tonightwetaco

Thank you for taking a look at my thread.

The Honda has 160k miles and runs great. My uncle gifted the car to me and his gut tells him he changed the timing belt at 100k miles I just can't find the paperwork and he was pretty meticulous with paperwork because I got a nice little binder listing all the service performed. My mechanic said more likely than not he did change the timing belt because a stock timing belt with 160k miles on it would make us pretty darn lucky it hasn't broken.

I was quoted $950 parts + labor to change the timing belt.

Is there a less expensive diagnostic that can determine if I need the timing belt changed? My mechanic said he could do it for a couple hundred so I have a choice to waste couple hundred for peace of mind. Any thoughts?

FYI, Last year the stock alternator was changed and the mechanic changed the serpentine belt which he said was in good shape but changed it because he said it was inexpensive. My understanding is that timing belts and serpentine belts are usually changed at the same time and the condition of a serpentine belt could reflect the condition of the timing belt. Does that seem like sound logic?

Thanks!

SuperAkuma

I can't remember if there was a way to check the timing belt without taking the whole thing apart. If you have to take the whole thing apart might as well have them change it. You should have them change the water pump as well when since it's there. Just make sure they use OEM or Aisin because that is also OEM.

Yes typically you change the serpentine belt at the same time but sometimes but not always because they have different maintenance intervals.

tonightwetaco

I am going to go ahead and have the work done.

My mechanic said he changes the pump when he changes the belt (chain). He said if he cant get OEM he prefers Gates as the aftermarket because they are quality.

RollingRoadEFI

Take the cover off and take a look. You should be able to tell if something looks newer than the rest.

tonightwetaco

i don't feel comfortable doing that myself and I suspect a mechanic will charge me a few hundred. After speaking with my Uncle he thinks its likely he never changed the belt because around 100k miles he bought a second car and the Honda was used for short neighhood trips after that and mainly lived in the garage

RollingRoadEFI

Alright, fair enough. Just so you know it is a timing belt and not a chain. Chains should last the life of the engine.

tonightwetaco

appreicate your chiming in though, RollingRoadEFI

RollingRoadEFI

You're welcome. Best of luck to you. This is why I tell people to use the little sticker in the kit that tells you that it's been done lol. Saves everyone a lot of time and money.

tonightwetaco

hmm, where could that sticker be located and what might it look like?

RollingRoadEFI

It depends on the brand of the kit, and who knows where people stick them. Most technicians throw it in the trash because their work is trash half the time. Personally I used to stick it on the underside of the hood, the radiator support, or the air filter box. I had one customer even ask me to put it inside the air filter box because he didn't want to see it. You really never know.

Below are some pictures of what I'm talking about.

https://www.google.com/search?sca_es...ih=642&dpr=1.5

tonightwetaco

thanks!

SuperAkuma

Gate belt maybe ok but water pump and pulleys in that kit are cheap Chinese junk. You want the Aisin kit, it is the same stuff as OEM. I bought the Aisin kit from Rockauto.com for about $130 for the belt, pulley, tensioner and water pump. Right now it is $116, only $10 more than the Gate kit. If your mechanic allows you to, tell him you will supply the parts and get it from rockauto.com

nicolaselias

Good call re getting the parts from Rockauto.

The Aisin kit is superior. I only bought the gates because at the time it was on closeout so was ridiculously cheap, but if prices were similar I'd be going Aisin all the way!

tonightwetaco

is this the correct kit?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=16088&jsn=931

1999 Honda Accord V6

$268.79

SuperAkuma

Yep that is the one. Mine was a i4 so it was cheaper.

When ordering stuff from rockauto.com there is ALWAY a %5 coupon somewhere online just do a search. When you do a search, retailmenot.com will have something that will work.
If there are any other stuff that you need right now is the perfect time to order it and see if they are shipping from the same location. If they have what you need shipping from the same location, you can save a lot since you can share the cost of shipping.

ag_ghost

RockAuto discount code reportedly good to 22 December 2023 (working today at least (found on bobistheoilguy))
250137093223800661

Post the number in the "How did you hear about us" 'box'

I had the Aisin kit installed on my ride a couple of years ago

tonightwetaco

Final Update:

Just got the car back. My mechanic told me that the belt did not need to be changed but because he was already working he went ahead and replaced 2 serpentine belts and the right side motor mount. He charged $300 for all parts and labor.

He told me that when they got to the timing belt one of the bolts was cross threaded, he assumed it was done by the previous mechanic that changed the belt. He told me that had I needed a new timing belt he would have had to remove the engine because he was not going to force the bolt and have it break. Given the condition of the belt he said I should be fine for the life of the car. And seeing that its a 99 Accord with 160k miles I feel good about the whole situation. Car has and does run great

Curious what you all think. Thanks!

bloden512

hey new here to the forums but not new to Hondas been a tech for the last 10 or so years. for checking the see if the timing belt has been replaced the quickest way to to shine a flash light behind your engine mount on the passenger side(the mount side bolted to the engine) if you look back you can usually see the upper part of the water pump there will be a plastic piece with a 10mm bolt. you can usually have a pretty good idea as to whether the pump is newer than the rest. if he had the belt done the pump should have been replaced aswell. Also the idler bolts for the timing belts are factory loctited in so very possible that it is not cross threaded since they are VERY tight from the factory. Also with aftermarket parts the last things you want to save money on is the tensioner I have seen MANY aftermarket tensioners break in half.