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BMS
03-02-2003, 08:48 PM
Okay, I've been searching for about 20 minutes now for something that tells me how many miles a timing belt can go before Honda says it needs to be replaced. I found a bunch about people changing the belt, but nothing about how far it can go. Any guesses?
Jareds 89 LX-i
03-02-2003, 09:26 PM
If it's a genuine Honda belt, it'll go 90k miles. If it's an aftermarket belt, it's 60k miles.

:)
Sharky196
03-02-2003, 09:38 PM
BMS....I just looked in my original 1987 honda owners manual and Honda's recommendation is to inspect the belt for wear at 60,000 miles. And replace if worn. But how are you really gonna know how safe it is after 60,000 or 70,000 miles nomatter how good it looks? If you know it has over 60,000 miles on it or dont know when it was changed last; to be safe; change it! It's alot cheaper than the damage it could do if it breaks. I'm new to this board and maybe I'm not the one to give advise, but thats what the owners manual says. Hope it helps!:)
offthahook
03-02-2003, 10:18 PM
Originally posted by Sharky196
BMS....I just looked in my original 1987 honda owners manual and Honda's recommendation is to inspect the belt for wear at 60,000 miles. And replace if worn. But how are you really gonna know how safe it is after 60,000 or 70,000 miles nomatter how good it looks? If you know it has over 60,000 miles on it or dont know when it was changed last; to be safe; change it! It's alot cheaper than the damage it could do if it breaks. I'm new to this board and maybe I'm not the one to give advise, but thats what the owners manual says. Hope it helps!:)

No, you're on point. Hard to see wear. If you don't know, change it. Interference will own you if it breaks at the wrong time.
AccordEpicenter
03-02-2003, 10:23 PM
yeah honda says change belts at 60k (do water pump when you do timing belt) but with a quality belt you shoud be good for 80 or 90k miles with no problems, but youre risking engine damage when you get past that. A guy I knew ran the stock belt on his 95 lx up to 150k miles and then it broke, and when it broke, it destroyed his entire engine (not just bent valves friends) who knows the point is when it gets old you never know when its gonna go
ACCORD EX
03-03-2003, 09:12 AM
60 Kmiles , 100000km on a genuine belt and i would stick to that ! :)

MIKE
BMS
03-03-2003, 04:16 PM
60K sounds good.
Einstein
03-03-2003, 05:28 PM
How about by time? Records show my belt was changed back in '97... by miles that was only 32,000 miles ago. I felt it looked really solid when I adjusted the valves.
Jareds 89 LX-i
03-03-2003, 06:04 PM
You've only put 32,000 miles on your car since 1997?!?! :eek: Holy damn..don't you drive anywhere? LOL :lol Between my mother and I we've put 172,600 miles on my car since May 30, 1997 when my mom bought it.

To answer your question, I believe it goes more by mileage than time, unless it's been sitting unused for years at a time or something. With only 32k on the belt, as long as it's still flexable and rubbery, and doesn't have any cracks or oil contamination, you should be good to go to 60k or whenever you want to change it.
AZmike
03-03-2003, 07:20 PM
I've heard 6 years or 60k. If rubber didn't age we wouldn't ever have to replace our coolant hoses. Since it does, I might swap the belt with 32k since I know how for $30 (new belt). I probably wouldn't pay someone else $300 to change it though.
SiR
03-03-2003, 09:06 PM
Originally posted by 89LXi4dr
I've heard 6 years or 60k. If rubber didn't age we wouldn't ever have to replace our coolant hoses. Since it does, I might swap the belt with 32k since I know how for $30 (new belt). I probably wouldn't pay someone else $300 to change it though.

Coolant hoses go out cuz of the heat of the water in them, friction heat on the belts cant be as much as water heat.
AZmike
03-03-2003, 11:49 PM
The belt runs over parts of the engine that are still quite hot. Maybe not the same temperature as coolant, but still a lot warmer than the surroundings. The heat created by flexing the belt is probably insignificant in comparison.

The hoses just have to hold pressure and survive maybe several thousand thermal cycles whereas the belt is bent and pulled on for millions of cycles. All I'm saying is that for a component as important as the timing belt, it's also important to consider age when deciding when it's time for a replacement.
BMS
03-06-2003, 08:02 PM
I imagine that a timing belt would get old and crusty over time just like any O-ring or rubber band. A rubber band can not be stretched a singe time in it's life, but still snap the first time you pull it.
Lester Lugnut
03-06-2003, 10:02 PM
Alot has to do with environmentals, where you live, weather, road salts, extreme heat, extreme cold, driving habits, etc.

Honda said 60,000 for a 3G belt. I took mine off for the first time at 125,000 and it had more life left.

Alot of times it's not the belt so much as the belt tensioner.

These engines are interference engines - the belt breaks and so does your wallet. I got away with 125,000 because I don't have to deal with too many of the variables listed above and I don't race.

There is no ONE answer for every situation when it comes to timing belts.
offthahook
03-06-2003, 10:11 PM
Originally posted by Lester Lugnut
Alot has to do with environmentals, where you live, weather, road salts, extreme heat, extreme cold, driving habits, etc.

Honda said 60,000 for a 3G belt. I took mine off for the first time at 125,000 and it had more life left.

Alot of times it's not the belt so much as the belt tensioner.

These engines are interference engines - the belt breaks and so does your wallet. I got away with 125,000 because I don't have to deal with too many of the variables listed above and I don't race.

There is no ONE answer for every situation when it comes to timing belts.

:werd: to that, so we'll be conservative and say 60K unless ou know fa sho when it was changed and are easy on your car ALL the time. Then, I might go 100K, but only if it was in a garage a lot, maint. was done, easy miles, etc...
88Accord-DX
07-25-2006, 09:40 PM
Alot has to do with environmentals, where you live, weather, road salts, extreme heat, extreme cold, driving habits, etc.
Honda said 60,000 for a 3G belt. I took mine off for the first time at 125,000 and it had more life left.
Alot of times it's not the belt so much as the belt tensioner.
These engines are interference engines - the belt breaks and so does your wallet. I got away with 125,000 because I don't have to deal with too many of the variables listed above and I don't race.
There is no ONE answer for every situation when it comes to timing belts.
Sorry to kick up this OLD DEAD THREAD. But I can't stress that Lester Lugnut is one of the few guys that KNOW as myself that these motors have a interferance design motor..

The reason behind most belts breaking & not having valve damage is the fact these motors have a little valve guide recess on top of the pistons. One other thing is that the rocker arms are not going to ride on top of the cam lobes when the belt breaks either. (that is in most cases on lower RPM's on the single OHC engine)