Hit my first snapped timing belt on a 2003 Honda Civic yesterday

So I'm doing a routine valve adjustment on this old Civic for a regular customer, and I notice the timing belt looks pretty cracked but still holding. I tell the guy he really should replace it soon. Then I get the engine all back together, turn the key, and hear this horrible clatter. Cracked the cam gear housing and bent a bunch of valves. Customer was not happy, but I explained it was already on its way out. Anyone else run into a situation where you warned someone about something and it blew up right in front of you?

3 comments

3 Comments

faith272d ago

Come on now, timing belts don't just blow up for no reason. You probably bumped something or got the timing off when you put it back together. Those old Hondas are tough as nails, a little cracking isn't gonna kill them right away. Sounds more like a mistake during the job than a pre-existing problem. Could be you're just trying to cover your tracks with the customer.

rivera.hannah2d ago

Not always the case though. Those belts can look scary but still have plenty of life left in them depending on how the car was driven.

ray_burns2d ago

Those old Hondas are tough as nails? You ever actually worked on a 2003 Civic before?