I don't know much about cars, but I just bought a 95 Honda Accord a month ago using almost all my money (about $2500).

According to the owners, the timing belt was replaced in 2009 and if the mileage is correct then that should be within 100,000 miles.

It broke while I was doing about 60 on the highway going straight. It just stopped running and when I tried pushing the accelerator it actually braked which I thought was odd.

The mechanic said that the belt broke and that I should worry about a valve being bent which would cost well over $1,000! My dad can put the timing belt on, so I wouldn't have to pay a mechanic for that.

Am I screwed here? What are the chances that it bent a valve?

 

chances are good that you bent a valve....only way to find out is the take off the head and have a look...that sux though...need to change my timing belt on my 95 as well...dont know how much mileage is on it since we bought it used in feb.

 

Someone said that the only way to tell if a valve is bent is to put the belt on and see if it starts. How hard is it to just take the head off and look? The mechanic said you had to have the timing belt on before you could open the head. So I'm a bit confused.

Should I have my dad take the head off first before putting the belt on?

 

What I would do, put the replacement belt on, and do a compression check on all the cylinders. There's a very slim chance you got VERY lucky and the valves are not bent. And there would be no need to remove the cylinder head.

BTW, mileage is not the sole indication of belt health. If you do not know the history, or brand of belt that is on the car, as a new owner it would be best to replace the belt. Age affects the belt as well as mileage.

 

Well, I'm praying that a miracle happen and no valves are bent.

 

Excellent post as usual Mike. That's exactly the way to do it. Change the belt, and compression test it. That way you see if you have a low cylinder or two before starting the car and doing more damage if in fact there is a problem.
Unfortunately the "braking" feeling you felt does not bode well as it could have been pistons smacking valves. I hope the best for you but honestly at 60mph it would take a miracle to avoid damage. The people who get lucky are those who's belts break at start up or shut down.

It's too bad that Honda made an interfearance engine with a belt on it versus a chain. Especially on such a reliable long running motor. I owned a Ford Ranger 4x4 pickup that had what looked like an old tractor engine in it. It broke two timing belts but it was a non interferance motor so never did any damage.

 

Keep in mind that some shops only replace the belt, and not the tensioner pulleys. If one of those pulleys was failing, or seized, it would overheat and damage the belt. When your dad gets the replacement belt make sure he gets the 'kit' with the two pulleys and both the timing and balance shaft belts. Gates sells this kit for ~140.
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-accord-1990-2002-2/how-replace-timing-belt-timing-balancer-belt-water-pump-f22b1-1908944/
^ Linky on how to belt.

 

Is there a way to check the valves without putting the timing belt on? I'd hate to have to just take it back off again!

 

Thank you. Is there a way to see if one of the pulleys needs to be replaced before we get the kit? The kit is a lot more expensive than just the belt.

 

If you have a compressor and a leak down tester you could. But you would still need to rotate the camshaft and crank shaft. The cam to test each cylinder. And in the correct order.
Cyl 1 is with the cam sprocket lined up and the arrow pointing up. Then rotate cam 90* counterclockwise(this engine rotates 'backwards') test Cyl 3, again rotate 90* test Cyl 4, and one final time, rotate the cam 90* test Cyl 2.
But being this is an interference engine, you will still have to rotate the crank to clear the valves.

 

Thanks so much! I'm not sure what all that means, but I'll forward the info to my dad.

I'm afraid we might have to try and fix the valves ourselves. Is that a realistic option? We just don't have the money to pay over $1000 for a mechanic to do it. I only paid $2200 for the car in the first place!

 

I was surprised to hear Honda subsidize the belt change. Labor and parts. I was more surprised to hear a main agent service desk guy say they don't change the pulleys.

I took the deal. £280 with VAT and a general wellness check. I reasoned that if it busts, a main dealer should cover it.

 

It all depends on the condition of the motor. If all that was damaged is a couple of valves, then it's pretty simple. New valves, grind the seats. You may need to get new guides if they were damages (machine work to the head). What you don't want is piston damage. That's no bueno.

 

It's called 'cheap insurance' or 'preventative maintenance'. Are you really going to gamble that those pulleys are worth a **** after you have had a 'new' belt fail on you already?

Don't chance mucking about easily replaceable parts that will cause you pocket book pain later. There are certain things you don't molest the dog on, and this is one of them. Get new quality name brand belts and pulleys. Gates is well worth the price, you will not have to worry about it til its time. While you are at it, you might as well replace the water pump, as the previous owner/mechanic cheaped out already, get it all done in one blow.

 

The kit includes the tensioners and a water pump which should be changed while you're in there. It's not that expensive if you look around. Here's a complete kit for $105
http://www.fcpimport.com/products/ho...hondaaccordkit

 

Could you remove the valve cover , spin the camshaft and watch the valve stems? If one is bent you should be able to tell, right?

 

If the valve was bent a good amount yes. But if the piston just kissed the valve just enough to prevent a seal, the valve might 'look' even with the rest. There is also the possibility that the valve punched a hole in the piston.