When should the timing belt be replaced?

[danieldialtone]

I think mine has been replaced once and I have 191,000 miles on my car. When I went to replace my water pump I noticed that the timing belt had cracks on the outside. But the inside of it looks fine. I will be replacing it soon but just curious on how often they should be replaced. And is the 3ac an interference engine or a non interference engine? Thanks

[xirdneh]

3ac is non interference
with cracks i would replace soon

[marlinh]

100,000 km (60,000 m) is the usual interval although some newer vehicles require replacement as early as 60 000km. It also depends if the belt is contaminated with oil. That shortens their life dramatically.

[Petros]

i run it until it breaks, about 100k plus miles. Usually I have to do some other maintenance on the front of the engine like a water pump or seal before than, if the belt is looking old I replace it than, so I have never actually broke a belt on the Tercel. they only cost about $20, so it is more the work of replacing it is a bother rather than the cost. But I do like to get as many miles per belt as possible, and going by condition will get you more miles than just replacing it at 60k miles.

[Ace]

I replaced my timing belt at about 70,000 miles. The old belt still looked good and probably could have gone 100,000+. The replacement belt was only about $15 but the labor (mine) was significant. Still have my original water pump. Only 131,000+ miles on my 1983 Tercel.

[DiNka]

3ac is non interference
with cracks i would replace soon

the 3A is a non interference ? So if the belt breaks nothing will happen ? All this time I thought it was a interference

[TURTCEL]

If you are like me you will try and do maintenance or replacement of the timing belt before it breaks. I don't like the thought of driving down the road knowing that my t-belt is at the max of it's life and having it break on me.

Or worse yet, break while my wife and kid are going somewhere and now they are broke down.

This is a case of if it isn't broke...fix it. Why break down when you could have avoided it. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

But, yes, if it does break all is fine with the engine. I would replace the cam and crank seals as well as the water pump at the same time as t-belt. The water pump can be done without removing the belt but with the belt out of the way, then would be the perfect time.

Peace

[Petros]

I have never broken a belt on a Tercel, I have on our mazda several times (it too is a none interference engine). I have seen lots of broken belts on others Tercels. One time the belt had broke and wrapped around the tensioned and broke it off, damaging the oil pump badly, had to drop the oil pan and replace the oil pump. so there can be very serious consequences to having a belt break, but that usually does not happen.

I replace the belt based on condition (I never record the miles on it anyway), if the belt is losing teeth or peices of rubber, or badly cracked, or the belts are exposed, time to replace it. Tiny cracks are not a reason to replace it, if it is loosing bits of rubber or the belt is exposed, than it is a goner.