How Long Has Anyone Run a Timing Belt ?

[Poodle Head Mikey]

1993 Corolla w/1.6

The timing belt was replaced at 64,000 miles. There are 123,000 miles on it now. I have been meaning to replace the timing belt.

But last week I met a guy with a 1993 Corolla - the same as mine except his has a 1.8 engine - and he has 267,000 miles on the original belt.

So?

How long have you all run your timing belts? <g>

PHM
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[KarlP]

Good question...

I just picked up a 96 Geo Prizm (1.6) with 40K miles. I know the miles are very low, but the car is 17 years old. So, does it need changed due to age? I talked to my local Toyota dealer and he said I should wait until I reach 100K before changing it.

 

[Poodle Head Mikey]

Almost 300,000 on the timing belt

The guy with the high mileage (267K or whatever it was he has) uses the car as the yard-car / service truck at a marina. So while he also uses the car to run into town and do general normal errands he mostly uses the car at 20 mph or less around the boat yard. The car looks like dog**** as he has spilled paint on it, piles stuff on the hood to move it from place to place, his childrend put painted handprints on it, everybody with a spare sticker is apparently storing them on the car, etc.

But I don't now if all that idle time would help or hurt the timing belt life. With all the idle time - for sure the engine has run even Longer than the mileage indicates. <g>

I was just curious about how long anyone has run a normal-car's timing belt.

The dealer told you to wait until 100K to change it?

PHM
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[OleBlue96]

I have just shy of 200xxx on my 96 1.6L on the original timing belt. This car has also been driven extremely hard by multiple teenagers in my family over the years. I would just wait until you notice a miss in the car or it seems to really begin to run a lot rougher.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Rough running etc., doesn't have anything to do with a failed timing belt. Timing belts are made of rubber and when they eventually snap, the engine will come to a stop. If the car is being driven on the highway, or in some situation where engine power is needed, an accident can result. With an interference engine, when the timing belt snaps, very serious and expensive internal engine damage occurs, as in thousands of dollars of damage. Conversely, a timing belt costs about $200-$300 to replace.

Don't tempt fate. Replace that timing belt.

 

[KarlP]

Miles or age or either?

So, should the timing belt be replaced on my 17 year old car (96 Prizm - 1.6) even if it has very low miles?

I always thought that if the timing chain is not an actual (metal) chain, that it should be replaced after time even if the mileage is low.

I'm conflicted! I don't want to spend $300 if it doesn't need replaced until I go over a certain amount of miles.

 

[Scout706]

Why am I the first to ask

Are we talking timing belt or timing chain?

 

[KarlP]

Belt

I was told that my 96 Prizm with the 1.6 motor has a belt. I'm not positive, but I can't imagine that it has a timing chain. If I find out it has a chain, I won't be worried about ever replacing it.

If I'm wrong by assuming it has a belt, please let me know.

 

[Poodle Head Mikey]

Seems like a part search would tell you which you have

My 1993 Corolla w/1.6 definitely has a timing belt turning the cam shaft. I am positive because I have the spare belt I bought for it in the trunk. <g>

A chain would last as long as the engine I would imagine. Although I did have a 1971 Toyota pickup one time with a bad chain.

Try to find both a belt and a chain for your engine - the one you can find is what you have.

PHM
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I was told that my 96 Prizm with the 1.6 motor has a belt. I'm not positive, but I can't imagine that it has a timing chain. If I find out it has a chain, I won't be worried about ever replacing it.

If I'm wrong by assuming it has a belt, please let me know.

 

[Poodle Head Mikey]

I would imagine a timing chain to last "forever"

I would expect a timing Chain to last as long as an engine rebuild - several hundred thousand miles. But apparently belts do not - as there is a recommended-change interval listed for them. With my 1993 w/1.6 the belt breaking isn't as bad as on a 1.8 engine. On the 1.8 engine the valves will hit the pistons when the valve timing is off (after the belt breaks) but on the 1.6 engine this does not happen. The 1.6 engine just stops running. I wouldn't be thrilled by having to install a timing belt at the side of the road although I'm sure I could do it. But this isn't even a possibility on the 1.8 engine as the timing belt breaking will cause damage requiring the engine to come apart.

PHM
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Are we talking timing belt or timing chain?

 

[DavidH]

The 1ZZ FE 1.8L has a timing chain

 

[Snacks]

1.6 motor is non interference anyway

 

[livevil904]

In my opinion, if you're okay with possibly breaking down at an inconvenient time, then there is no reason to change the belt as preventative maintenance. The 1.6 4afe is a non interference engine. Consider if you will have the ability to tow it home though... because if you have to pay 200 dollars to tow it home, it would have been cheaper to replace the belt.

If you're really worried about it, pull the valve cover and look at it. It isn't that difficult. Mine is starting to crack, still drive it everyday.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Non-interference wait until it quits. Just know that you can get stranded at any given moment (personally I'd replace it in the same manner I do my accessory drive belt every 60,000 miles, being stranded sucks and timing belts aren't easy to replace).

 

[bluesmoke91]

So what I'm gathering from all this is that the 1.8l engine is interference?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[ricky66]

The 1.8 (coded 7A-FE or similar) is also non-interference. Reading the fine print of my daughters '95 1.8L Nova owners manual (a locally badged Corolla) it says to replace the belt at 100,000km under severe op conditions, or 200,000 under normal driving conditions. I have a 5VZ-FE powered ute, also rubber cam belt and non interference.
I'm seeing a pattern here with Toyotas and rubber timing belts = non interference. All the '80's Corona's with rubber timing belts (4 cylinders) were non-interference.
None of these motors are highly tuned enough to experience the valve meets piston bogey man.