My Avalon is in nice shape and has about 88,000 miles. The Scheduled Maintenance Guide calls for timing belt replacement at 90,000. My question is: Has experience shown that these belts break close to this limit? The reason I'm asking is I've had two Camrys in which the belt broke within a couple thousand miles of 60,000 (I know, I know...) Anyhow, I may replace this Avalon with a newer one but I'd like to take a road trip first (maybe 3,000 miles or so). Thanks. jor
Thanks to Ford and VW, we've had vacations interrupted twice by vehicle failure. I can assure you that vehicle failure is very unlikely to add to the enjoyment of a vacation. My wife was very angry with Ford and VW over these failures, which had nothing to do with maintenance (all scheduled maintenance had been done). If we'd gotten stuck because I'd skipped some maintenance, then she wouldn't have beern angry with Ford and VW. She still would have been angry, though...
Thanks to all. I think I'll take the trip, then sell the car. I am worried, however, that DH's words will haunt me throughout the trip! If I make it, I'll do a boast-post; if not, it'll be a humble pie post. jor
On balance, I'd do the same. I think you'd have to be pretty unlucky for the 90K mile belt to break at 91K miles. "Redeommended replacement interval" is not the same as "service life"
It'll probably be ok. The newer belts IE: 2000 seem to be a bit better than the older ones. I think that's why they rate at 90k rather than the earlier 60k. In the overall scheme of 90k miles, another 3k is not going to amount to much. My 89 honda is slightly past due on it's belt change, but I kept driving it. Course, I don't hot rod, race the engine, etc.. I'm rarely over 3000 rpm in that car.. Another thing to consider is that engine should be non interfearance as far as the valves, etc, so if you did throw a belt, it probably wouldn't hurt the engine. You would just have to get a tow and replace the belt. With my particular honda, it's a throw of the dice vs the rpm when it breaks.. If slow rpm, sometimes they are ok. If fast rpms, it's not uncommon to toast some valves... I just got a 05 corolla a week or so ago..It has a timing chain rather than belt. The guy that sold it to me said those are usually rated at
160k lifespan, but I haven't actually looked into it. BTW, what the belt looks like is not a very good indicator. A belt that breaks can often look nearly like new right before it breaks.. :( About all you can really look at is for rounded off teeth, etc, and usually they will look ok.. If the belt is due for a change, I change it regardless of what it looks like. I also change anything else in the timing belt area, such as water pump, oil seals, etc.. It's usually enough of a PIA to get into, not changing the other stuff doesn't really make sense. You don't want to have to go back in there again for quite a while.. Well, unless you *like* all that work.. Myself, I have better things to do than repeats of that particular job.. :( MK
BTW... one note... If you are going to sell it, and the belt is due, you might consider changing it anyway when you get back.. But I guess depends if you trade it to a dealer, or a private owner.. Probably wouldn't mean a lot to a dealer, but a new belt would be a good selling point as far as a private buyer.. They will be considering that, if they have a clue.. Most are not too keen on buying a car, and then having to do work on it right off the bat. MK
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