Is Timing Belt Needed?

Hi,

I just took my 2000 CRV in for it’s 75,000 mile maintnance(it has 73,386). They told me,because of it’s age( 8 years old), I should get a new Timing Belt…eventhough according to the manual the Timing Belt needs to be changed at 90,0000 miles. According to the Honda Service Mechanic it should be changed at 5 years OR 90,000 miles. I drive under 10,000 a year and keep up with all the maintnace on it. Is this something I must do now or can I wait until it reaches 85,000 or 90,000 miles. The 730-850 price tag is quite steep, yet I certainly don’t want to have it break because I know that will be even pricier.

i appreciate any help you can give me

Pay now or later–your hoping it will NOT break if later. $600 now possibly $3000 later. your choice.

Does the manual say 5 years? I’d be surprised if it did. That said, you’re not too far off 90k. In my car I followed the manual, but earlier won’t hurt. I would ask them where they get 5 years from.

Timing belts wear with mileage AND with age. It’s an either-or situation; the belt should be replaced if you reach 5 years OR 90K miles, and you are way beyond 5 years.

This is part of normal maintenance for this vehicle, and unless you want the belt to snap with no warning at all (which will proceed to destroy the upper end of the engine) this should be taken care of as soon as possible.

Pay some now, or pay a whole heck of a lot more later.

YES a timing belt is needed. It should be replaced. Pretty sure this vehicle has a interference engine so if it breaks it could destroy your engine.

Find a good independent mechanic to do it. You should be able to get it done for a few hundred less.

There is a mileage limit and a time limit for timing belts. Read your maintenance schedule closely and you will see it.

YES, the timing belt needs to be replaced. Your vehicle is eight years old, and its timing belt is eight years old. If that belt breaks the internal parts of the engine will be damaged, and the repair cost will be significantly higher. This is not a repair, this is maintenance.

Have a new water pump installed when the belt is replaced. Just because it’s the right thing to do. Then enjoy your CR-V for many more trouble-free miles.

If the dealer price scares you, shop around. You may be able to save some money by letting an independent mechanic replace the timing belt.

One of the prime ingredients in a timing belt is rubber, and rubber deteriorates (rots) with age. It wears with miles and rots with age, so its whichever comes first.

As for the interval, open your owners manual. Your year vehicle my list it as 6 years or 90k miles or even 7 years or 105k miles. The dealers like to push them early but I believe in your case, you’re Honda is living on borrowed time. But, it seems that timing belts like to break in cold weather so you may have a few weeks yet.

Thank you for all your great advice…it seems that I need to replace it…and I will also replace the water pump as advised…BUT I will find a good Independent Mechanic in hopes of saving some money…I really appreciate the help.

Do you have the manual? What does it say? The reference I found on line says 105,000 miles, not 90,000. Does the manual list a time requirement? I disagree with the other posters who have said 5 years, unless that what the manual says. Either way, there is certainly no rush, take you time to find a good shop.

I called a mechanic today and they told me to wait at least another 10,000 miles…I looked at the manual and it is a little convaluted…in the maintnance section it says 105,000 miles or 84 months(7 years…mine is 8 years now) but in the section on Timing belts, it says 60,000 if you drive regularly or live in a hot climate(I live in Florida) BUT they mention the temp. needs to be at 110 degress to signify Hot…it never is that hot(it feels like it at times with the humidity!)
Maybe the Honda place was just in need of some extra cash…The shop I spoke with was recommended by a friend who is quite picky…and they impressed me by going over all my options and not pressuring. I hope waiting another 10,000 won’t hurt.
Thanks

Do you frequent the casinos in Las Vegas or Atlantic City? Since your manual clearly states “105,000 miles or 7 years, whichever comes first”, and since you have been advised by a number of people on this forum to replace the belt…yesterday…you must really like gambling.

I predict that you will be back in this forum in a few days/weeks/months asking if the estimate of ~$3,000.00 for the repair of your engine following the failure of the timing belt is correct. Yes, it will be correct. And, that expense will also have been unnecessary if you had simply followed the advice contained in your Owner’s Manual, which was written by the people who designed and built your car.

I am amazed when people ask me why I don’t buy used cars. This thread is a perfect illustration.

Now I’m with the others - 5 years sounded short, but the manual’s clear on 7 years. Do it in the near future.

If all are in agreement…but I did speak with 2 other Mechanics who also said I could wait…but to VDCdriver, please note that I have been diligent on ALL maintnance according to the manual…I have every receipt of everything I have done to this car(following manual to the T)…and usually do all way ahead of schedule…this was a concern because I was not aware until the Honda place brought it to my attention(and even they said I could wait 6 months or so)…and the price was quite stiff so I came on the site for advice as to the true urgency…and after receiving it, called 3 mechanics who all said I could wait up to 10,000 more miles…but seeing that everyone is in agreement here, off i will go to get it fixed. 700-800 is alot when all the mechanics say i can wait a bit…and I am going with the mechanic who uses Honda parts so I save less than 100.00.

Yes, you can wait, but you’re gambling if you do it. Are you a gambler?

Maybe nothing will go wrong, and the timing belt will last another 10k miles. It’s certainly possible, maybe even probable. If this happens you win.

If, on the other hand, your timing belt fails, the internal parts of your Subaur engine will collide with each other at very high speeds. Disaster will result.

In my opinion it’s not worth the gamble. It’s your car, do what you want. I think having a new timing belt installed is good insurance.

Fudge the age thing and wait to save a buck or factor in inflation and save a buck.
Since 10,000 miles takes you almost a year to accumulate, inflation in another year, at the rate it’s growing, will cause the repair to be more expensive. Get a bargain, do it now. $800 divided by 8 years is $100. Do you think it’s possible that an $800 maintenace could grow to close to $900 in a year? The real inflation rate is being down played so we won’t freak out. How much will you really “save”? How costly was it in 2000 to have this done?

According to the Honda Service Mechanic it should be changed at 5 years OR 90,000 miles

That is the only thing that matters. Note: “OR” means which ever comes first. “AND” means which ever comes second.

Don’t be a fool, you are past due. You are lucky so far.

I don’t post here much at all anymore but I had to weigh in on this one.
Your belt is not 8 years old; it’s more than 9 years old. Look at the build date on the drivers door jam. Now figure backwards from that point as to who knows when the belt was manufactured.

Every one of those people who told you that you could wait are dead wrong. What you should do is go back to every one of them and ask them if they will give you a signed statement stating that they will be responsible for the total cost of any engine repairs, or possible total engine rebuild, when the belt breaks.

My feeling is that they won’t be quite so definite about telling you this garbage then.
(And being diligent on maintenance has nothing to do with the life of the belt; period. Being diligent means replacing the belt a long time ago.)

Enough said!
I agree!
Waiter, check please!

“please note that I have been diligent on ALL maintnance according to the manual…I have every receipt of everything I have done to this car(following manual to the T)…and usually do all way ahead of schedule…this was a concern because I was not aware until the Honda place brought it to my attention”

As the old saying goes, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link–and the timing belt on this vehicle is definitely the weakest link. Even if you changed the oil every 1,000 miles, that would not prevent major engine damage from occurring WHEN that aged timing belt snaps.

As OK4450 suggests, the mechanics who told you to defer that repair are being very careless with the advice that they dish out, and that advice should be ignored unless they are willing to state in writing that they will shoulder the cost of an engine overhaul WHEN the belt snaps without warning.

(HINT: No mechanic in his right mind would be willing to put this in writing, and the OP is the only one who is going to lose BIG TIME when the belt snaps.)