hi,
I got my Honda accord 2002 3 year ago. I have never done any major servicing in the car than oil change timely.
I had 99000 mile when I got the car now it has 142000 mile.
is it the time to change the timing belt, fan belt and anything?
I was told to change engine timing belt, idler, tensioner pulley, fan belts, water pump, cam, crank seals, valve cover gasket all worth around $900.
i am confuse about the price or i don’t know if i need all the services?
i am looking forward for some help and suggestion.
First off, you need to get the owner’s manual and read what it says about routine maintenance and the service intervals recommendations. That’s the place to start. You can probably download the owner’s manual by searching on Google if you don’t have it already. The timing belt is made of a rubber like material and does experience wear and can degrade. If the timing belt breaks while the engine is running, expensive engine damage can occur.
I think if it hasn’t been done yet, and your owner’s manual says it is time, changing out the timing belt, the drive belts, and the water pump is a reasonable recommendation. I’m assuming the mechanic means the cam seal should be replaced, not the camshaft itself. I don’t see a reason to change the crankshaft seals unless they are leaking. $900? Seems a little steep for just the timing belt and water pump, but would be reasonable if the front crank seal for example is being replaced for some other reason at the same time.
If the timing belt has never been changed (which is likely the reason the previous owner sold this car three years ago), then you’re really on borrowed time here. If it breaks and destroys your engine, you’ll be spending many times more than $900.
Check your owners manual, sometime around when your Honda was made, they switched the 4 cylinder engine from a timing belt to a timing chain. If yours calls for a belt, and there is no record of it being changed, then you need to get it changed soon, very soon. I would be surprised that it hasn’t been changed though, here is what my belt looked like after 8 years, I don’t think it would have gone 9 years, much less 10.
BTW, got the timing belt, balance shaft belt, water pump, cam seal, crank seal, balance shaft seals, oil pump seal (it was leaking), and serpentine belt done at a Honda dealer for $735. Did not replace the idler of belt tensioner.
DEFINITELY do the timing belt. If it breaks you’re out a lot of money, and that’s the bulk of this repair cost. While doing the timing belt, the water pump is a good idea as well. It may also need a distributor cap, plugs and wires.
@keith, informative post. Thanks. I’m surprised both you and the OP’er replaced the crank seal. I’m assuming it was the front one, right? As replacing the back one I think would require removing the xmission. Was your front crankshaft seal leaking then? Or is it just a routine thing to replace the front crankshaft seal when replacing the timing belt on Hondas?
Good news! It’s easy to figure out if your car has a timing belt. All Accords built in 2002 use a timing belt, and are interference engines. Get it changed immediately. If you get all that work for $900, jump on it. That is a fantastic price. Since they have to drain the coolant for this work, get that changed as well. I had these items replaced for $800 out the door: timing belt, serpentine belt, water pump, radiator hoses, and coolant.
BTW, I can’t tell you if you are confused about prices. Only the guy that quoted the work can do that.
I wanted the front crank seal changed, it is recommended for the second timing belt change. The oil pump seal was teh only one that was actually leaking.