Honda Car Forum

1998 honda accord, timing belt.. i just hit 60,000 miles.. should i have the timing belt replaced?

Most vehicles that have a timing belt recommend that the belt be changed with every 30K service.

is the motor running like the timing is off?....if it is then yes, but if not then no, the timing belt should be good up to 120,000, especially on a honda...good luck

If it's a 1998 accord and this is the first time you would be replacing it? Yes definately get it done. Age matters just as much as milage. the rubber belts get brittle over time, crack and wear out. That is something that, if it breaks, will destroy your entire engine. Hondas have what is called an "interferance design" engine. That means that when the valves open, they drop down into the combustion chamber far enough that if the piston were to come back up that they would collide. This will only happen if the timing belt breaks. If the belt brakes the engine will start firing at the wrong times, the valves will be smashed to bits and it will need to be rebuilt.

I can't tell you much about the timing belt, although I think it wouldn't hurt to replace it...I can tell you from experience with my 98 Accord, get your transmission checked. It appears that they had problems with that year model (transmission) and are supposedly warrantying them up to 109,000 miles. Definitely get the transmission checked. I wish I had sooner...rebuilds aren't too cheap!

It is not just mileage, but age that counts for when your belts should be changed. You need to change your belt, and probably should have done so before now. Consult your owners manual for exact intervals, as they can vary by model and year of production. Do not wait until you can perceive a problem - often people do this to perceive if a belt is still good or not. The only way you can tell is if you physically inspect the belt. A broken timing belt can cause severe damage to your engine, including fashioning some new holes in your cylinders via your out of control pistons. Don't risk it, get the belt changed.

yes- consult a mechanic

They say it needs to be changed between 60K-90K miles depending on the usage. My 98 accord has never been changed since I bought it new and no problems yet at 165K and counting, but I think i'm pressing my luck a bit.

ON THIS CAR YOU DONT NEED TO CHANGE YOUR TIMING BELT UNTIL 105K

changing timing belt isn't unitl you hit 90,000+ miles or 5-6 years. ballpark it with the miles., better to change it arou d that time, then fixing it when it goes down.