[AcuraJan]

I am planning to change the timing belt this winter, as the car only will be in the garage.

I have only 57k miles, so I thought that I could skip the tensioner and waterpump. But I will check the condition of them, and if they look bad change them.
Is this a good idea?

I checked with the dealer, they said that the tensioner did'nt have to be changed, but it was recomended to change the WP.

The price of the TB in Sweden is 118 USD.
The tensioner is about the same, and the WP is 246 USD. :eek2:
I have searched for a DIY, but have'nt find any.
I'm thinking of taking pictures and maybe try to do a DIY if there is any interest?

 

[FlipLegend]

Honestly, if you are going to change the timing belt, do the water pump while you are at it. Getting to the timing belt is not easy so why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone?

Acura of Augusta sells a timing belt kit including water pump and all the seals for about $250.

Also, there is a DIY for the timing belt. I don't know about the water pump though. Once you are in a position to change the timing belt though, you will notice that you are also in a position to change the water pump. You'll understand this once you are at that stage if you don't understand it now.

 

[Uncle Stinky]

I would change the water pump, but skip the tensioner. Thats what I did this past spring. Mine had around 63k on it at the time.

If you are trying to play the curve, my gut says the water pump would probably survive another 60k if you decided not to change it. The question becomes: Is the money saved greater in value than the sleep you will lose? For me, it was not.

 

[AcuraJan]

Honestly, if you are going to change the timing belt, do the water pump while you are at it. Getting to the timing belt is not easy so why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone?

Acura of Augusta sells a timing belt kit including water pump and all the seals for about $250.

Also, there is a DIY for the timing belt. I don't know about the water pump though. Once you are in a position to change the timing belt though, you will notice that you are also in a position to change the water pump. You'll understand this once you are at that stage if you don't understand it now.

Because the second bird is pretty expensive, and I dont have very much money at the moment.

To buy it in USA is'nt that easy or cheap either. Altogether with handling, chipping, swedish toll and tax... the price almost end up at the same as here at the swedish dealer. And then there is the risk of the package getting lost or late. And I have to pay in advance.

 

[AcuraJan]

I would change the water pump, but skip the tensioner. Thats what I did this past spring. Mine had around 63k on it at the time.

If you are trying to play the curve, my gut says the water pump would probably survive another 60k if you decided not to change it. The question becomes: Is the money saved greater in value than the sleep you will lose? For me, it was not.

The service manual actually only says the water pump needs to be inspected.

I lose enough sleep already, with my 6 month baby I don't think a water pump will be that much in mind at bedtime.

My Accord -89 had 130k miles with only the timing belt changed, and it had no problems with the water pump.

 

[RangerJoe]

So why do you want to change it 40,000 miles early? mine didnt have to be changed until 144,000 miles. the chances of it breaking are almost nonexistant.

you are just worried about it?

 

[Uncle Stinky]

So why do you want to change it 40,000 miles early? mine didnt have to be changed until 144,000 miles. the chances of it breaking are almost nonexistant.

you are just worried about it?

Acura calls for timing belt replacement at 6 years or 90k. Her car is a '92.

 

[FlipLegend]

Because the second bird is pretty expensive, and I dont have very much money at the moment.

To buy it in USA is'nt that easy or cheap either. Altogether with handling, chipping, swedish toll and tax... the price almost end up at the same as here at the swedish dealer. And then there is the risk of the package getting lost or late. And I have to pay in advance.

Why don't you just wait until you have the money for both? Your car is only @ 57K, you do not need to change the timing belt now unless you can tell it's about to go, which I doubt it.

 

[RangerJoe]

with normal use, the timing belt will stay in good condition.

if the car sat for a few years, that would be different

 

[Pito11213]

I think the bottom line is that if you are going to get one thing that is connected to another changed, better to change it now. That is like changing just one shock, just better to do it in pairs. You have a low mileage luxury sports car. You can maintain it the way it was meant to be.

 

[AcuraJan]

So why do you want to change it 40,000 miles early? mine didnt have to be changed until 144,000 miles. the chances of it breaking are almost nonexistant.

you are just worried about it?

Some manuals says 60k and some says 90k... in either case i've passed the age intervall.

Acura calls for timing belt replacement at 6 years or 90k. Her car is a '92.

His! I'm not a girl.

Why don't you just wait until you have the money for both? Your car is only @ 57K, you do not need to change the timing belt now unless you can tell it's about to go, which I doubt it.

Well I can't tell without looking... Lots of engines brakes because of broken Timing Belts, but not because of a bad Waterpump. A belt ages with time, a pump and tensioner only gets bad bearings and seal. Which causes a leak and/or noise.

with normal use, the timing belt will stay in good condition.

if the car sat for a few years, that would be different

The car is not in use every day, now it will sit for some month over the winter. Better to be safe than sorry, with a timing belt.

I think the bottom line is that if you are going to get one thing that is connected to another changed, better to change it now. That is like changing just one shock, just better to do it in pairs. You have a low mileage luxury sports car. You can maintain it the way it was meant to be.

Water pump was ment to , according to the manual, be inspected.

Thanks for replyes, many opinions... but nobody seems to, fortunately, have had bad experience. :2cool:

 

[Pito11213]

That depends on what you mean by bad experience. A bad experience that I have experienced is replacing a timing belt only and then 3 weeks later having a seeping water pump. Bottom why chance it and do the same work twice.

 

[FlipLegend]

It seems you aren't really taking aour suggestions to heed so here you go. Unless you want to do this job twice, we all suggest you replace your timing belt and water pump together. Sounds easy enough right? A TB job for a first timer will take around 6-7 hours.
Written by: Mike Diaz.
1. Crack the crank pulley loose with a breaker bar, a 19mm socket, and bumping the engine over once. Then set cylinder #1 at top dead center.
2. remove the drive belts
3. pull the throttle body off
4. pull the upper and lower radiator hoses off.
5. bend the wiring harness over the top of the engine
6.remove the timing belt cover
7. loosen the timing belt tensioner and remove the belt.

The installation is the opposite of removal. just make sure you don't move either cam pulley or the crank pulley once top dead center is set. Once you reinstall the new water pump, timing belt, and timing belt tensioner, tuen the engine over one or two times and double check your timing marks.

Make sure you replace the water pump and timing belt while you do it.

 

[Ricks93L]

Timing Belt Change

I would just simply INSPECT your Timing Belt FIRST by removing the UPPER Timing Belt Cover and checking the belt for Cracking or Dryness ETC... THEN replace IF necessary. I didn't replace my Timing belt on my 1993 until 90,000 Miles. I DID replace a perfectly GOOD Water Pump at that point, only because I was too chicken to chance it at 90K. However, I definately would NOT replace the Water Pump at only 60,000 Miles unless it really NEEDS to be for some reason. The OEM Water Pumps are VERY WELL BUILT units, good for at LEAST 100,000 Miles. Also, I hope you are Very Mechanically Inclined if your going to tackle this on your own, it takes some skill, some savy, and the proper tools to do it right. Do read the DIY carefully before attempting. I might also add a couple of useful TIPS: 1.) Make sure you have the tool
( http://www.etoolcart.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=7869 )that holds the Crank Pulley while you try to break the 19MM crank bolt loose which is torqued at 3 Million LBS. of torque at the Factory. Also, be VERY careful when you drape the wiring harness from the front of the engine to the top of the engine for access to Timing Belt covers because some of the wires lead to the injectors and sometimes the O-rings on the injectors become dry and LEAK!!! if they are disturbed which can easily happen if your not careful to NOT disturb the injectors while moving the harness back. Good Luck !!

 

[AcuraJan]

I will take my time, the car stands were it stands, I have no hurry.
I have worked pretty much with my cars and have no problems in reading instructions... I will also get help from my father who have worked a lot with cars.
I see forward to this task as interesting and fun.

That depends on what you mean by bad experience. A bad experience that I have experienced is replacing a timing belt only and then 3 weeks later having a seeping water pump. Bottom why chance it and do the same work twice.

At what milage was this?

Still, my car dont even has 60k miles...

I would just simply INSPECT your Timing Belt FIRST by removing the UPPER Timing Belt Cover and checking the belt for Cracking or Dryness ETC...

´
I will do this with the oil-change in a few weeks, and think about it after that.

 

[Ricks93L]

Timing Belt Project

Yes, you are very lucky to have the opportunity to do this at your leisure and with someone like your dad. Heed the advice that those on the site have to offer and take your sweet time if you decide to do it. Again, I wouldn't change the pump so early unless you feel its TRULY necessary. The Timing Belt may very well be old enough in years and dry enough to change, especially considering that your car is low miles and MINT. The reason I say wait on the pump is the engine isn't going to catastrophically blow up if the pump goes like it WILL if the Timing Belt Breaks!! Well, good Luck and feel free to contact me if you like.

 

[AcuraJan]

The reason I say wait on the pump is the engine isn't going to catastrophically blow up if the pump goes like it WILL if the Timing Belt Breaks!! Well, good Luck and feel free to contact me if you like.

The same reason as I said earlier...
Thank you!

 

[champ5spd4dr]

Maybe after taking everything off, you will realize you won't want to do it again, or at least another 60-90k and replace the H2O pump. At a shop here it takes them almost 6 hrs. The dealership (cough.....stealership.....) charges $900 for a TB/WP that's USD. If it takes a shop 6 hrs with Air Tools and everything I can imagine if you are not very skilled or kind of skilled it will take you upwards of 9hrs to do. If I was doing a TB/WP on my car that took me at least 6 hrs to do, I would change the H2O pump even if the manual says to "inspect" it. Yes, you will be replacing a perfectly good H2O pump but that is ok, because the TB is also perfectly good too.

 

[Ricks93L]

Waiting On the Pump

champ5spd4dr, I agree with you on the changing the pump 'While you're in there' Philosophy, having done the job myself. However, I recommended waitng on the pump because of the fact that AcuraJan lives in Sweden and the cost of parts there and to have them shipped from HERE is HIGH as he said and he stated that he does not want to spend 'That kind of money right now.' so he said. Timing belt alone in Sweden is $115.00 or so he said, just for the part. So you can imagine what the WP costs. That's why I suggested he wait. Also, once you've done the job, it's alot easier to get back in there to change the WP once you know what you're up against. It IS time consuming BUT he also has the luxury of working on the car while it is off the road.

 

[Dethred]

I garauntee you'll regret not doing it all at once. If you have to wait 10k miles of driving before you can afford a pump and belt then do so. Remember if you let the waterpump go bad on its own time it could lead to a 2,000 dollar Head Gasket fix.