To timing belt or not to timing belt. - Honda Prelude Forum

Jape · 10-26-2002, 01:06 AM

I'd like to start a poll get various opinions.

Looks like i'm not selling my car, old boy got dissaproved for the loan so I'll be taking the car on a ferry, then driving to Arizona, then driving to Maryland and then shipping the car out there.

One of our fellow PO'ers...(wreckdiver) offered to help/teach me how to replace a timing belt if I was to stop by there... which sounds like a good plan.

My only concern is that I have approximately 87k miles on the lude now, and I'd be driving 4k miles... putting me over the 90k mark... I would save a lot of money and learn a hell of a lot from Wreckdiver, but if my belt breaks before I make it to new york, I'm screwed. literally. I'd refuse to pay to get the h23 fixed and opt for the h22 which would take time and not to mention the only reason I'm doign this is to save money cuz I'm so broke. So help me out here. If you had your timing belt broke, what mileage were you at? And how hard did you drive it?

I drive my car decently hard.. actually pretty hard... I did a valve adjustment and the timing belt looked pretty new tho...

Please vote.

PreludeNYC · 10-26-2002, 01:08 AM

play it safe, rather be safe than sorry.... do it right the first time.

Jose

slo mo · 10-26-2002, 02:22 AM

Don't mess around with the timing belt replacement. You'll be sorry when it screws you over, and it will screw you over if you ignore it

eu4ik · 10-26-2002, 06:17 AM

go to ny and learn how.

the right way is to do it yourself. if the people at the shop can do it, then you sure as hell can.

red92s · 10-26-2002, 07:21 AM

I'm at 104K now. . .14K past due. Before I get hit with flames, this car is only driven in town, never on highways, and usually not more than 5 miles from home. I really dont feel like dropping $500 into the F22 when I have a JDM H22 ready to go in over christmas. I know I'm screwed if it breaks, but I already walk about damn near everyplace I go.

HI HO · 10-26-2002, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by red92s
I have a JDM H22 ready to go in.

Quote:

Originally posted by red92s
I know I'm screwed if it breaks.

Anybody else think those two statements are mutually exclusive.

tommygun124 · 10-26-2002, 09:52 AM

If you don't drive it like a maniac it prolly won't break... since you're nearing the 90k mark just dont' drive it as hard as usual

preludechic · 10-26-2002, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by HI HO

Anybody else think those two statements are mutually exclusive.

Not really because he said it wasn't going in till Christmas, and he goes to a hard ass school, he wouldn't have time to drop any motors till Christmas break.

ANYWAYS- Back to the subject. I like doing things myself and learning how to do new things, but driving that far I really wouldn't risk. Your timing belt looking new means nothing. You really can't tell just by looking if it's fragile or not. I would go ahead and have it changed now, and then down the line, when you're dropping an H22 in, you can put a new belt on that one.

fourthgeneration · 10-26-2002, 12:40 PM

yeah mine broke at 88k. be careful...

you can either learn how to do your timing belt and water pump and spend like ~80.

or you can learn how to pull your own head put in 16 new valves, head gasket, IM gasket, etc. and then learn how to do the belt and water pump for the one time low price of $1000.

brendon2k · 10-26-2002, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by red92s
I'm at 104K now. . .14K past due. Before I get hit with flames, this car is only driven in town, never on highways, and usually not more than 5 miles from home. I really dont feel like dropping $500 into the F22 when I have a JDM H22 ready to go in over christmas. I know I'm screwed if it breaks, but I already walk about damn near everyplace I go.

but on a f22 its not as big of a deal because the vavles cant hit the the piston so when it breaks you can just put on a new one.

jape if i where you i would just put in the time and do it yourself right now. 90k is not a magical number where the belt can break and before it wouldn't. i changed mine at 95k which i should have done earlier but still i think you can make it to maryland ok.

euforik · 10-26-2002, 08:39 PM

i'd say spend the cash and pay to get the timing belt, accessory belts and water pump replaced at once before you take a broad trip as you are about to. paying $500+ is better than $2000+. play it safe man.

red92s · 10-26-2002, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by HI HO

Anybody else think those two statements are mutually exclusive.

I am currently taking 18 credit hours at the university with the 4th highest workload nationwide. I spend AT LEAST 35 hours a week studying and MAYBE 30 minutes driving. I have my priorities in line. I have funds for a JDM h22, flywheel, clutch, and Apexi WS exhaust in hand (including new belts and hoses w/ the swap). It's metro Atlanta, I'm not concerned about getting stranded.

Fast&furiuslude · 10-26-2002, 10:25 PM

bro u can make it. dont shift past 4k.