Just dropped off my car for timing belt and water pump work

[jtvang125]

I'm approaching 120k and this hasn't been done yet. I know I should have done it at 90K but I kept putting it off and before I knew it, it's almost at 120K already. Atleast after I have it done I'll get some peace of mind not worrying about bent valves and pistons if it should snap on me.


Update: Total out the door was $1200. Also I know pistons can't be bent, atleast not from a broken timing belt so what I really meant was the pistons getting damaged if they collide with the valves.

 

[radioouman]

Good!

 

[Vette73]

awesome. I was whondering when you get around to that. Also have you taken the trash out yet. Oh wait this is not off topic. I will go look for your thread "Just put the trash out..."

Thanks for the update.



/Please remove me from your newsletter

 

[AdamK47]

Bent pistons

 

[bruceb]

Bent valves, very likely on an interference engine if the timing belt
breaks. Bent pistons, no, but the valves could damage the top of
the pistons.

 

[potato28]

Originally posted by: AdamK47
Bent pistons

Hm.. I wonder what he meant...

 

[OUCaptain]

Timing chain FTMFW Worst thing it'll do is develop a bit of sloppy timing

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
Timing chain FTMFW Worst thing it'll do is develop a bit of sloppy timing

You do realize that timing chains can- and do- break, right?

 

[OUCaptain]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
Timing chain FTMFW Worst thing it'll do is develop a bit of sloppy timing

You do realize that timing chains can- and do- break, right?

Yeah they do, but by then the rest of the engine is ready for rebuild or scrap. We're talkin 200 to 300 K. In other words, you won't find "Change Timing Chain" anywhere in the maintenance schedule.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: OUCaptain

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
Timing chain FTMFW Worst thing it'll do is develop a bit of sloppy timing

You do realize that timing chains can- and do- break, right?

Yeah they do, but by then the rest of the engine is ready for rebuild or scrap. We're talkin 200 to 300 K. In other words, you won't find "Change Timing Chain" anywhere in the maintenance schedule.

They may not break, but they stretch like a bitch. Bad valve timing for the loss.

 

[alpineranger]

Chrysler 2.7 v6 timing chain FTL.

I have one of these, and many owners have suffered catastrophic engine damage before 100k mi due to failure of: timing chain / timing chain guides / timing chain tensioner / water pump (directly driven off the timing chain - replace it and you might as well replace those other components due to the labor duplication otherwise). It's a labor intensive job and there is no maintenance interval but many people do it as proactive maintenance by 100k.

Not only do you lose valves if any one of these parts fails, but you lose the bearings, and then because the water pump no longer pumps, the engine will overheat. There are several ways these things fail: 1) tensioners fail for whatever reason, chain gets lots of slack, goes off the guides, wears itself against the engine block, meanwhile the engine is out of time and the valves hit the pistons. 2) engine sludge due to problem with the crankcase ventilation, timing chain fails (as do bearings), time for a new engine. 3) engine sludge due to coolant in oil from water pump gasket or seal, time for a new engine. 4) water pump fails and seizes -> timing chain failure + overheating, time for a new engine.

 

[cardiac]

Originally posted by: OUCaptain

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
Timing chain FTMFW Worst thing it'll do is develop a bit of sloppy timing

You do realize that timing chains can- and do- break, right?

Yeah they do, but by then the rest of the engine is ready for rebuild or scrap. We're talkin 200 to 300 K. In other words, you won't find "Change Timing Chain" anywhere in the maintenance schedule.

Nowhere did the OP mention "timing chain". He is having the timing belt changed. And yes, in quite a few owners manuals it is mentioned as "scheduled maintenance". For one, the 4cyl Hyundai needs to have t changed @ 60k miles....

A broken timing belt on an interference engine can be disasterous...

 

[OUCaptain]

I'd rather have a loose chain for 300K+ vs a belt that needs changing every 90. I'm also referring to "good" American iron engines, not ones that are known to have issues. My 99 wrangler 4.0 is up to 160K and still runs like a top and pulls like a mule. Then again, I also maintain it almost too much. I'm sure the chain has stretched a bit, but not enough to make any noticeable difference vs the rest of the normal wear.

 

[T2urtle]

$1200 for a T-belt and water pump, probaly tensioners and some rollers as well, this is for the GS4 @ a lexus dealership right?

rather cheap if its that... friend got his gs430 done for 1600$ or so..

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: T2urtle
$1200 for a T-belt and water pump, probaly tensioners and some rollers as well, this is for the GS4 @ a lexus dealership right?

rather cheap if its that... friend got his gs430 done for 1600$ or so..

I had all that plus a new clutch on my miata for about the same price. You got ripped.

 

[T2urtle]

i've done a miata 1.6L belt and they are simple. i would charge like 300$ + parts to do it, i've never done a v8 lexus before...

1200$ at dealership prices isn't exactly ripped because we are talking dealership prices.. 1200$ at any aftermarket shop i would say is a ripp. but with lexus, you get a loaner and the 12 month and part warranty and etc.

 

[Utterman]

I did my own timing belt change on my 98 Acura TL at 113k. It took me about 8 hours total and wasn't too bad because I had the service manual. Parts were around $300 for the timing belt, tensioner, water pump, spark plugs, spark plug cables, oil, oil filter and coolant.

The local dealership wanted $1200 which broke down to approx 7 hours labor at $95/hr and the rest materials.