a good luck.
Tony

 

Why?

 

When the timing belt breaks on most cars, the engine keeps spinning for a
bit and the pistons collide with the valves. The valves definitely bend, the
head may warp, and the pistons may be cracked.
I had a Toyota that did all this when the timing belt broke as I was driving
down the NYS Thruway. A few cars build in extra clearance so the valves
won't hit the pistons, but this un-optimizes other things.

 

I understand that. What I didn't understand is why the poster would go
248,000 miles without changing the belt. To see how long it lasts
before it breaks and damages the engine? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

svtbass, You lead a charmed life! I should have kept my 83 Civic 1500.
Sold it back in 87 at 64K.

Wasn't so lucky with my 91 Integra at 85K. Fortunately, the belt broke
when I was turning into the driveway of a 7-11. Had my foot on the
clutch so there was no load on the engine. The belt failed when the
water pump bearings seized, shearing off the rubber teeth. (Learned a
lesson about Honda engine designs... water pump driven by timing
belt.)

On my 93 Accord with 135K, changed the belt at 86K when my distr
assembly failed (after the "near recall" extended warranty expired). I
was chided by my mechanic who first thought that the timing belt broke,
but I was vindicated after the diagnosis. Still, I was approaching the
magical (or statistical) mileage of 90K.

Well, twenty years of driving 3 Hondas for a total of 325K miles.

 

I had a timing belt break on my 197X Honda Civic CVCC,and there was no
damage done.(non-interference engine)