Does anybody here has been through the process of changing the timming belt by himself? If so, do you have any advice and/or problems you've encountered?

I plan to change mine pretty soon...

thanks!

 

I don't recommend changing the timing belt by yourself. If you have to ask questions about how to do it you probably should not be changing it.

If you mess the timing belt job up your car is toast. I'd just suck up the money and get someone to do it. It's not cheap but it only gets done every 90,000 and I went 110,000 on mine.

If you do manage to do it yourself... good luck.

 

Well I'm not asking questions about how to do it, I have the workshop manual and I know how to change it, it's not the first time that I'm "touching" my car.
I was wondering about some bad experience people add or things to be aware of.

thanks for the warning though!

 

I have to agree with dougal on this one. Unless you are very knowledgable and hands on with your car (more than oil changes, tire rotations, and brake pads) you should really go to a professional. If something goes wrong your engine will be trashed and you will end up spending 10 times as much money on a new one.

 

yeah it's almost about that time for me to change my timing belt! I don't know how to change it myself, but my dad changed his on his 92' vigor. the vigor and 1st gen engines are the same engines and i can ask for you... he says it's real easy

but i don't know how he knows how tight the belts should be? how much tension should you place on the belts?? but yeah i'll ask him

 

Any decent book on our cars will tell you how to do it, how much tension etc.

 

man i don't got the balls to open up my engine like that... don't forget to change the water pump at the same time now...

 

How much would all the parts cost?

 

Well here in canada the timing belt itself is around 90$, for the water pump, I haven't look yet.

You should also replace the A/C belt, the alternator belt and the power steering belt since you have to get them out to reach the timming belt. It cost me 110$ for the 3.

 

Acurasnake, I forgot to mention that you don't kneed to tighten the belt, it's automatic; I mean there is an adjusting pulley connected with a spring that does this for you. Even when you belt is drying or starting to expand, the pulley re-tight or loosse your belt.

 

Honda engines are interference engines. The valves and pistons share the same space. If things aren't lined up perfectly, those valves and pistons will take up the same space at the same time. Yikes.

Since I have never changed the timing belt on my TL, I can't give any specific advice. You should wash your hands AND dry them thoroughly before installing the new belt. Don't go straight from disassembling the engine to putting on the new belt with dirty hands.

Also, you'll probably want to change your thermostat too. Or at least the O-ring that goes around it.