Timing belts need to be replaced at regular intervals to prevent them from wearing out and failing. At my Honda dealership, we recommend replacing them at 100,000 miles. We also replace the water pump, and often replace the tensioner. Over time, the belt tensioner could start to fail, and if the belt is allowed to go too slack, it can jump timing and damage the engine.
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-Dan
A Honda Odyssey came in to the shop for diagnosis of the “check parking sensor system” message displayed in gauge cluster. It was given to me to figure out, and my first thought was maybe one of the sensors in the bumper had gone bad, or maybe something to do with the wiring, but it was actually much simpler.
Whenever you’re replacing a timing belt or chain, or doing any kind of work that requires removing and reinstalling it, you have to make sure that everything is timed correctly. If the camshafts aren’t timed properly to the crankshaft, at worst you’ll damage valves and pistons, if you’re lucky all you’ll have is a slightly rough running engine.
New blog posts every Monday and Thursday, plus pictures throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
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-Dan
Working on cars, you see cars in all kinds of conditions. Some are spotless, some look decently lived in, but some are just disgusting. I’ve talked in another post about how some family minivans are gross because of all the food and trash from the kids in the back, but these examples aren’t from kids.
New blog posts every Monday and Thursday, plus pictures throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Watch Mechanical Malarkey on YouTube!
Mechanical Malarkey T-shirts, hats, and stickers are available to order!
-Dan
A Honda Ridgeline came into the shop just to get the battery replaced. As I pulled it into my bay, I could smell some kind of fluid from under the hood. When I opened the hood, I quickly found the source of the smell.
It started out as a typical check engine light diagnosis. A 2006 Honda Accord came in needing diagnosis, and the customer said work had been done previously elsewhere, but they weren’t sure what.
New blog posts every Monday and Thursday, plus pictures throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Watch Mechanical Malarkey on YouTube!
Mechanical Malarkey T-shirts, hats, and stickers are available to order!
-Dan
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