If you broke a timing belt, how many miles were on it and what age?

[liftnot]

>Long story short, if you decide to do your belt, change all tensioners and water pump as well.
x-lent advise. I would add to do the LMA as well. I recently changed mine at 120k miles and its a 93. all the cogs looked new by naked eye. Possible micro cracks under a microscope but did not bother.

 

[A.S. Motorsport]

Oh a EJ boxer timing belt those are quite complicated on the DOHC versions:fatigue:
Anyway,

Timing belts,
My advise, DO THEM ON TIME! whether it be age or mileage.

I've seen NSX's break belts it isn't a pretty sight and nether is it remotely cheap ether.
Especially NSX's that aren't run often need to have there belt's done on TIME as belts will perish with age.
Sitting around doesn't help the rubber will age.

I've seen belts that have ran only 40k miles dry rot to the point of being dangerous.
Just as 99rs said tensioners can fail quicker than the belt, (Common on Italian cars)

Last year I bought my new coupe that had been sitting in a showroom for 5 years and had done 35000 miles in 17 years.
I immediately flushed fluids and did a timing belt & water pump job + 100k service. (again this is on time not millage, check you owners manual there is a time specified to every millage)
Belt was slightly bit dry a bit iffy tensioner assembly was worn, yet waterpump looked brand new
It wasn't nicely seated anymore ether.

I see broken belt's and timing failures monthly on Maserati's so I'm not keen on taking chances with skipping any maintenance.


If you have the time,
Drop subframe, inspect & clean everything, do LMA (if applicable) and all rubber hoses.
Also check your axles (perhaps new grease and boots) and look for any leaks on other items (cam seals & plugs, crank seals)

 

[shern]

Simple Rule of Thumb: "If you're concerned and have to ask, it's time to replace it".

Agreed, dead horse.

 

[shawn110975]

Simple Rule of Thumb: "If you're concerned and have to ask, it's time to replace it".

Agreed, dead horse.

+1000 on this ^^ another good one my mom always says " if you have to think twice if something is wrong then it prob is."

 

[buckeyensx]

I read through the thread and I still do not see anyone who has actually had a timing belt failure on their NSX. How do you evaluate the likelihood of something happening when no data of a failure exists? Just saying.

 

[The King]

I read through the thread and I still do not see anyone who has actually had a timing belt failure on their NSX. How do you evaluate the likelihood of something happening when no data of a failure exists? Just saying.

Don't poke the hornets nest!!!

 

[shawn110975]

prob cuz no one wants to risk it LOL

 

[buckeyensx]

I am not trying to poke the hornet's nest. I just have never read on any post anyone having a timing belt failure on a NSX. Don't you need at least one (and preferably more) data points to reach any conclusions. I know this subject has been beat to death but I do find it somewhat amusing all the concern about a possible problem that no one has actually had.

 

[BATMANs]

What I like to know is if those that had busted TB, was there any engine oil leaks on it? from the valve cover gasket failing for example?

When I did my engine project my engine builder that has been doing engines for 2 decades said that was by far the MOST common reason for a TB failure - oil on it.

2 reasons were:

1. belt slipped
2. oil ate away at the rubber

 

[jond]

I've put 2 timingbelts in my NSX.
First one was the day after I bought my NSX. Only 40,000 miles on the car, but a 9 year old TB.
It went from the old owner straight to Acura.
Second one was 90,000 miles later.

On my winter beater truck, I decided to push it another year. It had ~100,000 miles on it.
Broke on the highway on the way to work.
Fortunately the valves/pistons don't overlap on my truck, so no problems.

Can't imagine scratching the cylinder walls in an NSX engine though.
Big money.

 

[buckeyensx]

Does anyone know someone that has had a timing belt failure in an NSX? If so, what were the circumstances. Bueller...Bueller...Bueller... anyone...anyone.

 

[buckeyensx]

Bueller...Bueller...anyone<object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>

 

[nsxtasy]

The reason you aren't getting any posts is, those who didn't bother replacing their timing belt, only to see it fail, are too embarrassed to post here and admit that they were wrong in not replacing the belt.

Bueller...Bueller...anyone

If you have doubts that NSX timing belts can break, then I suggest you keep driving your NSX without replacing the timing belt. When it breaks, let us know how many miles were on it.

 

[BATMANs]

The reason you aren't getting any posts is, those who didn't bother replacing their timing belt, only to see it fail, are too embarrassed to post here and admit that they were wrong in not replacing the belt.


If you have doubts that NSX timing belts can break, then I suggest you keep driving your NSX without replacing the timing belt. When it breaks, let us know how many miles were on it.

Perhaps in 2 decades.

Will you still be around?

 

[buckeyensx]

I am not suggesting that replacing the timing belt is not a good idea. I am just pointing out that nobody seems to know how long they last. I would think at least a few primers would post if it happened to them and explain the circumstances of the failure (year of car, miles, age of belt, etc.). Why so much concern over something that no one has ever had happen? The recommendation from Honda (7 years/90,000 miles) must be a very conservative recommendation.<object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>

 

[Valkyrie Pilot]

I am not suggesting that replacing the timing belt is not a good idea. I am just pointing out that nobody seems to know how long they last. I would think at least a few primers would post if it happened to them and explain the circumstances of the failure (year of car, miles, age of belt, etc.). Why so much concern over something that no one has ever had happen? The recommendation from Honda (7 years/90,000 miles) must be a very conservative recommendation.<object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>

That is a great point.

The only problem I see is that there may not be that many NSX Primers out there that are consistently on Prime and so your sample size is not very large. Plus those that are here all the time are probably the more conscientious folks of the lot (or at least the most bored with their day jobs lol).

 

[robbiedawg]

I read through the thread and I still do not see anyone who has actually had a timing belt failure on their NSX. How do you evaluate the likelihood of something happening when no data of a failure exists? Just saying.

back in post #27 in this thread the poster says this:


I've seen NSX's break belts it isn't a pretty sight and nether is it remotely cheap ether.
Especially NSX's that aren't run often need to have there belt's done on TIME as belts will perish with age.

he appears to have an nsx shop in the Netherlands

 

[buckeyensx]

Thanks for the reply robbiedawg. Someone in the Netherlands who has seen belts break is a start. I guess? <object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>

 

[Hugh]

NSX timing belts don't break. They stretch to the point of letting a cog slip and farking up your timing. I'm on my 4th timing belt. Ask me how I know this.

 

[94lude]

Having owned nothing but Honda's all my life, the suggested 7 year / 90K is definitely on safe side as you figure they put in a 20% buffer for those that don't live and die by the manual.

With that said, your chances of a timing belt failure greatly increases after the 10 year / 110K mark, varying how your vehicle was driven and varying climate conditions. This is based solely on experience... here's why...

Last year, I picked up a 97 NSX with 50K miles based in sunny LA, CA. and the car was only parked only in-doors. I know both owners of the car well so I know the car was never tracked or abused, mainly downtown LA and traffic. The second I took over ownership, I had Robert Garcia (Prime member) do a full tune-up, knowing the car sat for at least 2 years with minimal care, if anything just oil change. Upon inspection, the belts were starting to crack and showed the potential of it snapping within an approximate guess of 3k to 5k range. For a 17 year old car, it was definitely time to replace strictly based on age.

When I had my 94 VTEC Prelude, I was young and focused only on performance mods and not maintenance. My original timing belt failed at 135K miles in '99, so the car was 5 years old at the time. 3K in damages later, it was back up and running.

In short, if you have a car that's over 10 years old, pending driving and weather conditions, you may be dealing with a ticking time bomb. At which point, your % of failure can only increase.

 

[buckeyensx]

94lude, I would have done just as you did if I had purchased a 17 year old car with the original timing belt. But that car was 10 years past the recommended service interval and still did not break. I suspect the average primer is very conscientious with respect to maintenance. I am just asking the question that maybe we are wasting money adhering to the Honda religion so strictly. Personally I do not think I would be comfortable waiting more than 10 years to replace the tb/wp. I guess I always felt this issue was overblown, considering no one (except a guy in the Netherlands who has seen belts break) has ever posted about a tb failure.<object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>

 

[greenberet]

I guess I always felt this issue was overblown, considering no one (except a guy in the Netherlands who has seen belts break) has ever posted about a tb failure.<object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>

A quick search yielded some hits.

http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/66954
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/69116
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/29952

A more thorough search may yield more results.

 

[buckeyensx]

Thanks, that helps.<object type="cosymantecnisbfw" cotype="cs" id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;"></object>

 

[jond]

Perhaps in 2 decades.
Will you still be around?

Is the NSX timing belt made out of a different material or something?

 

[wazari]

Having run a service department at an Acura dealership in So. CA during the late '90's and early 2000's, I have seen timing belt failures fail and contrary to a previous post, they do in fact break (snap) and it is an ugly picture as this is high interference motor. If recall correctly I did see 3 snapped timing belts over a 10 year period and all they had in excess of 100K miles and all were the original timing belts. If the belt has over 100K miles or is over 10 years old, I think it would be prudent to replace the belt, tensioners and WP since you're already in there.