Timing belt breakage

Zennsx

Zennsx

Experienced Member
Joined
26 February 2005
Messages
693
Location
Forty-Fort Pennsylvania
I have a 91 with 38k miles that has the original timing belt. Just out of curiosity has anyone ever heard of an NSX timing belt breaking at low mileage or at any mileage- time point? I know its only Rubber with a finite life but is the age aspect as crucial a criteria as mileage or vice-versa.
Although this may be a moot point to me, I plan on replacing mine in the next few months. I am curious.
 
Zennsx said:
I have a 91 with 38k miles that has the original timing belt. I know its only Rubber with a finite life but is the age aspect as crucial a criteria as mileage or vice-versa...I am curious.
Click to expand...

Hmmm.....You are driving around in a 14 year old car that has never had the proper maintanence and you are curious about it's life expectancy. If you like to gamble, then I'd say don't worry about it. Heck, it'll only cost close to ten grand or more to fix the engine if the belt breaks. As for me, I replaced mine at 7 years/23k miles because my water pump started to leak and it was time do the service.

In the end, it's your car and you can do what you wish. I'd hate to see you make a post in a few months, before you have it done, that your belt snapped and you need a new engine.
 
As I mentioned in the post, I plan on replacing my timing belt in a couple of months and if I hadn't just purchased my Nsx a couple of weeks ago I would have replaced it within the recommended time. Nontheless I am still curious .
 
I haven't heard of one breaking on a nsx but when I owned a 300zx, i heard of a couple of owners talking about how expensive it was once the timingbelt broke.
 
When I got my 91 last September, I thought the belt had been replaced. Then I reviewed the maintenance records and thought it wasn't done since day 1, and I panicked. As it turned out, it was replaced 5.5 years ago. I would not fool around with a replacement - get it done ASAP, as least for peace of mind. Mine will be replaced this year.
 
To answer your original question, no, I don't think I have ever heard of one breaking. I suspect you already know it would be expensive if it did and that's why you're asking in the first place. I had my belt done after 14 years and 100,000 miles and the old belt looked fine. I've heard that same story over and over, though it doesn't mean yours would be the same. As mentioned, I wouldn't worry, but I'd at least think about saving some pennies to have it done at some point in the future.
 
Not all parts are made equal, even if they come from the same manufacturer. The reason is that OE parts (those that come on the vehicle when new) are usually built to a higher standard than those sold as replacement. This is true for brakes, tires, alternators, batteries, misc. rubber and mostly sure about timing belts too. If your OE belt looked fine after 100K, I would not trust the next one (eventhough it says Honda and was bought as a original part) to last that long...
 
I am only 6-7mos new to the NSX community, so pls cut me some slack...am I hearing that NO ONE has ever posted a t-belt breaking on this board? That's incredible. Most incredible because of the emphasis that the community puts on getting the belt replaced on time. Doesn't sound like it's that critical to be overdue for this service.
 
I agree with rjp..... I can not believe how much stress is put on replacing this belt. It made me worry since the day I bought the car (last summer) because I was right at the 7 year mark. The more I read about it, the more I realize it's probably as important as changing your oil every 3000 miles. Does it need to be done that often no, but we do it for peace of mind.

Honda would not say replace your timing belt every 7 years or 105K if they did not expect it to last at least 10 years 150K. My guess is Honda recommends replacement 20-40% (time/mileage) before it's assumed life expectancy.

I was going to put my belt off for another year, however I decided to just get it done this spring because I still have the orignal clutch with 40K on it. I'd rather not spend the money to have both services done next year :smile:
 
rjp said:
I am only 6-7mos new to the NSX community, so pls cut me some slack...am I hearing that NO ONE has ever posted a t-belt breaking on this board? That's incredible. Most incredible because of the emphasis that the community puts on getting the belt replaced on time. Doesn't sound like it's that critical to be overdue for this service.
Click to expand...
People who can afford to buy the NSX historically have been able to afford the timing belt/water pump service without too much financial difficulty. With NSXs getting cheaper to buy, we will undoubtly see stories of kids who buy NSXs and not able to afford maintenance. Hell we had someone post who had an NSX that was great but couldn't shift into 4th gear.

I'd get the timing belt done in a week or two and not fool around with it. Most NSX owners are smart, not lazy on their NSX service.
 
rjp said:
I am only 6-7mos new to the NSX community, so pls cut me some slack...am I hearing that NO ONE has ever posted a t-belt breaking on this board? That's incredible. Most incredible because of the emphasis that the community puts on getting the belt replaced on time. Doesn't sound like it's that critical to be overdue for this service.
Click to expand...

It's like the story of the crazy guy in New York wearing a really funny pink hat. Every time he's asked why on Earth is he wearing this hat, he answers "in order to keep elephants out of New York". And when people reply : "But there aren't any elephants in New York!", he has the last word by saying "See how effective my hat is?!".

Same thing here. It's not because there aren't any reports of t-belt breakage (so far), that the risk is not real. Most people so far have been very conscientious about the maintenance of there NSX and realize that $1,500-$2,500 every 6 years are better than a $30,000 bill if anything bad happens.
 
Not all parts are made equal, even if they come from the same manufacturer. The reason is that OE parts (those that come on the vehicle when new) are usually built to a higher standard than those sold as replacement. This is true for brakes, tires, alternators, batteries, misc. rubber and mostly sure about timing belts too.
Click to expand...

How do you know this information?

I would guess that OEM specs are OEM specs....and that they are not going to stock parts unless they are up to spec. Why would they be different later from production to replacement????
 
Everyone says how expensive it is to repair the engine if the timing belt breaks yet I haven't heard of One instance of one breaking. IMO mileage (WEAR) is a MUCH bigger factor than the actual age of the belt.
 
IMO mileage (WEAR) is a MUCH bigger factor than the actual age of the belt.
Click to expand...

Can you tell us a little about yourself please Zennsx?

For your opine to hold weight, you need some some sort of knowledge base and/or experience. I don't mean this to be "smart", but this is a question that has gone on and on without any real information.

What is your opinion on the maximum service years for a belt then? There must be some sort of time vs "mileage" formula that would make this easier to understand.

I have seen no legitimate argument to counter Honda obviously quality proven and knowledgeable factory engineers.

I'm curious about heat cycles, hours on engine (as opposed to total mileage), sustained engine speed/work and evironment (I live near the ocean, the salt is very destructive. Other people live in the dry desert and other folks live in the frigid northeast). Can you shed any light on these factors?

The expense of $1500 and two days of downtime every 7-9 years, to save weeks of downtime and $10K-$15K seems to be a reasonable one. Let alone the high likelyhood of mis-repair on a complicated job as R&R'ing the heads...is an incredible amount of work.

**

It seems unlikely that timing belts break, rather they slip a few teeth. This I have had personal experience with....not on the NSX, but on other cars.
 
Zennsx said:
Everyone says how expensive it is to repair the engine if the timing belt breaks yet I haven't heard of One instance of one breaking...
Click to expand...

There's one thing you are not realizing. NSX Prime is made up of only a small percentage of NSX owners world wide. There are many more NSX's on the road than there are owners who post here, so our sample is definitely biased, and most of us have replaced the belt within the parameters of the maintanence schedule. I am curious to know whether or not if the person who you bought your NSX from was a member of this site.

Your philosophy of if it's not broken and isn't showing any signs of breaking don't fix it, is the same thing I hear everyday. But hey, it's your decision to make, no matter how foolish it may be. I cringe everytime I tell someone that they need a cavity removed and they tell me "Well it doesn't hurt so don't fix it." Okay, no problem is my response. The good thing is that I know what the future outcome will be and I'm more than happy to make 10x the money six months down the road. :biggrin:
 
Zennsx said:
Everyone says how expensive it is to repair the engine if the timing belt breaks yet I haven't heard of One instance of one breaking. IMO mileage (WEAR) is a MUCH bigger factor than the actual age of the belt.
Click to expand...

Age does matter when the car has been sitting in storage for a while. If a car sits in storage for more than 5 years (I've seen many cases when I was shopping for mine), there are necessary steps to take when reviving the car to come out of hibernation. Fluids tend to settle and water may even contaminate the system (ie: brake lines, gas lines). Pistons rings can seize against the side of the cylinder walls. Oil seals can go bad. I don't want to get off the subject, so most importantly, belts can become brittle/distorted. The main cause of these ailments stem from the effects of weather changing from hot to cold many times over the years. Either way, it is good practice to be safe than sorry. Better to do it and not need to than to need it because you didn't. If it gives you piece of mind, order the Toda timing belt from Tommy at RPM NYC . The Toda timing belt is much stronger than the OEM belt and less likely to stretch or become brittle. A JGTC NSX burned from a mechanical fire during a race and the Toda timing belt that they used, remained in tact. :biggrin:
I've already ordered mine and I'm installing it at my next scheduled maintenance. :smile:
 
apapada said:
Not all parts are made equal, even if they come from the same manufacturer. The reason is that OE parts (those that come on the vehicle when new) are usually built to a higher standard than those sold as replacement. This is true for brakes, tires, alternators, batteries, misc. rubber and mostly sure about timing belts too. If your OE belt looked fine after 100K, I would not trust the next one (eventhough it says Honda and was bought as a original part) to last that long...
Click to expand...

Dude,

Where did you get this info from??? I have not heard this is 30 years of buying parts, regardless of manufacturer, and most certainly not Honda.

Please substantiate this.

Thanks,
LarryB
 
DocL said:
Your philosophy of if it's not broken and isn't showing any signs of breaking don't fix it, is the same thing I hear everyday. But hey, it's your decision to make, no matter how foolish it may be. I cringe everytime I tell someone that they need a cavity removed and they tell me "Well it doesn't hurt so don't fix it." Okay, no problem is my response. The good thing is that I know what the future outcome will be and I'm more than happy to make 10x the money six months down the road. :biggrin:
Click to expand...

Did you forget that ZENNSX already said he was going to replace his belt!! :confused:
That's one issue I have with a few people on this site. Someone writes up a question, with the full intention to do the right thing, but they are just curious about why or how big of an issue it is. Well it turns into this big defensive debate. Do some of you feel stupid that you spent $3000 on T-belts in the last 14 years while Zennsx's car is still on the original with no problems? I mean come on... HE PLANS TO HAVE IT REPLACED!!

I don't mean to fight his battles, but I've had this happen to me where I've just inquired about something and it got crammed down my throat!!! :mad: :mad:
 
There was a similar thread 6 months ago and one person said he was aware of one owner's timing belt breaking. Since I have been on NSXPrime, I recall the post from an owner who replaced the timing belt himself and got it wrong. He posted quite a few photographs of the motor damage and all the parts he had to purchase to rebuild the motor.
 
Larry Bastanza said:
Dude,

Where did you get this info from??? I have not heard this is 30 years of buying parts, regardless of manufacturer, and most certainly not Honda.

Please substantiate this.

Thanks,
LarryB
Click to expand...


Mmm... funny.... years back when i had me CRX, i had to replace the exhaust when it was 8 years old (it was a 'new' model 1988, so that must have been in 1996 or so). I mentioned to the partsguy at the dealership that that was a very long time for an exhaust (in our dutch weather). And his reply was exactly the same. ' Don't expect the new exhaust to last that long. though its an OEM part'.
I always wondered if he was talking bs, but he did mention it.

Not that i'm a carmechanic, but any timmingbelt i've seen comming from a japanese car always looked like new, where on euro cars they sometimes look completely worn out.
 
newby said:
...I don't mean to fight his battles, but I've had this happen to me where I've just inquired about something and it got crammed down my throat!!! :mad: :mad:
Click to expand...


May I suggest that instead of posting questions based on curiosity, and not facts, that you RTFM instead. There's a reason why manufacturers put maintanence schedules in the owners manual. But since so many people don't read them they are now putting information centers in the car. For example, my 2005 TL has no maintanence schedule in the manual, which drives me freakin crazy. Instead, there's an information center that display's the "oil life %". If I ignore it, there will probably be some sort of idiot light illuminated until I get the service done. Why do they do this? Probably because people like yourself refuse to believe the facts.
 

Similar threads

A
In-Engine Camshaft Removal- Timing & Torque Question(s)
Replies
4
Views
293
Spoolinfool
S
nsxspdfreak
LMA replacement with the motor in the car
Replies
11
Views
598
Honcho
Honcho
B
Easiest Way to Look at Timing Belt?
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
Spoolinfool
S
Gregtay
New owner - preparing for long drive home
Replies
5
Views
438
Old Guy
Old Guy
M
Timing Belt Advice
Replies
19
Views
3K
Kaz-kzukNA1
Kaz-kzukNA1
Back
Top