Honda Car Forum

Time for someone good (not me) to replace the timing belt on my stock
2000 Civic (low miles but time, plan on keeping a couple more years) I
have a few questions (checked the FAQs etc but no luck) I know water
pump at the same time but how about the thermostat, since radiator is
drained how about hoses and or belts, tensioners, anything else ?

"gnu / linux" <rob.fruth@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1ad4b4da-1319-4124-9cdd-75bca82af429@o36g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
> Time for someone good (not me) to replace the timing belt on my stock
> 2000 Civic (low miles but time, plan on keeping a couple more years) I
> have a few questions (checked the FAQs etc but no luck) I know water
> pump at the same time but how about the thermostat, since radiator is
> drained how about hoses and or belts, tensioners, anything else ?
>

Sounds like you are on the right track. I recommend replacing the
tensioners, but get more opinions about that. I have heard the
recommendation to replace them every other time - they are expensive, and
they care more about the miles than about time. I would say "yes" to the
thermostat, but considering the spate of thermostat problems in late model
Civics (see the "08 civic warmup issues" thread) I don't have a warm fuzzy
feeling about the thermostats that may be on the shelf right now. It's a
great time to replace the belt(s) and certainly a time to check the hoses
and replace them if they are in doubt.

Good luck!

Mike

"Michael Pardee" <null@null.org> wrote in
news:qbqdnZSXnoR1NizUnZ2dnUVZ_juWnZ2d@sedona.net:

>
> "gnu / linux" <rob.fruth@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1ad4b4da-1319-4124-9cdd-75bca82af429@o36g2000yqh.googlegroups.com.
> ..
>> Time for someone good (not me) to replace the timing belt on my stock
>> 2000 Civic (low miles but time, plan on keeping a couple more years)
>> I have a few questions (checked the FAQs etc but no luck) I know
>> water pump at the same time but how about the thermostat, since
>> radiator is drained how about hoses and or belts, tensioners,
>> anything else ?
>>
>
> Sounds like you are on the right track. I recommend replacing the
> tensioners, but get more opinions about that. I have heard the
> recommendation to replace them every other time - they are expensive,



There's only one under the timing belt cover, and it's about $40, I think.
Cheap insurance. And you're already all the way in there anyway. By the end
of the second go-around, the tensioner bearing is really loose and wobbly,
so every other belt change is about right for that. .



> and they care more about the miles than about time. I would say "yes"
> to the thermostat, but considering the spate of thermostat problems in
> late model Civics (see the "08 civic warmup issues" thread) I don't
> have a warm fuzzy feeling about the thermostats that may be on the
> shelf right now.



I agree. My personal preference is to replace the thermostat every five
years, but the recent problems have me putting a "hold" rating on that
particular investment. If the car seems to be warming up like its usual
self, leave the thermostat alone. For now. Let's wait and see what Honda
ends up doing.



> It's a great time to replace the belt(s) and
> certainly a time to check the hoses and replace them if they are in
> doubt.



The rad hoses should be replaced every five or six years. Pop one of those
and you've got Big Trouble in Little China.

Replace the accessory drive belts at the same time as the timing belt.
they're also about $30-$40 each, OEM.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On Mar 6, 5:47 pm, Tegger <inva...@invalid.inv> wrote:
> "Michael Pardee" <n...@null.org> wrote innews:qbqdnZSXnoR1NizUnZ2dnUVZ_juWnZ2d@sedona.net :
>
>
>
> > "gnu / linux" <rob.fr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:1ad4b4da-1319-4124-9cdd-75bca82af429@o36g2000yqh.googlegroups.com.
> > ..
> >> Time for someone good (not me) to replace the timing belt on my stock
> >> 2000 Civic (low miles but time, plan on keeping a couple more years)
> >> I have a few questions (checked the FAQs etc but no luck) I know
> >> water pump at the same time but how about the thermostat, since
> >> radiator is drained how about hoses and or belts, tensioners,
> >> anything else ?
>
> > Sounds like you are on the right track. I recommend replacing the
> > tensioners, but get more opinions about that. I have heard the
> > recommendation to replace them every other time - they are expensive,
>
> There's only one under the timing belt cover, and it's about $40, I think.
> Cheap insurance. And you're already all the way in there anyway. By the end
> of the second go-around, the tensioner bearing is really loose and wobbly,
> so every other belt change is about right for that. .
>
> > and they care more about the miles than about time. I would say "yes"
> > to the thermostat, but considering the spate of thermostat problems in
> > late model Civics (see the "08 civic warmup issues" thread) I don't
> > have a warm fuzzy feeling about the thermostats that may be on the
> > shelf right now.
>
> I agree. My personal preference is to replace the thermostat every five
> years, but the recent problems have me putting a "hold" rating on that
> particular investment. If the car seems to be warming up like its usual
> self, leave the thermostat alone. For now. Let's wait and see what Honda
> ends up doing.
>
> > It's a great time to replace the belt(s) and
> > certainly a time to check the hoses and replace them if they are in
> > doubt.
>
> The rad hoses should be replaced every five or six years. Pop one of those
> and you've got Big Trouble in Little China.
>
> Replace the accessory drive belts at the same time as the timing belt.
> they're also about $30-$40 each, OEM.
>
> --
> Tegger
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQwww.tegger.com/hondafaq/

thanks all !

Tegger wrote:
> "Michael Pardee" <null@null.org> wrote in
> news:qbqdnZSXnoR1NizUnZ2dnUVZ_juWnZ2d@sedona.net:
>
>> "gnu / linux" <rob.fruth@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1ad4b4da-1319-4124-9cdd-75bca82af429@o36g2000yqh.googlegroups.com.
>> ..
>>> Time for someone good (not me) to replace the timing belt on my stock
>>> 2000 Civic (low miles but time, plan on keeping a couple more years)
>>> I have a few questions (checked the FAQs etc but no luck) I know
>>> water pump at the same time but how about the thermostat, since
>>> radiator is drained how about hoses and or belts, tensioners,
>>> anything else ?
>>>
>> Sounds like you are on the right track. I recommend replacing the
>> tensioners, but get more opinions about that. I have heard the
>> recommendation to replace them every other time - they are expensive,
>
>
>
> There's only one under the timing belt cover, and it's about $40, I think.
> Cheap insurance. And you're already all the way in there anyway. By the end
> of the second go-around, the tensioner bearing is really loose and wobbly,
> so every other belt change is about right for that.

i did "preemptive" replacement if the tensioner on my 89 civic a few
years back and imo it was a waste of money. the new oem replacement was
just as loose and wobbly as the old one it replaced. so when i did the
belt on my crx, i merely checked to see if the bearing was still smooth,
whether it was looser than normal or noisy, then re-used it. it's not
like we're plagued with reports of timing belt tensioner pulleys failing
here.


> .
>
>
>
>> and they care more about the miles than about time. I would say "yes"
>> to the thermostat, but considering the spate of thermostat problems in
>> late model Civics (see the "08 civic warmup issues" thread) I don't
>> have a warm fuzzy feeling about the thermostats that may be on the
>> shelf right now.
>
>
>
> I agree. My personal preference is to replace the thermostat every five
> years, but the recent problems have me putting a "hold" rating on that
> particular investment. If the car seems to be warming up like its usual
> self, leave the thermostat alone. For now. Let's wait and see what Honda
> ends up doing.

with automatics, keep an eye on how long it takes for the lockup clutch
to engage. thermostat or coolant temperature sensor problems can result
in no or delayed lockup - a symptom well in advance of anything else
noticeable to stick drivers.


>
>
>
>> It's a great time to replace the belt(s) and
>> certainly a time to check the hoses and replace them if they are in
>> doubt.
>
>
>
> The rad hoses should be replaced every five or six years. Pop one of those
> and you've got Big Trouble in Little China.
>
> Replace the accessory drive belts at the same time as the timing belt.
> they're also about $30-$40 each, OEM.
>
>
>