1997 1.8 Timing Belt Cost..

A belt replacement and nothing else will cost $250 to $300 in these parts at a no-Toyota shop.

Jay in MA

Just a quick question..What should a timing belt replacement run for this engine?

 

A non Toyota shop...and will the water pump be replaced at the same time??

I know on our Acura..they replace the water pump at the same time..

Thanks,

Chris..

Did my own twice, 3rd time I had someone else do it. Belt and pump ran about $500. I'm in Pa.

It is recommended that the water pump be changed when the belt is changed, since the belt has to come off to change the pump, anyway.

I do my own timing belt changes.

No matter what the cost of the timing belt....change it before it breaks!! My old '87 Voyager cost me about $4 grand. My daughter's 99 Sunfire.....about $3 grand! Both times the car just quit and after a couple of different quotes, it ended up costing us a new engine. I did find out that while changing the timing belt that the water pump should be changed as well.

I did my timing belt also...left the water pump there....it's not a very difficult job so I'll take my chances. Had the belt done in my Plymouth Voyager Van with a 3.0 Mitsu V-6 at a shop and opted to take my chances with the pump...it failed 20,000 miles later and had to do the whole thing over again. It's a crap shoot.

If you tend to be the daring sort with timing belt replacement, know in advance whether your engine is an interference engine or not.....it can be quite painful if it is. That's one of the reasons I go with Toyotas...they tend to be non-interference whereas Hondas tend to be interference.

It is recommended that the water pump be changed when the belt is changed, since the belt has to come off to change the pump, anyway.I do my own timing belt changes.

A belt replacement and nothing else will cost $250 to $300 in these parts at a no-Toyota shop.

What type of tools do you all use for changing the belt? I assume that its alot more difficult than just say changing a bicycle chain, especially since you aren't just going to remove the engine from the bay to do a small job like this. The belt strapes on pretty tight. My car doesn't need it changed anytime soon, but I know it will someday and I'd prefer not to go to a shop to get it done.

If you tend to be the daring sort with timing belt replacement, know in advance whether your engine is an interference engine or not.....it can be quite painful if it is. That's one of the reasons I go with Toyotas...they tend to be non-interference whereas Hondas tend to be interference.

So is the 1ZZ-FE interference or non-interference?

thanks,

jim

Being a Gen 8, you're car doesn't have a timing belt. It uses a timing chain and doesn't need scheduled replacement. You might be thinking of the accessory belt(s).

The $250 to $300 quote was for part and labor.

Typical mechanics tools are required.....nothing special.

Get a Haynes manual for $15...money well spent.

A belt replacement and nothing else will cost $250 to $300 in these parts at a no-Toyota shop.

What type of belt are you looking at? Most of the ones I've found on eBay run between $100 to $150.

 

What type of tools do you all use for changing the belt? I assume that its alot more difficult than just say changing a bicycle chain, especially since you aren't just going to remove the engine from the bay to do a small job like this. The belt strapes on pretty tight. My car doesn't need it changed anytime soon, but I know it will someday and I'd prefer not to go to a shop to get it done.

http://www.gates.com/brochure.cfm?brochure...ocation_id=3487

Look around on this page...a PDF will open and give you a complete list of manufacturers and timing belt info.

Prior to timing belt equipped cars (with timing chains or gears) interference wasn't really discussed much except with performance engines. Flycutting of pistons was sometimes necessary when modifying stroke and/or valve lift. Many stock engines were also probably interference design but as I said...unless you snapped a chain you probably would never know what you had. I haven't seen a definitive link from a reputable source that describes whether the 1ZZ-FE is interference or not.

It's been discussed in this forum before.

https://www.corolland.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry130098

If you tend to be the daring sort with timing belt replacement, know in advance whether your engine is an interference engine or not.....it can be quite painful if it is. That's one of the reasons I go with Toyotas...they tend to be non-interference whereas Hondas tend to be interference.

So is the 1ZZ-FE interference or non-interference?

thanks,

jim