Has anyone tried or know how hard it is to change your own timing belt? I can't seem to justify paying $950 to have the belt changed. I know the cost of it breaking and such is worse, but at the same time it doesn't seem like a $950 job to me.

 

That is about how much it costs to change a G2 Legend belt at the dealer. Include the water pump and idler pulley, and it is more like $1300, and that is after asking for a discount. I don't know if you also change those items out with the RL.

 

Why do you need a timing belt change? What is your mileage?

 

+1

Enquiring minds want to know. You must have close to 100k miles?

 

i have 70k on my car and my dealer wants to change my belts, including water pump and drive belts and such. I only spent $550 for a dam BMW service at a dealership for the same work!

 

Are they adjusting the valves also? That is 2-3 hundred dollars.
Did you shop around to compare?

 

This V6 block is the same as the accord/tl, just bigger bore and stroke and higher compression.



I changed the timing belt & water pump on my accord and it was simple. Just need to buy a special tensioner lock and it will make life easier... Take a look at this site for the tensioner stopper (item 12).



BTW... the belt on your car is good for 100k +++miles... Age (dryness) kills belt more than mileage.

 

Don't change the timming belt before Honda's scheduled time. For all Hondas the belt is good for over 100K. BTW correct me if I'm wrong but I think our 3.5L engine has a chain not a belt, if so, only adjustment is necessary.

 

Belt, I believe only the s2000 has a chain.

 

No- All honda products (US) have chains, All Acura products have timing belts..

i don't know why.. chains are soo quite now these days....

 

Not quite true; the K-23 engine in the RDX has a chain.

 

So why are you changing your timing belt after 70K miles?

100,000 MILES OR MORE TUNE-UP INTERVALS
The RL requires no scheduled maintenance for 100,000 miles or more, other than periodic inspections and normal fluid and filter replacements. This first tune-up includes water pump inspection, valve adjustment, and replacement of the cam-timing belt and sparkplugs.

http://www.hondanews.com/categories/755/releases/3772

Although I was not able to verify this in the manual which simply says wait until the Maintenance Minder tells you to do so, with a "4" code. It also says:

Timing Belt

The timing belt should be replaced
at the intervals shown on the
maintenance minder. Replace the
belt at 60,000 miles (100,000 km) if
you regularly drive your vehicle in
one or more of these conditions:

-In very high temperatures (over 110°F, 43°C).
-In very low temperatures (under 20°F, 29°C).
-If you frequently tow a trailer.

 

I think this is not quite true. It depends on the engine.

The J series engine variants use a timing belt, and cuts across Honda/Acura lines in the Accord V-6, Pilot, Odyssey, Ridgeline, TL, RL, MDX

The K series inline 4 variants are shared among the Accord, CRV,TSX, RDX uses a timing chain

The unique F series used on the Honda S2000 uses a chain

I believe the new R series used in the Civics uses a chain also

So, yes, chains are "in" these days with Honda, as the J series is a fairly old engine, which uses the timing belt, but the point is that in the US, not all Honda badged vehicles use chains, and not all Acura badged vehicles use belts.