Timing Belt Please Help!

Blotto · Post by **Blotto** » April 25th, 2005, 4:31 pm

Well, I just recently got my '93 GS and didn't have any prior information on the previous owner other than the name on the title. Either way it has 131,000mi on it and not sure if the timing belt has ever been changed. The car is in great shape and very clean and seems to be very well taken care of.

I'd like to just believe that it has been changed/serviced like it was suppose to be but is there a way to tell if it is going bad? Any way to easily check it? If there isn't a simple check I'll just wait a week or so for my Chiltons manual to come in and just tear it apart and check it out.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » April 25th, 2005, 4:39 pm

Not really a simple check unfortunately.. and this would apply to almost all cars & engines.. not just your 93 GS. You have a good head on your shoulders though to be concerned about preventative maintenance. Since you are considering replacing the timing belt.. replace the water pump and any tensioner pullies you come across.. might also replace the friction gear as well.. in for a penny.. in for a pound so to speak.. but at least you would know its all done and will be trouble free for a good long time to come. Just my two cents.

Tunes67

jimishadow · Post by **jimishadow** » April 25th, 2005, 7:32 pm

contact the old owner and ask him if possible,you can take off the top rite cover and look,just a few 10mm bolts,

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » April 25th, 2005, 8:48 pm

Since it's a non interference engine, and you don't know if they did timing or not, drive it till it snaps, it won't hurt anything.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » April 25th, 2005, 9:30 pm

So the V6 is non interferance as well eh? Good to know.. thanks for the info Rick.

Tunes67

Hoodzy · Post by **Hoodzy** » April 25th, 2005, 11:36 pm

Rick Johnson wrote:Since it's a non interference engine, and you don't know if they did timing or not, drive it till it snaps, it won't hurt anything.

umm wouldnt the timing be off and ur valves and cylinders or something to that effect will smash into each other

we just called a guy cuz he wa sselling his car and the timing belt went on him and the engine seized and had to get a cylinder replaced i believe

jimishadow · Post by **jimishadow** » April 26th, 2005, 8:39 am

must be a honda

Post by **Custommx3** » April 26th, 2005, 9:52 am

Yes timing would be off, but all you have to to is put the Crank/cam gears to the proper alignment marks on them.

johnnyb · Post by **johnnyb** » April 26th, 2005, 5:42 pm

Hoodzy wrote: umm wouldnt the timing be off and ur valves and cylinders or something to that effect will smash into each other

we just called a guy cuz he wa sselling his car and the timing belt went on him and the engine seized and had to get a cylinder replaced i believe

thats because his car is an interference engine. We have non-interference engines so we dont need to worry

The great thing about our cars is if the belt snaps we dont need to worry about damage, just turn the pulleys to the proper position and slip the new belt on.

georgechicken · Post by **georgechicken** » April 26th, 2005, 9:15 pm

Yep, it's true. At their fully extended position, the valves do not dip into the cylinders enough to touch the pistons, even at top dead center (TDC). This constitutes a non-interference engine. When the timing belt breaks on an interference motor, the valves can collide with the still-moving pistons, and bend valves, damage pistons, or worse, break valves and tear up the cylinder walls. But the mazda brainiacs were wise enough to engineer around this. So, if you're driving with the motor at 6000 rpm and your timing belt breaks, you're in no danger of damaging the motor. Since the motor will not run any further until replacing the belt, then you can't overheat it either.

'run it till it breaks' is definitely an option, but that leaves you open for getting stranded on a potentially important day. I say go ahead and replace your timing belt now, and along with it, replace all of the cam seals, valve cover gaskets (they're probably leaking, but if not, don't bother), front main seal (crankshaft seal), water pump, thermostat, hoses, belts, filters, and check all bearings of all pulleys for looseness, noise, or general problems. Make this your one stop preventative maintenance service, and get it over with so that you can be ensured trouble-free driving for quite some time. All of those issues I mentioned are not required, but if you do change the timing belt, then DO change the cam seals, front main seal, water pump, and accessory belts while doing the timing belt because they are not going to be easily accessed again any other time unless you have the motor out or are removing the timing belt again. Do it right the first time.
Good luck!

Daniel

Hoodzy · Post by **Hoodzy** » April 27th, 2005, 2:01 am

it was an mx-3 but it was an inline 4

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » April 27th, 2005, 2:07 am

Well I dunno about all the mazda 4 cylinder engines that can go in the MX-3.. but I do know that the DOHC 1.6L B6DE engine is a non interferance engine. Meaning that even if you install the timing belt wrong, or if it breaks when the engine is running.. it will not harm valves or pistons. However.. if you are pulling some high RPMS at the time the belt breaks.. it can whip and damage stuff.. but even that is very unlikely.

Tunes67

Gro Harlem · Post by **Gro Harlem** » April 27th, 2005, 3:49 am

all mazda motors are non interferance....I smell bs.

johnnyb · Post by **johnnyb** » April 27th, 2005, 11:08 pm

Gro Harlem wrote:all mazda motors are non interferance....I smell bs.

where? nobody said mazda motors arent non-interference. If you're referring to the person who said the motor was busted because of a timing belt they didnt mention a make or model of car so its a possibility that the timing belt broke and messed up the engine. Please explain why you smell bs

Hoodzy · Post by **Hoodzy** » April 28th, 2005, 12:04 am

i believe it was a Mazda Mx-3 Precida 1994 RS

but i talked to the guys wife so she could have been on crack lol