How long until my timing belt becomes a serious problem?

[StayTrue87]

The clicking sound during idle just started about 3 weeks ago on my stock 91 LX with 116k miles has been maintanenced since 91 but timing belts never changed

[bcjammerx]

did you make 2 posts?

I'll repost...if you've never done the belt do it NOW, and all the seals. Search there is plenty of info to tell you what seals and parts need replacing. If you still have quest. after the search then ask

[CB8-Tuner]

honestly,

just change it and the tensioner

this i s not a part you should be messing with

[deevergote]

The timing belt will be fine until it snaps. Then your engine will be destroyed. With that belt, there is no "becoming a problem". Either it's on there, or it's not. Which is why it should be changed ASAP.

[Potatoswatter]

I've been told by garage mechanics that my car can survive a timing belt failure. (They were speaking offhand from memory.) This is untrue. Your car will be totalled if it goes. If you want more info, ask the garages what happens when it snaps as you call around for quotes.

[deevergote]

There are interference engines and non-interference engines. Interference engines are those that the pistons and valves occupy the same space at different times. If the timing belt snaps, they occupy the same space at the SAME time.

[Hondateck2010]

I've been told by garage mechanics that my car can survive a timing belt failure. (They were speaking offhand from memory.) This is untrue. Your car will be totalled if it goes. If you want more info, ask the garages what happens when it snaps as you call around for quotes.

it has happend to me on my 91 accord and my 94 accord. both snaped and both were fine after changing the belts. but this was at speeds around 30 mph.

A friend of mine had a 95 accord and it snaped while going 80 mph and that engine was shot.

im guessing going higer speeds the chances higer to dead zone

[Heffe55]

I just bought a nice 93ex from a lady that had her timing belt snap for 100.00. it took me a while and some time reading here and great help from the members here. After a new timing belt water pump 2 exhaust valves balancer belt some shiny paint and a lot of time I got her running again. i would say it took me close to a month to get it done but it wanst working on it every day and all the time.

My recomindations is replace your timing belt balancer belt all the seals as well as your water pump your right there and it only takes a min to swap out. that way you know its good and one less thing to have on the back of your mind. Just look up the DIY and there is a video that i followed when i did mine. yes i tried to just replace the timing belt and found other bad things.

Good luck and dont gamble its really not worth it. unless you have to have a good excuse to get under your hood to put a port and polish on lol yes i did that too.

[bcjammerx]

I've been told by garage mechanics that my car can survive a timing belt failure. (They were speaking offhand from memory.) This is untrue. Your car will be totalled if it goes. If you want more info, ask the garages what happens when it snaps as you call around for quotes.

never go to those mechanics...

you are correct as they are 100% wrong. Sure the engine will survive...you'll just need new valves, new pistons, possibly a new head, etc etc

[9DUBWISE]

Never chance it! Keep up with PMs. Its called an interference motor because when the timing between valves and pistons go out they interfere with each other. In other words----- SCATTER. Bad day!!