Civicnoobie

Just reading thread about other civic owners timing belts snapping early. My timing belt was done only 30k kms ago and i know i had my water pump done too at the same time as the timing belt but the tensioner wasnt replaced (just called that honda dealer to confirm). This was all done by the previous owner. It was done at a honda dealer. Anyways im wondering if i should replace the tensioner right now cause its been 2yrs since the belt has been done (32,000km later).

Is there anyway to check if the tensioner is still good or i should just replace it now for peace of mind?

when does the timing belt tensioner have to be replaced? im at 152,000km now.

Found this on another site

I have been getting a raspy very light rattle sound when i apply throttle every time for the past 6 months. Its every time i hit the gas, light or hard, any speed. Could the auto tensioner be it?

If I do replace it, do you have to torque the new tensioner to a specific spec? And do you manually adjust the timing belt to be tighter or looser? since the timing belt would have to come off. Or does the auto tensioner do this automatically?

I tried looking online but couldnt find what specs the belt and tensioner has to be set at when put on.

Civicnoobie

Just called honda $167 for the nEw auto tensioner...wtf! I thought these are suppose to be like $70?

Any place online to order it cheaper?

lowlife9

i use NAPA stuff my timing belt,tensioner,water pump,all belts and gaskets been going strong for over 50,000 miles.

Civicnoobie

Im using a napa brand serpentine belt right now and so far so good.

So you think i should replace the auto tensioner? Cause like i said ive been getting that "card in the spoke" sound. I dont know forsure if its from the auto tensioner but it only happens on the driver side.

lowlife9

thats a pretty big job for something you have only speculated. you need to pin point the problem before you start blowing money on things you don't need. and a company called Gates makes NAPA belts the same company that manufacturers most honda belts in the U.S.

Civicnoobie

How would i pinpoint it to find out forsure if its the tensioner making the sound? But regardless of the sound, isnt the tensioner suppose to be replaced at 100k km regardless?

I could take it to my mech and have it pop it off and inspect it but if hes gonna pop it off then might as well put a new one on no?

Didnt know gates makes honda belts. But i did know gates is the napa brAnds and theyre good.

boyd117

Do you know if the valve clearance was adjusted when the belt was changed...that is what your hearing IMHO.

MindBomber

No, it's not supposed to be changed every 100k kilometers.

Wait till the next timing belt change to replace the tensioner.

Civicnoobie

No it was not adjusted. If I get my mech to do this valve clearance tommorow, how hard is it? how many hours?

Crap I just visited my mech and he quoted me minimum 5hrs labour $275 special price for me and picked up the tensioner from Honda just now for $165. Scheduled with mech tommorow morning to do this job...can always back out and refund the tensioner if i dont need it.

I thought it was supposed to be changed every timing belt change. Im only 32k km into my current timing belt. Im just wondering if this sound im hearing is from the tensioner or maybe valve just needs to be readjusted.

boyd117

Valves should not take any longer then 30 minutes.

Civicnoobie

Grr so all this driving around getting the tensioner from the dealer, seeing mech, etc. Should i return the tensioner then? If the tensioner is part of the honda maintenance than ill get my mech to do it. My mech said it should have been done the tensioner. But he also said if i replace the tensioner than its a big job cause he has to rip everything apart to get to the tensioner inside the timing belt cover.

boyd117

I mean I wouldn't be so concerned to rush and get it done...my 95 accord had 190K km on it when I changed the original tensioner(it actually had two). If your really concerned I would save some money and order one online, if I remember you can get a dayco tensioner for around $20...as for valves I check them every 30K km(but thats just me...).

http://www.honda.ca/owners/honda-ser...nce-calculator

MindBomber

I don't even know where to start..

One, buying parts directly from the dealer is extremely expensive in Canada, it's more advisable to order the non-oem parts made by the oem manufacturer online and have it shipped up. If you insist on having a Honda branded part, then order from a dealer in the states and have it shipped to you.

Two, it doesn't need to be replaced with every timing belt, Honda recommends it be done with every second timing belt. The main reason people replace the timing belt and water pump with every change is because it's such a massive job to replace if it goes in between timing belts, basically to avoid what you're about to do.

Three, you constantly look for problems, unless your mechanic is absolutely certain that the tensioner is failing do not replace it. Replacing it now for piece of mind is just throwing money away.

boyd117

Civicnoobie

Ok im going to refund this tensioner to honda. So maybe the noise im getting is indeed coming from the valves. I get the rattling noise when cold starting the car and when applying gas.


I didnt know indepedant honda dealers in the U.S. are willing to ship parts to canada. I do know this same part is $70 online at a1hondaparts.com plus $30 shipped = $105. Its the only site ive found that ships to canada.

Oh so its done every SECOND timing belt. I didnt know that. My mech thought it was at every timing belt change too.

So i said i would swing by tommorow to see him, im gonna call him what should i tell him now? If I say "no longer need the tensioner replaced" then he would probably assumed his $275 price scared me off and im getting someone to do it. I might just get him to adjust my valve for me instead.

My mech didnt inspect anything, he just said that tensioners should be replaced every timing belt and if im doing the tensioner, then i might as well replace the timing belt and water pump as well even though im only 32,000km into it. And that its a 5-8hr job.

MindBomber

Just be honest with your mechanic, tell him unless he can conclusively tell you the tensioner is failing and needs to be replaced, you'll wait until the second timing belt change. Replacing a timing belt a 32k kilometers based on rhetoric is illogical.

Even if you order a1autoparts, that's an extra $70 sitting in your wallet.

autofair honda probably ships to Canada as well, they're a big supplier of oem parts to the performance community.

Civicnoobie

Ill tell him that. Do you think i should have another compression test done to check my valves? What if i dont readjust my valves what damage would result from it? I was told you will need to replace the valve cover if you do this.

I dont like going to honda dealers here at all because everytime i buy something from them i feel like im getting completely ripped off. $165 price for a part that is really $70 tops.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

did yer mech propose to you?
after all, yer his cash cow.

MindBomber

The dealer isn't making an additional $95 off you compared to one in America, but I understand what you mean, paying more for certain things is just a small sacrifice we make to live in Canada.

You don't need to replace the valve cover, you replace the valve cover gasket and the other seals within it, the metal itself doesn't wear out. If your valves have never been adjusted it's not a bad idea to have them done, including a new valve cover gasket kit with spark plug tube seals and etcetera replaced, I wouldn't want to pay more than $200.

Civicnoobie

Know where i can get this valve cover gasket kit online? And the spark plug tube seals im guessing are included?

Do you know what specs the valves on our cars are suppose to be tightened to? Reading some DIYs right now but none say what specs to adjust them to. But says tighten new valve gasket to 7ft lbs.

EDIT: Mech said he can get me a kit for cost so he will get back to me.

lowlife9

napa has the valve cover gasket kit for 25-35 dollars it comes with the plug gaskets.

drmcstford

Something like the tensioner is not really needed to be changed much man, If it ain't broke don't fix it i have bad luck that if i change something that doesn't need to be it lead to breaking something new -__-

Civicnoobie

Just got home from my mechs. Its actually a pretty involved job, not sure how some of you are able to do this in 30mins. Picked up a gasket kit for $30 from some auto shop - kit was Fel-Pro brand, made in Japan, polyurethane gasket and seals.

Took the mech 2hrs to do the job - he took his time and didnt want to rush. All my valves were too loose, measured it, was 0.14" spec, we adjusted all valves according to the honda specs - 0.07 for intake and 0.09 for exshaust. Can hear the cylinders hitting nicely now when running and car seems to have more pep when applying the throttle.

The valve gasket on my old one was actually starting to crack around the corners and mech says if i left it, it would start leaking. So looks like perfect timing in doing this job to prevent oil from leaking. I thought gaskets dont need to be replaced? But he said just due to age they start to crack.

When he put the new gasket on, he used silicon on the gasket around the corners before putting it back on to prevent leaks. Is silicon good enough? Didnt know if you had to use hondabond or not.

boyd117

Adjusting the valves themselves is about 30 mins and I guess you can say another 30 to strip everything off the valve cover and replacing it. Silicone should be ok assuming its high temp...I use gasket maker, some live by hondabond.

Civicnoobie

Been reading online for the past hour on this. Some say silicon is bad for the gasket (even just on the corners where it bends, where my mech put it on my new one) and others say it will just dry and flake off anyways and to better not use anything, just put the gasket on. What you think?

When my old gasket came off im pretty sure that was silicon on the bends, there was definitely some stuff there from the factory.

Civicnoobie

Got bad news....Looks like the sound is infact coming from my timing belt area. Sounds exactly like a bearing noise. Was told it most likely is the tensioner bearing starting to go. Either that or loose timing belt due to tensioner or long shot the water pump bearing going even tho only 32,000in.

So now im not very happy about the tensioner if i have to replace it. Had 2 mechs listen to it and said the sound is definitely coming from the timing belt area.