Miata Timing Belt

[Basil]

<span style='font-family: Verdana'><span style='font-size: 11pt'>I mentioned in some other post that we just sold the wife's 2001 Miata (we've decided to buy a Santa Fe). When the buyer asked me about the timing belt, silly me had to be honest and confess that it had never been changed. Then, impulsively, I offered to replace the timing belt if he decided he wanted the car. He agreed and thus I have spent the last 3 days doing as promised and changing the timing belt.

As I was soon to discover, changing the timing belt on a 2001 Miata is not for the faint of heart! But after three days of cursing under my breath, I finally managed to get the new belt on and everything buttoned up like new. While I was in there I went ahead and changed the water pump just because, well, you have to take the timing belt off to do that. So, I figured, why not kill two birds with one stone, even though there was really nothing wrong with the water pump, it did have a lot of miles on it. The best part was, after I got everything back together, and had my fingers crossed, I turned the key and the darned thing actually started up and purrs like a kitten! My biggest fear was that I would somehow get the timing belt off just one notch, despite my best efforts to ensure it went on correctly. Anyway, I’m sure glad that job is done!

<span style="color: #993399">Basil</span> </span></span>

 

[aeronca65t]

Yeah....don't you love it when a plan comes together!

My '00 Miata has about 60,000 on it and I'm starting to think about doing it too (and yes, I've heard the water pump is a good idea too).
I did one on a 1.8 Escort GT a few years ago (same engine, but in a fwd car) and that was not too easy. Some of the cursing was not "under my breath"!

Glad your's worked out.

 

[DrEntropy]

Almost hate to admit this, but: I've done those stupid (my opinion only) belts on many engines, Lotus 907's and Alfa sixes are the most fun... The DamDodge Insipid, Hondas (medium PITA), VW/Audi (higher PITA rating), Mazzdah and some Nissan thingie next. Worst by FAR was the K-car (just didn't seem worth the effort!). A Suzuki Swift was the easiest.

All the non-English or non-eye-tie ones were cars owned by family or "extended" family... bah. I should be movin' in better circles. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Drive my cams with CHAINS babee. CHAIN, CHAIN-CHAIN!!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif

 

[Basil]

Yeah....don't you love it when a plan comes together!

My '00 Miata has about 60,000 on it and I'm starting to think about doing it too (and yes, I've heard the water pump is a good idea too).
I did one on a 1.8 Escort GT a few years ago (same engine, but in a fwd car) and that was not too easy. Some of the cursing was not "under my breath"!

Glad your's worked out.

Well, at least on our car, you have to remove the timing belt and the tensioner and belt idler to get at the water pump, so as much trouble as it is, its really worth the extra few $ to go ahead and change it while your in there. The pump I removed "seemed" good, but as it had a lot of miles on it I figured it couldn't hurt to go ahead and change it.

Basil

 

[DrEntropy]

That's just ~prudent~ IMO. Why do the whole thing twice? The engines I listed got new W/P with belt change if the pump was in there too. ISTR the Suzi had an external one, so no R&R.

The Alfa sixes have an additional oddity: it's a belt tensioner in there which has a hole in it for an oilway... IF you move it to adjust tension you've broken the seal (o-ring t'wixt tensioner body and block) and better replace that tensioner along with the W/P and guide rollers... Some haven't and learned the expense of repairing damaged valves, heads and pistones the hard way.

Those tricky Italians. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif

 

[jsneddon]

I did it on a '00 Dodge Neon last year. Actually the opposite story in my case - Water pump started 'weeping' so I changed the belt at the same time... no way I'm digging in there twice.

Juh-yeee-sus....

to get the cover off to get to the cover that you actually NEED to take off you have to pull a handful of 4 inch long bolts completely out... problem is they sit 1 inch from the inner wheel well. Had to jack up the engine about 9 inches in order to curse these b-tards out.

Not for the faint of heart....

Thank god it started right up when I got it all back together.

 

[Eric]

Basil - I just did the timing belt and water pump on my 92 Miata over the weekend. It's actually not bad as these things go. At least it is accessible, unlike my daughter's 86 Celica, where the front of the engine is crammed up against a strut tower, with mm to spare. Or on a Subaru, where because of the boxer configuration, the timing belt is about 3/4 mile long, making keeping the timing marks all lined up as you tension it a bit of a challenge.

The worst I ever saw was a Lotus Elan twin cam, where the head and the sump had to come off to change the water pump.

 

[AweMan]

The timing belt on my Honda Accord was NO PICNIC, nor was the timing belt on my sons Ford Focus. I have always said, if Engeneers had to actually work on vehicles instead of just desigining them, they would be a whole lot easier to repair.

Then there is the "Make the D.Y.I.ers take it to the garage for repairs conspiracy" among the automakers.

I think they figure if you make it complicated enough or labor intensive enough or make the job require "Special Tools"
Most D.Y.I.ers will not bother trying to do it themselfs.

One of my pet peves are the cars I call Half & Half. Half metric and half standard bolts & nuts. What a BRILLIANT idea that is!!!

Whom ever thought of that one needs to be hung by his bluecollar necktie from a light post with a big sign attached to his chest that reads, I WILL NOT MAKE LIFE MISERABLE for Mechanics any longer! You are allowed to throw rocks at me because I am an IDIOT!

One or the other but please, not both.

Boy, am I on one today
sorry
Kerry

 

[DrEntropy]

Don't be sorry, Kerry!

...and pass me one'a them rocks? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif

 

[DrEntropy]

The worst I ever saw was a Lotus Elan twin cam, where the head and the sump had to come off to change the water pump.

And you're lucky if the pump goes 30K miles... I can do 'em with head in-situ, in my sleep by now. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif

Even did a Europa one with engine in-car: From the bottom mostly, no head removal, on a lift.
Halved the book (18 HOURS!) time and won a few side-bets on that one. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif

And then said: "Never again!" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

 

[70herald]

One of my pet peves are the cars I call Half & Half. Half metric and half standard bolts & nuts. What a BRILLIANT idea that is!!!

LOL, when I pulled out the engine on the Herald, I needed almost my entire set of sockets / wrenches and adjustables. Some DPO must have gotten rid of his collection of odd miss-matched bolts and nuts metric, inch large small you name it, not two matching sizes.

On my Toyota, changing the timing belt also means yanking the A/C out of the way and removing the wheel well. Last time I let someone else have the pleasure but since one of the few shops actually trust shut down, I may just have to do it myself next time. or sell the car and let someone else deal with it.