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Author Topic:   Honda Timing Belt

weekendwarrior posted 05-15-2015 01:39 PM ET (US)
I've had my Honda 50-HP outboard engine since I bought it new in 1999. It has been a great engine, but the other day it hit me that it still has the original timing belt in it. I'm sure they must break on occasion, but I've never heard of one breaking myself. Has anyone experienced a broken timing belt, or had a buddy who had one break? If yes, what was the approximate age of the belt and engine at the time?
It might be time for me to replace mine, but I fear they're replaced so infrequently that the belt I buy will probably be as old as my engine
Jefecinco posted 05-15-2015 07:14 PM ET (US)
I would change it regardless of any recommendation to the contrary.
Butch
conch posted 05-16-2015 08:07 AM ET (US)
Commercial guys flog that motor like a wet mechanical slave. It is very tough. What does the owners manual recommend?
Is the motor an interference valve train type? If so then you have a "lifetime" timing belt. If the belt breaks the engines life is probably over.
Chuck
jimh posted 05-16-2015 08:08 AM ET (US)

quote:
Has anyone experienced a broken timing belt...?
In the 1970's I was driving a car with a German-made four-cylinder engine with a rubber timing belt. When the car was about five years old and had about 90,000-miles, the timing belt broke as I was driving. Of course, it was about 1 a.m. on a moonless and rainy night.
Apparently the valve clearance was sufficient that no damage was done by the pistons operating with any valves stuck in the open position. This is called a non-interference design. If the open valves protrude into the cylinder space where the piston travels, called an interference design, a broken timing belt can be a catastrophe.
contender posted 05-16-2015 02:16 PM ET (US)
Jim is correct, however on some jap cars if the timing belt breaks there is no valve clearence and you will end up redoing your head if it did not break. I do not know about the Honda outboards but the Honda car is one of those that the valves will hit the pistion if the belt breaks....
Jefecinco posted 05-16-2015 06:11 PM ET (US)
If I owned an engine with a 16 year old timing belt I would replace it as a preventive maintenance measure. Consider the cost of a timing belt failure at cruising speed. Consider the cost of a new timing belt which can probably be owner installed.
New engine or power head vs new belt. Easy.
Butch
weekendwarrior posted 05-17-2015 10:12 PM ET (US)
Thanks guys for the replies. I was actually wondering not if anyone had my specific motor with a broken timing belt, but any outboard by any maker with a broken timing belt. It's just something you don't hear much about, but it must happen.
My buddy in college had a BMW that broke a timing belt and it made a mess. We let a machine shop fix the head and we fixed the rest. I've changed 5 or 6 belts in my life on various cars/trucks, they never seem to need replacement at convenient times...
BQUICK posted 05-18-2015 01:29 PM ET (US)
Most cars are retuning back to chains from belts. I would never own a car with a belt....
Honda must have some hour recommendation like 500 but age also factors into it. I would go ahead and do it and run another 15 years.
BTW all Honda car engines that I know of are interference designs....I suspect the same for their outboards.

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Author	Topic: Honda Timing Belt
weekendwarrior	posted 05-15-2015 01:39 PM ET (US) I've had my Honda 50-HP outboard engine since I bought it new in 1999. It has been a great engine, but the other day it hit me that it still has the original timing belt in it. I'm sure they must break on occasion, but I've never heard of one breaking myself. Has anyone experienced a broken timing belt, or had a buddy who had one break? If yes, what was the approximate age of the belt and engine at the time? It might be time for me to replace mine, but I fear they're replaced so infrequently that the belt I buy will probably be as old as my engine
Jefecinco	posted 05-15-2015 07:14 PM ET (US) I would change it regardless of any recommendation to the contrary. Butch
conch	posted 05-16-2015 08:07 AM ET (US) Commercial guys flog that motor like a wet mechanical slave. It is very tough. What does the owners manual recommend? Is the motor an interference valve train type? If so then you have a "lifetime" timing belt. If the belt breaks the engines life is probably over. Chuck
jimh	posted 05-16-2015 08:08 AM ET (US) quote: Has anyone experienced a broken timing belt...? In the 1970's I was driving a car with a German-made four-cylinder engine with a rubber timing belt. When the car was about five years old and had about 90,000-miles, the timing belt broke as I was driving. Of course, it was about 1 a.m. on a moonless and rainy night. Apparently the valve clearance was sufficient that no damage was done by the pistons operating with any valves stuck in the open position. This is called a non-interference design. If the open valves protrude into the cylinder space where the piston travels, called an interference design, a broken timing belt can be a catastrophe.
contender	posted 05-16-2015 02:16 PM ET (US) Jim is correct, however on some jap cars if the timing belt breaks there is no valve clearence and you will end up redoing your head if it did not break. I do not know about the Honda outboards but the Honda car is one of those that the valves will hit the pistion if the belt breaks....
Jefecinco	posted 05-16-2015 06:11 PM ET (US) If I owned an engine with a 16 year old timing belt I would replace it as a preventive maintenance measure. Consider the cost of a timing belt failure at cruising speed. Consider the cost of a new timing belt which can probably be owner installed. New engine or power head vs new belt. Easy. Butch
weekendwarrior	posted 05-17-2015 10:12 PM ET (US) Thanks guys for the replies. I was actually wondering not if anyone had my specific motor with a broken timing belt, but any outboard by any maker with a broken timing belt. It's just something you don't hear much about, but it must happen. My buddy in college had a BMW that broke a timing belt and it made a mess. We let a machine shop fix the head and we fixed the rest. I've changed 5 or 6 belts in my life on various cars/trucks, they never seem to need replacement at convenient times...
BQUICK	posted 05-18-2015 01:29 PM ET (US) Most cars are retuning back to chains from belts. I would never own a car with a belt.... Honda must have some hour recommendation like 500 but age also factors into it. I would go ahead and do it and run another 15 years. BTW all Honda car engines that I know of are interference designs....I suspect the same for their outboards.