My Accord EX will be 20 years old in July. I currently have 186500 miles on it with one timing belt replacement (along with the water pump, thermostat @ 91K miles on 9/26/2001).

I know it should probably be replaced again but does anyone know on average how long they go before they fail? I really don't want to put any more money into this car and would have a new one if I wasn't currently unemployed!

Also a rubber boot is damaged underneath on one side of the steering arm. How important is this to have fixed? It's been like that for a year or two now

Car runs great except this summer I needed to put in another ECM after the engine stopped on the road (ign output signal). The problem was intermittent and fixed with another ECM from a local salvage yard for $90

Engine has been cleaned throughout the years and still looks new!

Yes my next car will be another Accord EX- Sedan with a CVT.

Thanks,

Michael

 

It is over due by both mileage and time for the timing belt, I would try and get it done sooner rather than later if I were you because as I'm sure you know the results are catastrophic if it breaks.

But will it break driving to the store tomorrow? Probably not. No one can really conjure a guess as to when exactly it'll break. There is probably some accord out there with 300,000 miles on it with the original timing belt, and there is also probably some guy whose timing belt broke at 75,000 miles.

I'm more worried that its almost 13 year old rubber holding your engine together.

 

Rice is right, can happen anytime , and when it does..it's always said.." Why didn't I fix that already"

WheelBrokerAng

 

At the very least, pull the valve cover and look at the belt as you manually turn the crank bolt counterclockwise. Just look for any types of cracks or wear on the inside of the belt.

 

That's the problem with these things. No warning and then you're stuck. I would replace it and consider yourself lucky that you haven't been left yet. You've gotten more life than expected already.

 

My procrastinating brother drove an 86 Accord for about 200K miles and 15 years before belt finally parted. He somehow managed this w/o damaging the valves (non-interference?).

Mileage when belt will part is highly unpredictable based on inspection alone, or the strategy would be to inspect and replace as indicated, not programmed replacement.

good luck