timing belt MAXIMUM mileage before changing.

[detroit313]

ok,i hear 60,000 i hear every 90,000.......i know the the honda literature is probobly being a bit conservative with these mileage numbers.

what do you guys recommend before a timing belt swap?

how many miles have you gone without a change? (im at 107,000 with the original timing belt)

i dont want to have to worry about it snaping and fuc*in up my motor...........

[w261w261]

<i dont want to have to worry about it snapping>

You're definitely in the worry zone right now. You could pull off the cover and take a look, but I'd say you should change it pronto. I have a 5G as well as a 3G, and the belt change interval on the '98 is 105,000 - 60,000 if the car is driven regularly in "extreme" conditions (>110 degrees or v low temps).

I don't know whether the longer change interval on the 5G is due to improved belt technology or something else. Also, you might as well change out the water pump when you do the belt.

[Blkblurr]

I went about 140,000 Mi on my first. Still looked new when I changed it.

[DBMaster]

The interval is 90,000 on the 3g. I wouldn't be losing sleep at 107,000, but I would make plans to change it soon. After about 100,000 you're just living on borrowed time. The engine is non-interference, but who wants to hike and pay for a tow?

[Vanilla Sky]

umm, plenty of us have had broken and bent valves from t-belt breaks. it certainly is an interference engine.

[detroit313]

ok,i hear its a non-interference engine then i hear its an interference engine! which is it man? i have no clue on this japanese engine crap...
this is my first honda......

[Blkblurr]

It's been a long debate and still continues. Some documentation says it's interference but I know when I had my head machined that I could rotate the cam shaft over again and again with any piston at TDC and I hit nothing. So regardless of what is published, my 89 SE-i 2.0 l is non-interference even with .008 milled off the head.

[Vanilla Sky]

that makes me wonder, then. could it be carbon buildup on the pistons that's causing bent valves when the timing belt breaks? it's happened with the FS-03 engines used in the mazda 626. if you really think about it, there isn't that much space between the piston at TDC and the valves at full reach.

[Oldblueaccord]

I went 100k on the last one. No problems.

Had the belt slip off at idle. No problems


wp

[DBMaster]

I learned HERE, on this forum, that it is a NON-interference engine. My mechanic, a Honda master mechanic with over 25 years of experience on Hondas also says it is not.

That is NOT to say that you would not have damage from a broken belt if the conditions were just right. An interference engine would have SEVERE damage from a broken belt. On our engines it ranges from none to somewhat serious.

The short of it is that regardless of what kind of engine this is you DO NOT want a broken timing belt. What's the point of arguing about it? Just change the thing!

[AccordEpicenter]

honda claims the engine is an interference engine but ive never seen them break valves due to timing belt breakage. I wouldnt go much over 100000mi on a stock belt, no telling when they will go. Always change the water pump at the same time with a stock honda, dont use remans they suck.

[88Accord-DX]

Here is what my Chiltons manual says about timing belts.
**Warning***
Severe engine damage will occur if the timing belt should break. Honda uses an "interface" engine design. If the timing belt breaks, the valves will contact the pistons & likely become damaged.
On models through 89, Honda does not specify a recommended inspection or replacement interval. However, since these engines utilize an "interface" design, it is highly recommended to at least inspect the timing belt at 60,000 mile intervals. It is even better idea to replace the timing belt at these intervals.
Replacing the timing belt before its recommended interval is a wise choice. It is far less expensive to replace the belt than to repair the engine damage which results from the belt breaking.
________________________________________

I called Honda today & talked to a technician. He said these Accords have INTERFERANCE engine design. Also the program at my work called Mitchell says it.

Yeah, most people don't have damage when the belt breaks. Most of the time, the camshaft rocker arms aren't going to ride on the highest point of the cam lobe when the belt breaks.

[snoopyloopy]

well, when i got my 3g, it has 212,xxx on it. took it in to the mechanic because it had been sitting awhile and he changed the timing belt among other things. when he changed it, he said it looked like the original. if it was, then it can apparently last at least to 200k. not to say that everyone should try that, though. change it if it starts looking worn or it starts getting plenty of miles. and if you're rebuilding your engine, might as well change it too.

[MessyHonda]

well one day when my uncle was driving me to school the car just died at the stop...we tried to crank it and it did not start up...we found out that the belt snaped....at the stop the engine was doing 1k RPM so it did not bend any valves. i think the car had like 140k

[w261w261]

the guy that fixes my Hondas used to be Honda dealer mechanic. He told me that his parents have an '82 Accord w/ 45k on it. He looked at the belt and it seemed fine to him, so he's not changing it. My .02 says that 25 years on a rubber belt is pushing it.

[Kabuki]

I can't believe that I haven't posted in this thread yet... Honda's ORIGINAL belt life spec was 60,000 miles. The older, pre-1990 model belts were redesigned in about 1998. The current design from HONDA/Unitta/SUN is good for 90,000 miles. Aftermarket belts I would NOT trust past 60,000.