Monday, September 19, 2011

Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?

I purchased a (used) 1999 Mitsubishi Galant about 6 months back. The timing belt of this car was never changed. I am planning to use this car for max. 6 more month. Shall I spend on changing the timing belt of this car? Or I keep driving as it is.Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?%26quot;What's the mileage?%26quot;

Typically late model Timing Belts are quite sturdy and will last 80K-110K miles.

BUT.. and you knew there was a %26quot;But%26quot;!

If %26amp; when they fail.. it could be Catastrophic failure!
Most cars are %26quot;interference%26quot; engines.. meaning the valves will Hit the top of the pistons if timing/timing chain is off. A Few cars are %26quot;non-interference%26quot; meaning valves Won't hit pistons.

And with Timing Belts there really is no Warning.. nothing visual.. until you actually remove the Timing Cover and SEE the belt..

So.. this is one of those Preventive items that should be done based on mileage.
It's a bit costly however.. Parts %26amp; Labor running ~$50-$125 for belt, $150-250+ for Labor. So you're looking at about $200 to $400+ out-the-door.
If you have a mechanic friend.. time to cash in the Friendship Card!

But as stated early.. a new belt will last ~80K - 100K miles, so you won't have to do (pay) again for awhile!

Happy motoring! :o)


* Some Reading..:

http://www.90gsx.com/eclipse/QA/galant/1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timing_beltShall I change the Timing Belt of my car?i'd look at it to see if its worn or has cracks if it don't then don't change itShall I change the Timing Belt of my car?Well if you say the belt has never been changed, I would check when it's recommended to be changed and if that mileage has been reached well above I would change it. I mean 400 or less spent spread over 6 moths works out to 67 dollars a month on top of your other cost, which seems cheaper than getting towed, finding alternative means to get to work, etc... money well spent To change it, I would say.Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?Depends on the mileage and whether or not it has a chain or a belt (chains tend to last longer). The most important factor is whether or not it has an interference motor (which I don't know off hand). 6 months?!? I'd say leave it alone.Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?The normal time to replace a belt is around 60,000 miles. Assuming the car was drive the average of 10K miles per year, you're probably around 80,000.

It should definitely be on your list. Examine the belt - does it look dry or have cracks in it? If so, you should go ahead and get it replaced as soon as you can.

If it looks ok, you could probably be fine waiting until your next trip to the shop to have something else done. It's an ordeal to change it since you need to pull so much else off of the car to get to it. I'd consider checking/replacing other items around the timing belt at the same time...a vast majority of the cost (or time, if you're doing it yourself) is spent getting to it. So while you have it clear, you might as well do some preventative maintenance, too.Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?Probably not. Unless you feel things slipping as you drive, it's not worth pouring the $$ to fix it. Timing belt replacement is not cheap.Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?Yeesh. If the timing belt goes, the thing will leave you stranded and may be permanent junk. If you travel a lot of lonely roads or ugly sections of the city, it may be worth it to your peace of mind to get it done.

But in six months... odds are that it won't need a new timing belt in that time. They tell you to change it much earlier than you truly need to, because it sucks SO bad if it goes out on you. And it's not like you can tell the guy you sell it to, %26quot;Sure, it's only worth $3,000, but I just put a new $1,400 timing belt in so you should pay me a lot more money.%26quot;

Especially if the thing is on the low side. They probably tell you to change it in the 90,000 to 120,000 mile range. If the car hasn't gone that far, then it really doesn't need it. If you're pushing 200k, though, you'll be taking a bigger chance.

I'd say that unless you're really averse to risk, leave it and warn the next guy that he'll have to do it.Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?if you replace it . you can use the car more than 6 months more, provided timing belt installed correctly.

replace timing belt, front oil seals, and tensioner bearing



front oil seals are, camshaft seal and crank shaft seal,.

if equipped with counter-balancer shaft, replace oil seal as well.Shall I change the Timing Belt of my car?It has lasted this long. If you are sure you will sell it in 6 months, then don檛 spend the money.

Unless you are going to sell it to someone you know, then you either want to change it out for them, or warn them about it. If you trade it in at a dealership, they will take care of it. Changing it out yourself will not change how much they give you for it.

I hope this helps.