Has anyone heard of anyone having car problems because they didn't change their timing belt?

Question

I hear many people saying you should change your timing belt yada yada yada, however, does anyone know of anyone who has had engine failure due to timing belt not being replaced? It sounds to me like it's another way for car dealerships/manufacturers to rip off the American public. What do you think? By the way, I drove my 93 Nissan pathfinder for 135000 miles without changing a timing belt, however, there were other problems.

Answer 1

This is actually not just a way for repair shops to make money. Timing belts are made of fiberglass reinforced rubber. Their life expectency is 60,000. You can stretch that to 75,000. But any longer and who knows. It might last 200,000 it might go on the highway in another 10 miles. The point is at the least, it will leave you stranded, at the most it will bend valves and crack pistons, do to the valves hitting the pistons. Granted most engines now are designed to have a belt snap and not be internally damaged. The older ones weren't. And even now there are a few that will be damaged, by a broken belt.

The point is, it's a chance that you will have to way. Do you want to spend $400 every 60,000-75,000 miles and know that it's ok or do you opt out and hope for the best?

Answer 2

If the timing belt breaks, the valves stop where they are. If a valve is open (and there is always at least one valve open), on the next stroke the piston comes up and crunches them causing major engine damage.

That said my 1970 something Datsun (Nissan) 260Z along with my 1997 Nissan Maxima both have timing chains, not belts. The chains don't (or at least rarely) break. If your Pathfider had a timing chain -- no problemo.

Manufactures recommend changing your timing belt every 60 -75 k. The belt should last longer (135k would be reasonable under good driving conditions), but the consequences of a failure are so catastrophic, that the manufactures always recommend changing the belts before there is even a small chance they could break. Better safe then sorry.
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To answer "tronary" regarding why cars have timing belts instead of timing chains: The belts are lighter and take less energy to keep spinning thus increasing milage and power slightly. I don't think they are worth the headache.

Answer 3

Most all auto manufacturers recommend the timing belt be changed at 70,000 miles. It is belt, like the accessory drive belt and does wear out with heat cycling and being stretched over time. I've seen them actually lose cogs and just spin. One Honda that came in the shop had the belt get so hot from just slipping that it melted the plastic timing cover, creating more expense in replacement. The timing belt itself is less than $50.00. Expect about 3 hours labor to remove and replace it, so probably about $210 - $300 in labor costs, too.

Answer 4

A timing belt is usually chosen over a timing chain due to it's NVH characteristics. A belt will always out perform a chain with regard to Noise, Vibration, and Harshness.

Changing a timing belt is just part of normal maintenance. Like changing your oil and filter. Bad things will happen if you don't do it-- and they'll always cost more than preventative maintenance and will never happen when it's convenient.

Answer 5

First NEVER buy a vehicle with a timing belt. Make sure it has a timing chain or don't buy it. Depending on your engine you may not have a belt. If you do it could break and, depending on the engine model, could destroy the engine. I could never understand why they build cars to purposely break.

Answer 6

yes i have heard of a lot of them,i see them in the shop all the time with bent valves and timing belts broken,the most i ever seen one go was around a 130 thousand miles,and then it broke,so go ahead and take a chance with it,they will break,and when they do ,they leave you stranded,where ever you happen to be when it breaks,its a good idea to have them changed,this isn't a rip off to the public ,it actually saves them money in the long run,good luck with it.

Answer 7

i drag race a chevy nova and what happens is after normal driving and you getting down on the pedal a little bit the timing has a tendency to stretch leaving slack ..that could cause it to jump the gears and thats it no car movent as in stuck .the engine would just turn over and not completly crank up

Answer 8

Listen to Dodgeman, he's usually spot on. Check his record, it speaks for itself.