Hi there team. I need some advice. We have a 2001 Honda Civic 1.5 hatchback which has done around 105,000 kms. I want to get the cambelt and water pump etc all changed now as my understanding was you need to change it every 100,000ks or 5 years, whichever comes first, and might as well do the water pump while you're in there. However, my dad insists that you can quite easily drive to 200,000ks on the original cambelt and that it doesn't NEED replacing yet. This is our one and only car and I have a toddler, so we RELY on it and obviously want to drive around safely, so what he's saying doesn't sit right with me. Can anybody shed some advice, so I can go back to Dad and set him right? Or am I wrong? Cheers :)
gmphil,
Jun 14, 6:23pm
no u are right ! ring local Honda agent or local parts place . on most boxes it states x amount of k . amount of years varies ,some will say 5 some will say 7 it relates to the rubber perishing !
ps tell dad if I listen to u hope u prepared to be on 24 hour taxi call out ! edited to say do water pump as well new antifreeze also check thermostat while u there
kazbanz,
Jun 14, 6:32pm
LIZ--get it in wrighting from dad that the cambelt etc don't need replacing till 200k. Have him personally promise to cover the cost of a new engine if it breaks.
jmma,
Jun 14, 6:38pm
Sounds like the cambelt could be 14 years old, change it, Dads don't know everything although we like to think we do (o:
franc123,
Jun 14, 6:38pm
As the saying goes unless they're properly trained mechanics don't take advice from friends or relatives, they're notoriously bad sources of information. That is the sort of advice that keeps the motor repair trade in work for days as opposed to hours and makes you a potential danger to yourself and others on the road. The belt is clearly past its use by date in both time and kms.
tony9,
Jun 14, 6:39pm
If? More like When if it has never had a change. Honda say at least every 5 years, OP should be coming up to their third cam belt.
cammey,
Jun 14, 6:39pm
Its a bet.
The manufacturer is sure that 100% of cam-belts will not fail at 5 years, 100,000 km.
99% will be ok to 120,000 km
Virtually all will have failed by 300,000 km.
If its a good example of the car, and you rely on it, and intend to keep it, change the belt, the water pump, and the idler pulleys. Get new coolant. do the job properly, and drive with confidence.
Thats what I would suggest anyway.
intrade,
Jun 14, 6:43pm
honda ! some of the honda run the engine backwards making it even more difficult to change the cam belt. Now i dont want to be rude but dont let your dad near the car he has not got the first clue of what he is talking about. waterpump and coolant would need to be changed if it is driven by the cambelt, or if the cambelt needs to be removed to chage the waterpump, these are the 2 reasons why you would change the waterpump at the same time.
motorboy2011,
Jun 14, 6:45pm
How can direction of the belt make any difference as to how hard it is intrade?
intrade,
Jun 14, 6:52pm
What you would need to know is is the engine what is called a interfearance engine or not, if it is interfearance then it will destroy the valves by bending them when the belt fails, and it wont snap in half it ripps a few teeth off and just wont move that is how cambelt fail another thing your dad should learn and research about, before he starts telling wrong things to any one. if the engine is non interfearance then the engine dont suffers damage just wont go untill a new cambelt is fitted . look on carjam.co.nz what your engine code number is and post it here somone can tell you if it is interfearing or not with the valves .
gmphil,
Jun 14, 6:55pm
hes refer to crank pully nut . cant use engine to break cos run other way
mm12345,
Jun 14, 6:56pm
Maybe he means you can't loosen the crank pulley bolt in an auto by wedging a breaker bar on the bolt and cranking the engine with the starter. edit - snap
franc123,
Jun 14, 6:56pm
I know what he is referring to, I cocked up one of those Civic cambelts once, customer wasn't happy with 5 reverse gears and 1 forward so had to do it over again. Deceptive Japs.
intrade,
Jun 14, 6:56pm
its the rotation of the engine most run clockwise this means you could put a big spanner on the crank bolt and start it to whack the crank bolt loose. as a diy last ditch attempt trick . Now if the engine runs counter clockwise what do you think is going to happen when you do that? yes it will tighten the bolt even more and possible brake or round off the bolt when you do that. Normally a Mean rattle gun is needed and a real good one. i struggle often on these crank bolts and i got quite professional gear here.
lizshady,
Jun 14, 8:01pm
Thank you SO much for your replies everybody, confirms what I first thought and that my instincts were right! Would love it if somebody could please look up to see if my engine was an interference one or not. engine number D15B-3603269.
Second question, how would I know if the cambelt had already been replaced in the past? Had a quick look under the bonnet and there's no sticker saying it had (I know for my last car the mechanic popped a sticker with the k's it had been replaced etc on it) so I'm guessing it may not have been? Do they always pop a label on? Cheers :)
clark20,
Jun 14, 8:23pm
And get a quote from Honda, just don't assume they will be too expensive, remember they know them the best.
brapbrap8,
Jun 14, 8:27pm
I'm guessing it hasn't been done before, so it is WELL overdue. Good thing you are getting it done.
jmma,
Jun 14, 8:30pm
Now tell Dad he is wrong Haha (o:
tony9,
Jun 14, 9:05pm
Nah, don't do that. Tell him that after thinking about it you did not like the even remote risk that you could be isolated somewhere with his grandchild. He will be OK with that.
Mind you, as you use a Honda a breakdown must not be such a big deal ;=)
billyfieldman,
Jun 15, 12:32am
Is he paying for the cambelt replacement?
lizshady,
Jun 15, 2:21am
Haha, I'm sure he'll understand! It's great to be armed with some evidence. Nope, we're paying for it for sure. All good, will start calling around for quotes tomorrow. Thanks everyone for all your help.
jason_247,
Jun 16, 1:30am
they usually put a label on yes.
and that engine is an interference engine.
bryshaw,
Jun 16, 1:45am
Just traded that model Honda in and had done over 200,000 kms. The second belt and water pump job cost $400 and the mechanic said the belts were guaranteed for 100k. The 1500 is a really sweet motor.
llortmt,
Jun 8, 6:32am
But not the $30 locking tool LOL
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