Ok guys, so I take my car in to get the timing belt changed (I just past 60k.)
So I drop my car off @the shop, and the mechanic calls me 10 mins later tells me he cant get the parts in today so I would need to reschedule.

Then he says this---> "this is a $600 job, you know that right"...

I about ****...that seems way to damn expensive to me. He goes on about how since it's a vtec motor it's more difficult....blah blah. it sounded to me like he just didn't want to do it today, so I started to talk to him about it

Me: "you just pull the belt off, and set everything at TDC, an put it back on right" (acting like I know what I'm doing, so he doesn't rip me off.)

Him: (in a druken hill billy accent) "duh..uh, it's a little more cmplicated than that."

I tell him **** it, Ill get someone else to do it, or Ill do it myself.

Here are my problems w/what he said, he told me 400+for labor and 200 for parts..don't you just buy a belt?? or do you think he's buying some specialized tools from Honda that it says are required in the manual.

here are my ?

Is it that hard to change the belt, could I do it myself. I have a helms but very little tools and really am not sure how to set timing. (I mean I have an idea, but I don't think that is good enough.)

Finally, is this guy talking out of his ***..

sorry for the long post, wanna make sure it's clear.

Thanks Yall

 

its an expensive job.. and its a bitch to do yourself.

 

You'll need more then just the belt. You should have the water pump, timing belt, tensioner, balancer belts, and crank seal changed as well. It cost me about $500 bucks to have it done, and thats from a guy I know... Good luck.

 

I have a '95 and my manual says I don't need to change my timing belt until 90k miles. You might want to check your manual because I think only older cars need their belt changed at 60k. Anyways, I am about to have mine changed too and I was also quoted $600 from 2 different shops. I think that is about the norm for our cars.

 

I dunno, I've done it a few times and it's not that hard at all. it is a more complicated process than some jobs and the flywheel is a bastard to get off if you don't have the crank holder tool ( I made one out of a huge-*** nut and some angle iron). Just follow the manual's instructions closely (read them twice before you begin) and you shouldn't have any trouble.

 

Why would you need to take the flywheel off to do the t-belt????

 

The crank pulley I mean.. lol

 

Umm timing belt is very expensive on a lude.. like the 90,000 mile tune up which they change your timing belt.. is like 900 bucks at honda.. and regular tune up are aournd 200-300 bucks

 

i just did one the other day at our shop.. we did it for i like 285ish.. granted we used napa belts (non performance shop) but honda timing belts arent that insane..

 

600 is quite expensive. whenever you change out your timing belt it is a good idea to also swap your water pump out. if you have a friend around the area thats done one before i'm sure you can do it no problem. **** napa belts, i would only use oem honda ones if your motor is geared towards performance. basically you have to remove your valve cover, remove plastic covers on cam gear side, remove crank pulley, set everything TDC, place jack under car, remove drivers side motor mount, remove timing belt, then do everything in backwards order + install the water pump. get a honda manual if you attempt do to this without a shop's help.

 

i know i wouldnt use napa belts either but this is just a regualr repair shop i own.. well my dads small corp. which i will be inheirting...

 

first belt change i did myself. second change i had Honda do it for $335, parts and labor all inclusive.

 

I had my timing belt and water pump changed at a Honda dealer in Princeton. The bill was a bit over $500. How about calling other nearby Honda dealers and see what they quote you?

 

You just gotta know how to properly install the tensioner. If you buy a new one, it comes with the tool to hold the piston down to install it it, otherwise you'll have to rig somewthing up. H22's have an auto-tensioner and you have to screw the "piston" in all the way on its tensioner then bolt it to the block, install the timing belt then tighten someother bolts, remove that tool that holds the tensioner down and then you are done. The balancer shaft belt goes on afterward and you have a maintance bolt in the block to align the rear pulley. Its all in the helms....just be careful, its not too hard, but what do I know....i've broken a belt due to my stupidity when installing it, i was just lucky I didn't **** anything up.

 

Hardest part is getting the crankshaft bolt off. Everything else is cake compared to it.

 

i reccomend geting a h23 tentioner.. not that auto bullshit..

 

gude, is changing the water pump neccesary, or just a good idea??

 

good idea. the pump should last longer, but since it's in the same area, requires the belts to be removed to be changed, and is a cheap part, it's worth doing it all at once to save on labor costs of doing it separately

 

so, is it the water pump belt? or the water pump..?

 

water pump. I replaced mine when i had a mechanic at my old job do it for cheeeeap. BTW, i used OEM Honda belt and and Airtex pump (cheap and good for 25,000+ miles)

 

i'm sure you meant more than 25,000 miles.

 

look @the + drift...

 

honda belts last over 90,000 miles between intervals... 25,000 sounded REALLY low. that's what i was addressing.

 

I think he meant the water pump...not sure though, that seems low as well

 

Sorry for the confusion, i was trying to say that the Airtex pump has lasted 25,000+ miles since i put it on. ****, i hope the belt and pump lasts longer than that. Sorry for the confusion.