2013 Honda CR-V timing belt and water pump guidelines

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I have a 2013 Honda CRV with 105,000 miles. The book states to replace the timing belt and water pump. Is this something that needs done?

2

Yes, you even have to ask? Honda knows what they are doing.

3

Easy there. I think @StevenMazzi may be asking what are the consequences of not doing the replacement at the recommended interval if there’s no sign of trouble. But I don’t want to put words in his mouth.

4

Yes, this is something that needs to be done if you want to prevent potential engine damage that will require very expensive repairs.

Your engine is of the interference design, which means that when the timing belt snaps, pistons and valves will crash into each other, causing… a lot… of internal damage. Since nobody can predict when the belt will snap, it is a good idea to replace it on the schedule recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

In order to save on labor expenses if the water pump is in need of replacement at a later date, it is cheaper in the long run to replace the water pump at the same time.

In addition to the timing belt and the water pump, you need to replace the belt tensioner(s) at the same time.

4 Likes
5

You have a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine and it uses a timing chain. The 6-cylinder Honda engine uses a timing belt and it was not available on your CR-V.

6

Gosh, this seems like a really big error in the manual! I’ll need to figure this out in about 40,000 miles on my vehicle.

@StevenMazzi, figure out whether you have a timing belt; if you do, absolutely get it replaced. The reason the water pump replacement is suggested is because you have to do most of the same work for both jobs and it wouldn’t be unusual to have to do a water pump replacement before your 2nd timing belt replacement.

7

It appears that this engine in fact uses two timing chains.

8

@jtsanders is correct, from what I’m seeing the 2013 CRV seems to only come with a timing chain. So there’s no timing belt to replace.

OP, are you outside the United States? If so then it is possible Honda offered the CRV with another engine there that does use a timing belt. Check under the hood on the emissions lable. Does it say something like L4-2.4L (K24Z7)? If so, no timing belt.