My 00 tl is approaching 80000 miles. I just read the "Car Talk" web sit and the they say a timing belt should be changed every 60000 miles. I've gotten different quotes ranging from 70 to 90000 form various dealers. Acura recommends change at 105000. Any ideas?? Who's right??

 

Go with Acura's recommendation. I heard the Car Talk guys too. I think they are referring to Ford or Chrysler timing belts.

 

the average cost at the dealer is around 800. at which point the recomend you change the water pump also (since its so labor intensed getting to it, might as well do it all at the same time. check with your manual. 100k is about the norm. dont worry if you hit 100,001 miles that its going to fail, it wont. 185,000 and running strong on mine

 

When do you plan to do yours? I've heard that there are no symptoms that will indicate a failing timing belt. Is this true?

 

hoW much just for the belt...? i wanna leave it in my trunk in case it does fail so i can just get it towed and replaced. rather than leaving the car inoperatable for a couple of days waiting for the belt to come in to my local mech.

 

Are there any signs to look out for that your timing belt is getting closer to the point of failure? I have 108k on my car, seems to be running strong.

 

you're at 185k and never did the timing belt? are you SERIOUS?

 

there are no symptoms of failure.

you cant just simply put a new one on if it breaks. if it breaks so does your engine (meaning rebuild or new one)

no signs to look for. if you know what your doing (not a easy job) you can inspect it and look for crackin or fraying)

yes im serious, i have 185k on the original. IM NOT worried. its a recomendation based on average life. average life of the car at those miles would take atleast 7 years and in that time the belt can get dry and cracked. ive gotten over 300k on previous honda's (friends have also).

 

wow.

 

seems to me you're taking a chance by not changing the belt. the problem is if it goes so does the engine not to mention the inconvenience and potential danger involved if it goes at the wrong time. in my view i'd rather be safe tha sorry so iguess i'll be changing it soon or maybe this is a good excuse to get a new car!

 

as stated before im not worried. ill probably get around to it when i SC it or when i hit 200k which ever comes first

 

I am gonna be waiting for mine aswell. Local Acura dealer quoted me close to $1300 for my 102k miles service . . HiGHWAY ROBBERY ! ! ! Do you reccomend going thru just a regular mechanic . .

 

so signs of wear, only inspecting timing belt yourself. How do you do that?

 

its not easy. you need to remove all teh plastic on the passengerside of the engine that protects teh timing belt.

 

Remove the inspection cover on the passenger (top) end of the engine.

 

u dont get to see much from that. if you want to inspect teh whole thing you need to remove it all (which is a pain in the ass, and if your going to take the time to remove teh plastic to inspect teh whole thing you might as well pick up a belt and replace it at that point. i know i took it all off to look at it 1 day and should have gotten a belt and replaced it then

 

Far be it from me to doubt your expertise on Acuras, but I was with my best friend in Arkansas early this month when his timing belt broke on his 1998 Camry at 111k miles. It just shut off, there was no damage to the engine.

I was told that cars today have non-interference timing belts - meaning if one breaks, the engine doesn't destroy itself. I believe if the 1998 Camry had a non-interference timing belt (and it definitely did, the invoice for the replacement was $1006 after labor), then surely our 3.2TL's have the same non-interference setups.

 

i don't belive it does. it seems to me i remember reading on the "car talk"web site that acura engines have and interference setup which means that if it blows so does the engine.

 

the tl is infact a interference engine. if it breaks so does our engines

timing belts can break even brand new ones. my friend had one put on around 150k on his prelude, 2k after the new one was installed (professionally) it broke. your just pretty unlucky to have one break

 

There's no such thing as a 'non-interence timing belt'. It's the engine that's either interference or free running. In an interferece engine, the open valves and the pistons occupy the same space in the cylinder, just not at the same time. When the belt breaks, piston meets valves.

 

 

Apparently, that just isn't the case with the Camry's 5S-FE four-cylinder. That engine must be free running.

 

TL first timing belt replacement according to Acura is at 160,000kms (approx 96,000 miles)

 

I think your math is wrong. 1.6 km/mile == 100k miles == 160k km

 

actually shit wad, if you read carefully you'll see that i said "approx 96,000 miles". i'll point out the keyword in that sentence, its APPROX.

but seeing as though you think you're the shit, i'll let you know that YOU are in fact wrong. if you want to be completely precise about it (and it seems like you do), then 160,000 kilometers = 99,419.3908 miles.

eagerly awaiting your attempt to burn me back.

 

Is there any need for hostility? He was just making an observation. No one cares about either of your math skills, go by what the manual says.

 

good point 03coupev6.
BTW, I'm at 110,000 miles and running strong. I'd rather save that $1100 for a down payment on my next ride!

 

Yeah, this is one person who won't be keeping any car past 95k.

 

hold on bro...I'm not criticizing your math skills. In fact I'm just making the correction. I don't even know if you did a typo of 96 instead of 99.

 

..and if your engine goes cuz of a broken timing belt then you will have to pay much more than 1100$...

 

has anyone had a belt go or know of someone who blew one? if so how old was the car and what was the milage.

 

If anyone here is wondering what happens in an interferance engine, take a look at this picture. This valve is from my CRX, broke a retainer, basically the same effect as if a timing belt were to break, BENT valve(s). This is what happens when the piston comes up and valve is still open.

 

not aware of any one that had it happen on the tl yet. ive got the most miles on one on the tl on this forum. 185k on the original still going strong