Originally Posted by Hondapower10a
Anyone who lets their timing belt go past 90k is a fool. You're driving on borrowed time. I do mine every 80k (not the 90k recommended). If you've hit 90k or its been over 6 years since you did it last, you better keep your fingers crossed.
Regular maintenance should be put before any bling-ariffic mods. Most people do it th other way around. Having a well-running and maintained car is a mod unto itself.
These are true and wise words, but . . .
I have changed timing belts on Integras with more than 100K miles on them, and the belts really, really still look totally fine.
No visible wear. No noticeable rounding of the tooth edges. No cracking along the edges of the teeth where it attached to the belt, even when you bend the belt back at 180 degrees. No fraying of the belt edge.
It's kinda frustrating actually, to feel like you're changing perfectly good parts out.
But as long as you're in there (and have broken that crank pulley loose!) might as well replace the water pump and probably the idler pulley too . . .
I had a friend who let a timing belt go on his early 90's Dodge Colt (Mitsubishi actually of course) go until 162K miles - then SNAP! Stranding him on the side of the road on the way to work. Apparently nothing bent and he just changed the belt and kept driving it.
BTW, most Civic timing belt snappages do NOT cause bent valves - not sure why. It seems to be a less-interference motor than Honda would lead you to believe. On Preludes and Accords, though, your chances of very expensive damage is much greater.