[manualman]

Until fairly recently, 60,000 was the standard for Tbelts. As far as I can find out, there hasn't been a serious advance in the materials that prompted the upgrade to 105k.

My suspicion is that the change represent a triumph of the marketing department over the engineering department. The engineers probably felt that they needed a 99.5% probability of the belt making it to the change interval OK, thus 60,000. Marketing probably said "C'mon, Nissan and those other timing chain guys are hammering us for the belt replacement cost. We're losing sales. Your own testing says 97% of them will make it to 105k. Thats's good enough."

I guess Honda's Canadian brass still value engineers more than marketing pukes. Or at least they did in 2001.

Yes, I am a cynical and bitter engineer. (Though not the automotive type)

I'm doing my first one at 80k. If it's not a rust heap by 180k, I'll do it again then.

 

[ming01]

canadian models follow severe condition maintenance schedule and the timing belt should be changed at 60k miles, instead of 105k for normal driving condition.

 

[imhip2]

I guess Honda's Canadian brass still value engineers more than marketing pukes. Or at least they did in 2001.

Yes, I am a cynical and bitter engineer. (Though not the automotive type)

Thanks for the replys.

I'm just as cynical but I think Honda Canada is just trying to get a few bucks.

These are my experiences so far with timing belts:

85 Accord - 100,000 Km suggested - broke it a 160,000Km with no damage
91 Accord - 140,000 Km suggested (Honda revised to 100,000 Km) Changed at 130,000Km and again at 240,000Km

I guess I will need to send both the Ody and Civic in for timing belts very soon. Hopefully I can get a deal (two for one would be nice)

 

[Ted]

My '02 Ody manual says for US owners to change it at 105,000 miles, unless it's regularly driven in temps over (105F???) or under (-15 F????), in which case to change at 60,000 miles. For Canadian owners, it appears to assume lots of cold weather ( I know it's not heat!), and just says to change at 60,000 miles.

Why do they have electric outlets at the parking meters in Canada? Same explanation, I'd wager. I've never seen them in the US.

 

[albaby]

I recently had the timing belt changed on my 01 at 95,000 miles. It looked almost new with no cracking etc.

Al

 

[imhip2]

My '02 Ody manual says for US owners to change it at 105,000 miles, unless it's regularly driven in temps over (105F???) or under (-15 F????), in which case to change at 60,000 miles. For Canadian owners, it appears to assume lots of cold weather ( I know it's not heat!), and just says to change at 60,000 miles.

Why do they have electric outlets at the parking meters in Canada? Same explanation, I'd wager. I've never seen them in the US.

Well -15F is about -25C. If regular is maybe 3 days a year in southern Ontario then I can see their point. But winter usually only brings a low of maybe 10F from Jan to March.

Now in Manitoba Sask and Alberta -15F can happen on a more regular basis.

The plug-ins you refer to are for engine block heaters. Not a common site in Toronto but very common in Winnipeg, Regina Edmonton and Calgary and parts of Quebec. I know a block heater is required (standard) on vehicles purchased in Alberta.

 

[imhip2]

Just to update this thread for the Canadians.

I went to the dealer today to find the cost of changing the timing belts on both our Ody and our Civic.

Civic about $300
Ody about $800 (I think that included the water pump because she said it was a 7 hour job for just the timing belt and I know they don't charge $100 an hour)

Now the good news - Appently Honda Canada has increased the milage on the timing belts from 100,000 Km to 160,000 Km on all Honda's built since 1998 to conform to the US. This is from a Southern Ontario dealer. It may not apply to the rest of the country. I guess the engineers lost out here as well.

 

[Grand Total]

Now the good news - Appently Honda Canada has increased the milage on the timing belts from 100,000 Km to 160,000 Km on all Honda's built since 1998 to conform to the US. This is from a Southern Ontario dealer. It may not apply to the rest of the country. I guess the engineers lost out here as well.

My Owner's Manual (2002) says that you should replace your timing belt at 100,000km if you regularly drive in temperatures above 43C (110F) or below -29C (-20F). I think that lets most of us in Southern Ontario out. I'm not planning on having mine replaced before 168,000km anyway.

 

[newowner]

Timing belt doesn't take 7 hours to change!

That dealer/service dept is giving you a load of bs!

The recall (change timing belt tensioner) takes about 1.1 hours but dealers say 4 hours so they can have some leeway (sp?).

800 buxs for a timing belt change is bs. take it someplace else!

 

[accordian]

That's $800 US, or Canadian currency?

I replaced the timing belt on my 98 Accord at 85K, and it looked unbelievably good. 105K seems easily attainable, unless you've had a oil or coolant leak that could have contaminated the belt, then I'd change it asap.

 

[imhip2]

$800 Cdn.

 

[rkpatt]

I know there a probably not many with 100 K miles yet but I wondered if anyone here has changed ( DIY) the the timing belt on their 1999+ Odyssey . Mine is well below thak # miles but I am preparing a file for this job furture .

 

[simple_guy35m]

Guess price

How much should I expect to change a timing belt on 97 Odyssey. Should I go to Honda dealer or any other good mechanic/repair shop is OK.......
Thanks for your input

 

[twiggy144]

After the warranty has expired, I avoid the expensive dealers. Timing belt is a pretty basic mechanical service any friendly general mechanic garage can perform for much less $$$.

 

[BenjiBoy168]

Civic about $300
Ody about $800 (I think that included the water pump because she said it was a 7 hour job for just the timing belt and I know they don't charge $100 an hour)

I think this has something to do with the fact that the Odyssey is a V6 and the Civic is an I4. Also probably due to the fact that the Odyssey engine is much bigger but it's crammed into a small engine bay (as are all minivans).

I think you have to take age into consideration as well as mileage. Belts get brittle and crack/slip/break over time. I couldn't imagine how a belt from a '99 Odyssey could crack or break, they're just so new still. However I would still replace it at the suggested interval. Honda doesn't have a good reliability record for no reason, if anything this is just preventive maintenance that everyone should buy into. If you want to extend your change interval to 150,000 miles, don't cry when it costs you thousands to fix the engine

 

[imhip2]

I think you are correct with regards to why the Ody is more expensive than the Civic.

I won't cry if I choose to go to 150,000 miles. My intitial post was could I go from 63,000 miles to 100,000 miles without incident since my manual says change at 63,000 miles (100,000 Km) I will change it at 96,000 miles (160,000Km)

 

[simple_guy35m]

What would be the symptoms if timing belt were to be faulty..........will appreciate if there is something like "early symptoms"...........thanks for the input

 

[imhip2]

The only one I ever broke was on my 85 Accord. The only symptom I ever noticed (don't know if its related or not) was the tach would bob up and down by 100 rpm at idle. Other than that it just broke at 162,000 Km and 4.5 years without warning like the car had run out of gas.

 

[Jerry O]

What would be the symptoms if timing belt were to be faulty..........will appreciate if there is something like "early symptoms"...........thanks for the input

There will be no symptoms. The belt is either whole or broken. It is best to follow the manufacturer's recommendation on this item. As stated, a timing belt failure on the Odyssey motor is a catastrophic event, pretty well destroying the engine if it happens at speed. When the belt breaks, the pistons can end up colliding with the valves, which, should it happen at even moderate rpm levels, can cause a piston to break and what follows can leave you with a motor which would not even make a good boat anchor.

Jerry O.