Do timing belts really break???

[wrench02]

I own a Honda Acura repair shop on the east coast. I want to do a survey on timing belts. Has anyone had the timingbelt on their NSX break? If so at what miles. When I started working on Hondas in the seventies the timingbelts had square cut teeth and they used to break all the time and ruin the engine . Honda has since gone to a round cut on the timingbelt teeth and made the belt out of better material. Since these changes, I do not see a broken timingbelt unless it was caused by the last mechanic who replaced it. (Make sure you have a qualified tech do yours) I do however have to change the timingbelt because they get oil soaked from a bad seal or a gasket. Acura recommends replacement at 90,000 or 6 years which ever comes first. I know I would feel a little better replacing them if a few of you have had one break.
Mike Warner
Suburban Wrench

 

[Jimbo]

Mike,

I have heard of timing belt failures. I'm sure you can do a search on this topic.

Hopefully the safety factor (perhaps a factor of 2) is great enough to ensure that no one breaks a belt under normal usage.

Elastomeric parts are hard to precisely qualify when it comes to lifetime and wear. So much can be affected by weather and ambient conditions. The only way to be sure is to design a very conservative replacement regimen.

That being said, it's not surprising to see so many owners who have pushed well beyond the limits. I suspect that at some point in the not so distant future we'll start hearing much more about timing belt failures on the original 1991 cars. As mileage and time take their toll, we'll begin to see broken belts. Hopefully the number will be small.

-Jim

 

[Vytas]

I have been told by our NSX rep at Honda headquarters that the NSX timing belt could snap. If not, the teeth on the belt could sheer right off. Either way, you're still not safe from a potential failure.

 

[Tobal]

Yea i agree with Vytas, I'm pretty sure if not the teeth go'n, the belt will probably snap. My friends 93 Honda prelude had its timing belt snap at ~100k, and had to get a new engine for it. Something not worth waiting on

 

[wrench02]

Other causes

I have seen things like the lack of oil changes on high miles cars cause so much sludge that it starves the cam bearings of oil but in these cases the timing belt was so strong, it sheared the cam right off. I have seen a frozen waterpump rip the teeth off the belt (Civic Only). Right now the only cars I see with the teeth ripped off are 15 years and older with high miles and I don't see many of those on the east coast.
MW

 

[yo]

fwiw, i just dropped the cash on a new timing belt for my 91 nsx @ 62k. they kept the old belt for me, and compared to a new one, not much different. however, i now hit 8000rpm with a smile AND a piece of mind...

 

[xxlrr8]

Yo,

What did you pay to have your belt & water pump done.

I just paid 1,325 ---- seemed pretty stiff !

 

[snapper]

Yo,

What did you pay to have your belt & water pump done.

I just paid 1,325 ---- seemed pretty stiff !

That's about right. Maybe a little low.

 

[yo]

What did you pay to have your belt & water pump done.

well, it was done in conjuction with a bunch of other stuff; 60k service, new window regulators, new engine and trunk struts, some above and beyond tuning....

the stand-alone price as advertised was $1400. it ended up costing me around 1200 after some discounts

 

[96-EJ6]

Hell yes they do!!! My 94 Integra LS lost a timing belt at about 120,000. Luckily it didn't bend anything. Changing the timing belt and water pump is extremely important on ANY Honda.

 

[Nsxotic]

The answer to your question "Do timing belts really break" is NO.

 

[j14nsx]

I have had not a timing belt break, but a failure of another component. The tensioner on a Lotus twin cam engine, stop providing anough tension on the belt, and so the belt slipped. The tensioner is something to change at the same time as the belt itself.

 

[maomaonsx]

speaking of timing belts. TODA has on their catalog a timing belt for the NSX. I have no idea how and waht they have improved it. Search Toda's website for a pic.

 

[Juice]

How about CDN$ 1,164 (which was exactly US$ 760 using the exchange rate at the time - Feb 2001)? And this was at an Acura dealer in a major metropolitan area.

Yea, I would say you paid almost US$ 600 too much.

What???? I now wonder if a mechanic across the border is available. NSXTACY, have you ever checked costs across the line, being from Chicago n' all? The savings here would be worth the road trip for me!

 

[hendu]

What???? I now wonder if a mechanic across the border is available. NSXTACY, have you ever checked costs across the line, being from Chicago n' all? The savings here would be worth the road trip for me!

If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. I paid a little of $1400 for timing belt, water pump, and cam seals. I probably could have saved $100 to $200 if I drove an extra 30 minutes and ordered parts from another Acura dealer.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Before you guys compare costs, make SURE you are talking apples to apples.

There are MANY ways to short cut this job, by not replacing certain parts, i.e. belt tensioner and VC gaskets, to name a few. At list price that is close to $200 for just these two parts alone.

Before you decide you got taken to the cleaners, or you got a "great" deal understand exactly what you got!!

My $.02
LarryB

 

[yo]

Before you decide you got taken to the cleaners, or you got a "great" deal understand exactly what you got!!

I would totally agree. I talked with a few people about doing the timing belt job, before i decided. some were willing to skip a few 'uneeded' steps. uh, no thanks.

The dealer i ended up using took the time to show me where any overlap in the 60k service and timing belt service would be (not much). They also took it upon themselves to fix a few minor things, 'while i was in there', type stuff. Finally they saved all my old parts for a comparison and such...

Ryan

 

[Teej]

from a prospective NSX owner, good thread guys.

 

[Ojas]

speaking of timing belts. TODA has on their catalog a timing belt for the NSX. I have no idea how and waht they have improved it. Search Toda's website for a pic.

I ran across this a few days ago on King Motorsport's site. It says "200% stronger than stock" but does not say in what way... 200% stonger means 3 times as strong. Is that just the belt itself or teeth too? Hmm.

 

[Soichiro]

>>"200% stronger than stock"
This seems ironic in a thread asking if the OEM part ever breaks.

It also says:
>>Engine performance is improved by eliminating belt stretch
Has anyone had problems with belt stretch? How would you measure that? Is this an answer to a question that nobody asked?

I'll take OEM thanks. g

 

[NoClgDeg]

Do timing belts really break???

I have yet to see a documented case where a NSX lost a timing belt.

I hope I am wrong.

 

[Jimbo]

NoClgDeg,

I'm not sure I understand.

I have heard of NSXs losing their belts.

If you had a few documented cases of belt failures, what would it mean? And conversely, even if there were no belt failures to date, what would that mean?

As the years mount the odds of belt failures on the older cars continue to grow and I really don't understand the persistent reluctance and desire to push the envelope beyond what amounts to twice the recommended change interval.

-Jim

BTW: Have you changed your belt yet?

 

[NoClgDeg]

I'm not sure I understand.

I have heard of NSXs losing their belts.

I have heard lots of things as well. What I am saying is I have yet to see an actual timing belt failure meaning someone step up and say, yes the timing belt broke on my nsx.

If you had a few documented cases of belt failures, what would it mean? And conversely, even if there were no belt failures to date, what would that mean?

Absolutely nothing.

As the years mount the odds of belt failures on the older cars continue to grow and I really don't understand the persistent reluctance and desire to push the envelope beyond what amounts to twice the recommended change interval.

I agree with you 100%. Kind of like the few that didn't put Lojack on their cars and they got stolen. You spend $30+K on the car, why not spring for an extra $695?

BTW: Have you changed your belt yet?

Yes. I bought my car last year with 25000 miles on it. I changed the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, drive belts, all hoses, 60K, valve adjustment, all fluids, etc.

 

[Dash Rip Rock]

I recently purchase my NSX with 89,000 miles and neither of the previous two owners changed the timing belt in the prior twelve years. After I bought the car I had to drive 1500 miles home. Needless to say I was a bit worried. However the car made it home with no problems, the timing belt has been changed and I am now free to race around with no worries.

 

[NSXBill2]

I have heard lots of things as well. What I am saying is I have yet to see an actual timing belt failure meaning someone step up and say, yes the timing belt broke on my nsx.



I be interested in hearing about any actual belt failures from an actual owner as well...that's why this thread (like many others on this topic) was started. I still haven't heard firsthand from an owner on any thread. It doesn't matter what I will or will not do about it, but it has to be of interest to this forum.

Now....I'm going to go get into my old NSX and drive home, hoping that my belt doesn't break