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Timing belt swap shortcut
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Ccrider
User
Sep 8, 2021, 5:51 AM
Post #1 of 2
(969 views)
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Timing belt swap shortcut
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So, I am getting ready to do my belt. I have a 2010 accent. this is a beater car. I don't know if it has been done before, but I don't think so. bought it off an old lady with around 85k. I have removed just the top cover to take a look before (last year) and I didn't see anything alarming. The teeth that I could see looked good. I know you can't tell that way though. So, I have been reading up on the job for this car and it seems pretty straightforward, but time consuming just like all of them. I plan on a whole day. Last night I saw a quora post where someone mentioned a shortcut mechanics use to save time and money cause that's how they make their living. So, i'm wondering is this way a bad idea and if this can be done , why doesn't everybody do this? Here is the post I am referring to: I have seen mechanics , especially mechanics that are paid flat rate ( work fast, m If the vehicle comes in for a scheduled belt replacement, i.e the belt has not skipped and is intact and the engine runs fine, then they mark nothing. What they do is expose the old belt and carefully cut the belt lengthwise by half its width. In essence, cutting the width of the old belt and thus freeing up about half an inch of teeth of the cam and crank sprockets. then they slightly loose the tension of the belt and guide the new belt over the pulleys that are still held in place by the cut, older belt. Once the new belt is half on the sprockets they cut the old belt off with a razor blade and guide the new belt the rest of the way.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 8, 2021, 6:40 AM
Post #2 of 2
(964 views)
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Re: Timing belt swap shortcut
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I worked flat rate for over 40 years and that is not something I have ever seen done. You have to be very careful with newer cars, especially one equipped with VVT as simply putting the belt back in the same position is not good enough and can set codes. Your engine doesn't seem to have that. You have a 4 cylinder car which is one of the easiest belts to change. I can't stress too much how important it is to get it right. This is an interference engine meaning rotating the engine with the belt off or just out of time can bend valves and cost you a whole engine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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