Rep Power: 0

I recently changed my timing belt as i was putting it back together i noticed the cover was useless, i had no option but to go without.. Is it a must a put one back on?

 
Rep Power: 210

if honda put it there then it certainly is not "useless"

why didnt you have the option of putting it back on?.....if it came off you should be able to put it back on,

wait till a rock flys up between a pulley and the belt, then come back and tell me how useless the cover is

 
Rep Power: 0

Whoever put it on before me tightened it so much all the bolt holes were snapped off .. i had to wait to get another cuz everyone had to order one. I needed my car as i was in bfe ..dumb move i guess huh

 
Rep Power: 210

but why does this make you think the cover is useless?

 
Rep Power: 0

The cover i took off WAS useless. It had no screw holes, gasket and was cracked almost in half. Never did I say to have a cover there would be useless..i was asking if it was important. And why is that belt and pulley any different than the other two belt and pulleys down there

 
Rep Power: 210

okay i misunderstood your wording, i thought you meant there was no point in having a cover there at all,

the timing belt is more important than the other belts because if something ever goes wrong with that belt while the engine is running it can do MAJOR internal damage to your engine,

honda put it there for a good reason,

 
Rep Power: 512

If a big enough piece of debris got caught in the timing belt, you could be looking at some (serious) damage. I'd put it on for good measure.

Slightly related, but an example of the kind of damage possible.. I did a hg repair job, and the TDC sensor screw wiggled itself loose, screw got caught in the timing belt and chewed it up, leaving a 1/4" wide strip of timing belt left. That caused my engine to jump time by at least 3/4 turn of the crank pulley, bending all 16 of my valves.

 
Rep Power: 308

I would imagine heavy rain could be a factor as well.... if it got in the right spot.

 
Rep Power: 0

How? Just curious

 
Rep Power: 518

1) Ever seen an engine throw off a serpentine belt when it hit deep water in the road?


1) What can rainwater do when the temperature drops below freezing?

1) What can SNOW do if it gets packed into an open timing belt?

1) I have seen the aftermath of a bolt that fell into an open timing cover. It ain't pretty or cheap.

Kid had a ragged out Civic something DOHC swap with a nice turbo and left off the upper section of the timing cover (I guess so everyone can see the adjustable gears). It swallowed a leftover bolt from the timing cover. All the bolts were still in the lower cover so we figured he left one sitting on top of the engine or fender when the upper cover was removed.
It ate a set of valves and the crank gear along with the timing belt getting shredded.