Hi all:
I'm new to the forum, bought an '03 Protege5 last October; I'm an old guy who has owned a bunch of cars going way back. (Still have a "toy" '91 BMW 318is)
In any case, I bought my car with 52,600 miles on it, now has 57,500 or something. Maintenance schedule says to inspect the timing belt at 60k, replace at 105k.
Previous timing belt experience--I just sold an Acura 2.5TL (great car but I needed a hatch) with 132k miles, owned it from 37k. Factory interval on that belt was 105k, had it changed w/water pump around 100k. BUT, way back when, we had an '86 Escort GT (bought new for my wife) which had a recommended change interval of 60k or so--and lucky me, it broke at 57k while I was driving, left lane of a busy freeway.
The Escort was NOT an interference engine, so no big problem, but if I pop the belt on the Mazda, I have a problem (as I would have had on the Acura).
Has anyone ever heard of a belt breaking on one of these FS motors before 100k? My gut is maybe to just change it at 90k (at the same time as a plug and coolant change is needed) or if I'm broke (have a kid in college), maybe push to 105k. Makes more sense to push past 60k as well, since the water pump is still pretty new now, but at 90-100k will make a lot more sense to have that replaced. Should I pull the valve cover at 60k when I change the plugs and look at the belt? (I'll probably take it in for the belt change--have done big work like this, but have a bad back....)
I asked my Ford service writer (for my E150 van) what he'd suggest, as this was the same motor that they used in Probes, and he said I'm good to 100k...
But if anyone tells me about a busted belt, I may revise my plans. ps--car is an auto trans, so it probably hasn't been revved to death (my BMW is a 5-speed so I can get my ya ya's out)
Thanks,
George
I'm new to the forum, bought an '03 Protege5 last October; I'm an old guy who has owned a bunch of cars going way back. (Still have a "toy" '91 BMW 318is)
In any case, I bought my car with 52,600 miles on it, now has 57,500 or something. Maintenance schedule says to inspect the timing belt at 60k, replace at 105k.
Previous timing belt experience--I just sold an Acura 2.5TL (great car but I needed a hatch) with 132k miles, owned it from 37k. Factory interval on that belt was 105k, had it changed w/water pump around 100k. BUT, way back when, we had an '86 Escort GT (bought new for my wife) which had a recommended change interval of 60k or so--and lucky me, it broke at 57k while I was driving, left lane of a busy freeway.
The Escort was NOT an interference engine, so no big problem, but if I pop the belt on the Mazda, I have a problem (as I would have had on the Acura).
Has anyone ever heard of a belt breaking on one of these FS motors before 100k? My gut is maybe to just change it at 90k (at the same time as a plug and coolant change is needed) or if I'm broke (have a kid in college), maybe push to 105k. Makes more sense to push past 60k as well, since the water pump is still pretty new now, but at 90-100k will make a lot more sense to have that replaced. Should I pull the valve cover at 60k when I change the plugs and look at the belt? (I'll probably take it in for the belt change--have done big work like this, but have a bad back....)
I asked my Ford service writer (for my E150 van) what he'd suggest, as this was the same motor that they used in Probes, and he said I'm good to 100k...
But if anyone tells me about a busted belt, I may revise my plans. ps--car is an auto trans, so it probably hasn't been revved to death (my BMW is a 5-speed so I can get my ya ya's out)
Thanks,
George
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