timing belt update

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pws - 29 Jun 2007 04:20 GMT

Everything looks good except the timing belt. The camshaft spins, no
stuck tensioners, water pump looks good.
The belt looks great except for a clean break, I am guessing and hoping
it was defective.

I will put the new one on tomorrow, set the timing and see what happens.

This seems to be very rare, so I am hoping that I can trust the next
timing belt to get me to my destination on a long trip.
There are some areas that I have driven where this would have been much
more inconvenient.

Pat

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Jazz_Azz - 29 Jun 2007 16:42 GMT

> Everything looks good except the timing belt. The camshaft spins, no
> stuck tensioners, water pump looks good.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Pat

It is a good thing that you are that handy. I'm all thumbs pretty
much, when it comes to cars. Although I did save myself some big money
these last couple of weeks. Replaced the "Pulse" printed ckt board, in
my Chevy S10s windshield wiper motor unit, part through JC Whitney
only <$36.00 total. Dealer would have replaced the entire unit for
around 250.00 just for the part.

Also replaced the Windshield Wiper Cowl Frame on my 2000 Miata a
couple of days back. Got a salvage yard one in good condition, total
52.00 (Including S/H). A new one with the trim caps (Covering screws)
would have been around $140.00 with shipping. This vehicle is 7 yrs.
old, so the used cowl frame is perfect, and was a snap to replace,
including having to pull the passenger side wiper; a tiny bit tough to
pull, but wiggled off. But I never would attempt a timing belt,
considering the prices I see around here are not unreasonable for
doing that (Not at a dealer :-) )). Man, could you imagine having one
of those break, prematurely, almost right out of the box, when the car
was new, when we were crossing the Mojave Desert. Give me a chain any
day. Should be a law>>LOL.

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pws - 29 Jun 2007 20:14 GMT

> It is a good thing that you are that handy.

I don't know about handy. I am going to rebuild a 1.6 liter engine soon,
we'll see. If it starts and runs well, then maybe I'll accept handy.

The belt went right on and everything is well now. It really is not that
hard a job. I found that replacing the door handle on my parent's Camry
was much more frustrating, and the hardest thing I have done by far with
a miata is replacing the top.

> I'm all thumbs pretty
> much, when it comes to cars. Although I did save myself some big money
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> including having to pull the passenger side wiper; a tiny bit tough to
> pull, but wiggled off.

The miata is one of the easier cars to work on for most things. It
sounds like you have more capability than you give yourself credit for.

I have found the hardest part of working on cars to be lack of proper
tools, getting lazy and not laying the parts out, (and sometimes
labeling them), as they are dissembled.
Early on, there were some, er, torque issues, but that is not a problem
anymore.

> But I never would attempt a timing belt,
> considering the prices I see around here are not unreasonable for
> doing that (Not at a dealer :-) )). Man, could you imagine having one
> of those break, prematurely, almost right out of the box, when the car
> was new, when we were crossing the Mojave Desert.

I was driving through was I believe was the set of the movie
"deliverance" one time. I was really glad that the car kept moving.

> Give me a chain any
> day. Should be a law>>LOL.

I understand the advantages of the belt, but I also have clear memories
of the chain on my old Z-Car losing it's tension but still slapping
along well enough to get me home. :-)

Pat

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