While I was replacing the valve gasket cover & plug seals I took a look at the timing belt. I just bought the car and am not sure when the belt was replaced last. Based on these pictures, is it time to replace? Im not familiar with checking timing belts at all...

 

Looks ok may need to be changed in a little while. How many miles does the car/engine have?

Accordhybrid

 

About 280,000 with all new internals at 161,000 miles. I assume they replaced the belt then. If so, thats about 120,000 miles on this belt...

 

do it quick, change that puppy. Time belt cost like 25.00? engine cost 1200.00??

 

all new internals?? they rebuilt the motor(pistons, rods, etc) or you mean they just changed all the gaskets and stuff?

 

With that many miles then I would change it again

 

you can't tell by looking at a side view of the belt. When I buy used Hondas I will replace the t-belt and waterpump at least. Most of the time on higher mileage used ones if I decide I'm gonna keep it for myself I'll change the tensioner and seals too.
I just bought a 90 accord and I did all of the above plus the balance belt idler and the lower timing cover. It's all depends on the car when you pull it apart. If you can get a factory t-belt for 25 bucks let me know, mine costs me around 44 bucks and that was with the discount working at the dealership. If you have an accord or lude you should change out the balance belt too. just my two cents...

 

120k that for sure is time and fast before is too late u never know. the dealers are @$$hole i spend around $250 getting alll the parts i need it to do the major tune up basically i got everything from seals to water pump all belts etc... and the dealer just wanted $200 for 1 belt i could not believe it they full of it. all parts i got are genuine honda made n japan.

 

You cant asses a timing belt by just looking at it. Reason being is that a timing belt doesnt slowly disintegrate. When it starts fraying, it will fail real quick. If it does, you are looking at major valve train damage on our interference type engines.

If you are keeping this car, I would also change the waterpump at the same time, and all the other drive belts as well.

 

Is it me or does that timing belt need MAJOR tightening? It looks very "off" the cam shaft gear there. *Edit: I looked at the pics again and it's the shadows that make it look like that. My bad!

That sucks Hyde btw, there's got to be a way to test it. I bought my 93 civic in May of last year wth 140 or so miles on it. It now is approaching 165 and the timing belt looked superb when I did my valve adjustment just a year back. I'm really hoping someone changed it before it was sold to me. I'll prolly hold off until 200k to change it. Are the odds in my favor?