What else to do at the same time as the timing belt?

The previous owner of my 1985 CRX did a good job of maintaining the car from what I can see - but I don't have any actual written records. Given that it's an interference engine, I'm thinking I might change the timing belt just in case.

Never done a Honda timing belt. So, what else should I do while I'm in there? Front seal, tensioner pulley, valve cover gasket...?

Any tips or tricks to doing the job? I know the crank bolt can be recalcitrant. I do have a factory manual which I have not yet consulted.

Keith,

If you don't have a new water pump in your hand when you take off the timing belt, you will slap yourself.

You should also change the tensioner. If your valve cover gasket leaks, change it, and same for the spark plug tube seals.

Majestic Honda in Rhode Island (hondaautomotiveparts.com) has the OE parts, usually for as much as the moonglow everyone else sells.

I haven't worked on any Hondas, but I think cam and crank seals, any idler bearings (unless they are especially expensive and still seem fine), water pump and thermostat (if they are much harder to get to otherwise) and valve cover gasket are never a bad idea to include in a timing belt change job.

How do you know the PO took good care of the car? If he was a mechanic he may have done it already. Take apart the front timing cover (it's just plastic on the d15 and d16's) just remove the upper half of the cover. Very simple. Inspect the belt and shine a flashlight down the timing cover hole, if things look wrenched on in there it's probably good to go. If not, keep tearing apart. Have fun, these d series engines are simple to work on.

A 30 year old car would get everything that has a bearing or rubber in it.

I know because he called me after I bought the car (from his son) to make sure it went to a good home Everything I've looked at has been beyond the minimum and well maintained - hoses, brake lines, etc. But the consequences of a failure are too big and expensive for me to ignore.

I've seen broken timing belts. They look great except for the part where they actually broke - I took the picture below of an 80k Miata belt. Flashlight inspections don't cut it, and I'm assuming the belt was done at least once in the car's 145k history so wrench marks aren't a clue.

Thanks for the tip on that supplier, chaparral. I picked up some new strut bushings from them, although weirdly I can't find a water pump, only gaskets.

Streetwiseguy wrote: A 30 year old car would get everything that has a bearing or rubber in it.

In a 1985 CRX, what rubber parts or bearings are accessible while doing a timing belt? That's really my question, I guess.

Keith,

Not sure why Majestic is not showing the water pump. I just checked Bernardi Parts (another discount Honda dealer) and they do.

Part number: 19200-PE0-515

Price: $62.69

Bernardi Honda

I'm in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" camp. Even working at the dealer, I've seen more leaks from replaced parts than from parts left alone while you were in there. Got the tools to properly install crank and cam seals straight (no, NOT a socket)? Then don't disturb them if they aren't leaking. is the water pump tricky in that you have to line up a gasket and two o-rings in three planes to seal correctly? If it isn't leaking/making noise then leave it be. I'd rather go back for something I didn't fix then go back for something I TRIED to fix that wasn't even broken.

chaparral wrote: If your valve cover gasket leaks, change it

HONDA VALVE COVER GASKETS DON'T LEAK! They are only designed to last 15k miles to be replaced when you adjust the valves. If you have a Honda with a leaky valve cover odds are it hasn't been maintained. If you're going to keep it get the Valve lash tool. Makes it so much easier.

Did no one say cams? Really?

Junkyard_Dog wrote: I'm in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" camp. Even working at the dealer, I've seen more leaks from replaced parts than from parts left alone while you were in there. Got the tools to properly install crank and cam seals straight (no, NOT a socket)? Then don't disturb them if they aren't leaking. is the water pump tricky in that you have to line up a gasket and two o-rings in three planes to seal correctly? If it isn't leaking/making noise then leave it be. I'd rather go back for something I didn't fix then go back for something I TRIED to fix that wasn't even broken.

chaparral wrote: If your valve cover gasket leaks, change it

HONDA VALVE COVER GASKETS DON'T LEAK! They are only designed to last 15k miles to be replaced when you adjust the valves. If you have a Honda with a leaky valve cover odds are it hasn't been maintained. If you're going to keep it get the Valve lash tool. Makes it so much easier.

the thing about replacing the water pump while you're in there … if the timing belt needs replacing (age/milage) then the water pump IS on it's last legs … and it costs just as much (or nearly as much) to go back and replace a few months later … do the job correctly (you're going to have to do the job correctly when you go back in) the first time … makes for a much happier customer, than one that has to come back a few months later wondering why you didn't fix what you knew would have to be fixed when you were in there the first time

Timing belt? yes. Waterpump? yes. Cam and crank seals.. Only if they are leaking, and if the car was maintained that well those probably are not leaking. Tensioner? No. Seem to last forever.. Valve cover gasket? If you are at the interval to change the timing belt the valves need adjusted anyway...

Yeah, I'd do water pump and belt. Thermostat is on the other side of the block, so there is no advantage it swapping out at the same time unless it needs changing anyway.

Hey Keith,

I'd do the timing belt and water pump and call it done. I've owned a bunch of 1st gens and never had the cam or crank seals fail. I'd do the VC gasket for the hell of it, and maybe the distributor gasket as well, as I have had those leak.

I bought an 87 hatch with 127k a few years ago and made the mistake of ASSuming the timing belt had been replaced at least once. A couple hundred miles later I was pulling the head, along with what I presume was the original (honda) belt.

PS: In my experience, you can't throw enough advance at them. We actually notched the bracket on our first Challenge car to get a little more, and the AFR was still good.

*and yeah, valve adjustments are quick and easy. Might as well.

carbon wrote: Did no one say cams? Really?

How many cams?

Timing belt, water pump, tensioner/idler(s) (Murphy's law dictates if you leave them one will fail and it will take the motor with it), it's a Honda so you might as well set the valves while you're at it, so a valve cover kit too.

Hadn't thought about valve adjustments, but that's easy. I'll do any pulleys involved just because. Water pump is definitely on the list.

I agree tensioner should be fine. And, yes more advance is a good thing. It's a Honda, it loves to run.

I would suggest the thermostat because its $8 and you already have the coolant drained for the water pump.

I don't do seals unless they are leaking. They rarely "blow" so its not like they will start hemorrhaging oil in the next 60k. Idlers and tensioner pulleys can be checked, but if there is any doubt, change them.

Belt, water pump, thermostat if you want, idler and tensioner pulleys as needed, seals as needed.

If it was a Miata, the front seal would be a must-do. Otherwise you'll have a disgusting oil pan by the time the next timing belt is done - they'll last 60k, but never 120. Ugh. Good to know Hondas are different.

I've seen plenty of these strip timing belts and the valves don't bend. Or, at least, the valves don't bend enough that it causes a loss in compression leakdown.