Question for the mechanics and 'car wise' people

[dangles]

If its not recorded in log book or receipts and there is no sticker in the engine bay indicating when it was changed then I would recommend changing it before the big trip. You CANNOT tell the condition or age of a timing belt visually and anyone who tells you they can is full of s__t. We change them regulary at work and have seen belts around the 100,000km mark still look like they were fitted last week (these are in cars that we have serviced for years and can account for the history). Best to do it as a timing belt kit rather than a belt. Kit contains cam/crank seals idlers and depending on the kit an adjuster. Bare in mind if a seal leaks oil - oil deteriorates rubber, wrecking the belt. The tensioner though it is o.k. at time of replacing belt can fail without notice being that its been in the car for quite some kilometers. I saw a post for the job being $400 tops. I don't know what era that mechanic worked in but if you do it as a kit it will cost more than that. Another thing to prepare for, the water pump might be located in the timing belt area and could need replacing when they get behind the timing cover. (I'm not a mechanic, I do invoicing and parts interpreter for a mechanics shop so I cannot give you a definite on the water pump side of the magna engine). We did a magna 3.5l v6 timing belt kit and I can guarantee that we didn't rip the customer off and that it well and truly exceeded $400. Id say the mechanic that quoted $700 has put a fair estimate to do the job properly. Ask him for a break down of the job and if your still in doubt price a timing belt kit with adjuster from your local auto parts store. Factor in labour and if it involves the water pump adding inhibitor. Hope this info helps.

from your own logic even a new tensioner could fail at any time given it looks ok at the time of belt replacement. Most car tensioners are just a bearing mounted to a bracket then a big spring. It really isnt hard to check these. if the bearing isnt noisey or have sideways play then it will be fine. Are you quoting genuine prices or aftermarket? Can get aftermarket belts/seals for under $100 which are of oem quality. I'm from the era of quality work for a reasonable price by using quality aftermarket parts rather than super inflated genuine products. Even when i worked at a dealership you would be surprised at the difference in price you could do a job for using aftermarket parts. Hell i to do t-belt and seals in my garage for $200 and longest one has taken me 2 hours.

 

[apprenticegnome]

A magna v6 timing belt kit will take longer than 2 hours and can also be verified using Boyces Automotive times guide, Repco times guide and Rellin times guide. There are quite a few timing belts that are 3.5hrs upwards and fairly involved to do. The prices were for Dayco (extremely well known aftermarket brand), alternatively you can check the prices of Gates and Bosch. The tensioner in the v6 from memory is Hydraulic so the seals in the tensioner and spring have extensive wear and are in the best interests to replace, you cannot look at a hydraulic tensioner and safely say it will be fine for the next 10,000kms let alone making the next 100,000. Im not knocking the era you come from but a lot has changed with the complexity of engines and pricing.