Replacing timing belt on 2.2... when???

Ken / Larry

Not wanting to confuse things but 60k miles is roughly 100k km's.

G.

"The replacement long block" .... What long block?

Dan

The replacement long block on my '84 Voyager is approaching 70,000 km. I am starting to think about the timing belt and it's replacement.

I cannot remember when belts should be replaced. 70K miles? 100K km?

Please refresh my memory. Thanks in advance.

Ken

Yes, I can do the math too, but when should the belt be replaced?

Thanks.

Ken

Ignore the dumb-ass sarcasism your simple-minded question solicited.

You don't go by mileage. You go by CONDITION. The tell-tale signs of a worn belt are cracks on the backing that run transverse to the direction of belt motion. These cracks are sometimes invisible at first glance but can be visualized by loosening the belt and slipping it off the cam sprocket, then folding it upon itself to form a tight loop, then pinching the loop. A good belt will look smooth, but one ready to fail will have deep fissues which open up.

On some cars that would mean expending $70 or more in labor just to possibly (no guarantee) squeeze a few more thousand miles out of a mostly used up $30 belt. That's why going by mileage is overall more cost-effective.

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

Why in the blue blazes would someone go to all the trouble to remove a timing belt, bend the sucker over to inspect for nearly invisible cracks and then put the old belt back on? Just spend the $30-$40 and put a new belt on when you have it apart and not worry about it for the next 60,000 miles. Timing belts don't give any warning when they break, you just coast over to the side of the road.

Denny

Sorry for posting again, but this time I have to apologize for my "do the math" comment. I still do not see jdoe's message in my stack of messages on this server. I did find it embedded within Gerald Wooding's reply, but did not read the entire part where it was embedded.

Thanks to all.

Ken

Mike Behnke wrote: