timing belt question

bigcoupee · **Posted:** Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:50 am

timing belt not in the budget at this time have 121xxx miles. Anyone have a timing belt fail as of yet? its a zero clearance motor right, meaning if it goes so does the motor? How did the old belts look for those that changed them? I feel like Kramer on that episode with car salesmen and the gas light on.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:55 am

After 100k that belt can break at anytime.What the belt is made out of makes how it looks not the same as it's condition or when it might fail.I've seen timing belts last 2-3 times over there intended replacement mileage,but alos seen some not make it to there interval change either.If it breaks you will need a new head and possibly more.

$1000 now is better then $3000+ later on.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:01 am

I tell you what is not in your budget is an engine replacement.

A timing belt costs $83. A motor much more. And yes, People have had the belt fail, even before 100k. I did mine at 112k, and it showed plenty of wear, timing belts tend to look fine, right up until the break in them.

This is no laughing matter, there's no reason to risk not changing it when there's so much to loose.

camo · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:26 pm

my grandma would say " you are playing with fire and you have a hay butt!!!"

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:55 am

"So don't play with me, 'cause you're playing with fire "

camo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 3:38 pm

wow, I just finish my TB service at 93000 miles and I dont know for how long would the old TB lasted, it was showing small cracks on the sides already, and it look like it was streeching from the top. the pullies, tensioner and tstat look fine but I replaced them anyway. The water pump had to be replaced at 65k miles so that one stayed. job was like 5 hours plus 3 hours removing the dam fan clutch :dizzy:

but now is mooded so I can remove the shroud without removing the fan clutch meaning whenever I have to service that area it will be a matter of 20min tops to remove it.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 5:40 pm

Timing belt change intervals are nothing to play around with. When I had a shop, I have fixed several VW pre TDI diesels that had failed timing belts and they were a mess to say the least. Our CRDs have a 16 valve head and are much less forgiving than the old VWs where you could replace the valves, guides, and re-sleeve the one or two trashed follower bores with a custom made aluminum sleeve (been there done that).
If you can't come up with the cash to pay a shop to do it, better do your home work and get handy with the tools. Tony CRD did his with out the Miller tool set (he used the shank of Metric drill bits)so you may want to search his posts or send him a PM for the link. Sir Sam does a good job how to do it with the Miller tool set.
As far as the KJ FSM goes, I suspect those who wrote most of it had a 5 minuet class on what a wrench is and pasted in some sales drawings supplied by Miller. Having written service procedures, I consider the KJ FSM sub standard to say the least.

camo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 7:36 pm

well....... besides the removal of the fan clutch the whole job is not more difficult than replacing the belt on any dual camshaft gasser. I have no one of the special tools, All was done with regular tools find at any hardware store. I think not doing the TB job at or before 100k miles is more due to laziness or being cheap than any other thing, some guys here had just replace the belt itself with great success ($120 gates belt), so, 120 bucks vs. 2000+ of a broken belt... no brainer. :JEEPIN:

Ajamant · **Posted:** Mon Aug 29, 2011 4:10 pm

I just recently changed my timing belt at 100,230 miles.

I would consider myself very handy with a wrench (been dirt biking and wrenching on wrangler for many years) but the timing belt change scared the living crap outta me.

Rent the proprer tools from GDE, follow his write up and u will be fine. I tried it without the tool set and moved both cams in the process (yes I had them marked in multiple spots ). GDE bailed me out with some cam pins and talked me down from timing belt madness. The CRD is running great but I got some gray hairs during the process.

If your not a mechanic by trade and have never done a timing belt, GET THE TOOLS.

timing belt question

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