I have been designated the 'private mechanic', I tell them what needs doing,
they say they don't have the money.  Its lead to some heated arguments.
They've been driving around for the last year or so with a noisy rear hub and
the check engine light on.

very frustrating.  oh ya, and by the way i didn't do the timing belt job on
this, it was done (according to the dealer) befoer the car was purchased.  So
I wasn't worried about it.  I know better now, and will check the t-belt
tension more regularly on any hondas i am working on.

t

--------------------------------------

Dealerships typically lack IMAGINATION. They could have just turned the
cams over by hand and checked the valve clearances to see it any of them
were about 5 X normal. They should posses a scope for looking down the
spark plug holes to see if there's any shredded valves sitting in there
too.

The person who installed the Goodyear belt must have over tightened it,
or the idler pulley was shot (terribly rare for only a '99).

You may need to find your sister a better private mechanic . .
Shouldn't be hard in WPG.

'Curly'

Hi All

My sisters (poorly maintained) 99 civic with 165000kms has recently snapped
the timing belt.  Thought I would add some ammunition to the OEM vs nonOEM
parts debate.

The belt has 60000kms on it.  Its made by Goodyear.  Its 3 years old.  We are
located in Winnipeg.  And its not even cold yet.

Not only did it possibly ruin the valve train, it took the lower timing cover
and the CYL Crank Angle sensor with it.  (And they want to charge $300 for
the sensor alone!)  Total bill to put it back together = $700 at the
dealership.  Then we get to crank it over and see if the valves are bent.

Sounds a.s backwards to me, I told my bro-in law to suggest doing the
clearance checks on the valves as is, but the dealership told him that
wouldn't work.

Any ideas out there regarding this?  Also does 3 bills for that sensor sound
right?  What about the valve clearance check?

Its not my car, so I am just doing this for info purposes.  I drive a (much
better maintained) 98 civic with 236000kms on it.

Thanks in advance.
t