Ray Calvo

Just curious what experiences have been. Replacement cost at dealer is ~$575. I told him with miles on car to work up a cost for timing belt, tensioner, water pump, thermostat, and accessory drive belt (forget "official" name). Hasn't gotten back to me.

They said normal replacement mileage was 90K miles for the timing belt, but wasn't a bad idea to replace all now since they had stuff torn down.

RKA

Premature...but at least it didn't take the timing belt on the way out...

jbaulsir

got the parts at ECS-tuning for $330.00 including a snub mount and the install was $400.00 at a local shop.

BTW it's call a ribbed belt :-O

AudiMick

Pump is same on all the pre 2000 V6's . On my 1996 it started leaking at 70,000. In my opinion the 90,000 mile timing belt change is optimistic on the 12 valve and even more so on the 30 valve.You are extremely fortunate that it didn't take out your motor.

Ray Calvo

Guess I was kinda lucky about the way it blew. Drove into work, nothing unusual with temperature and no alarms. When I tried starting it after work, low fluid alarm came on. Opened the hood, coolant reservior was totally empty. There was also a puddle of liquid under the nose of the car. Locked everything up and called AAA.

Apparently pump was leaking slowly for awhile. After having the car flat-bedded to the dealer, when I got home found a stain on the garage floor at about where the left front corner of the car would be.

Don't doubt that cost will be a grand or more - and thanks for refreshing my memory that the accessory belt is called a "ribbed belt" (ah, the joys of Alzheimer's).