Sorry - not a bike - but a car - Cam-belt?

[biker-dj]

A bit of advice/help people please - I am selling a '91 Honda Prelude 20i Automatic, any clever car people out there who could point me in the direction of the cam-belt. Is it totally covered up with bits of plastic - I need to try and check whether it may have been changed. I have someone interested but I cannot confirm if the cam-belt has been changed, and therefore the potential buyer is being a bit cautious. I can see his point, cos if cam-belt goes then one fu**ed engine. Any help greatfully appreciated
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[NSR Mick]

1st thing to do when buying a second hand car is to change it anyway, I would not rely on someone elses say so anyhow.

And even if you found it you wouldnt be able to tell.
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[cagiva gezzer]

I found out that a lot of car engines are designed to be "safe" engines, in that if the cam belt does go there's no possibility of the valves and pistons meeting.

Just gives me one more excuse to thrash my fiat!

Back on track, having changed one myself i'd doubt that you could spot the difference as the tensioner makes a new one look pretty used straight away.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[biker-dj]

Ok thanks for your answers, I'm hoping the garage when I bought may have changed it, it had done 50,000, but knowing my luck I doubt it. Ok then next question, is it a huge job? I couldn't do it myself but would anyone know how long it may take?? The bloke who is interested in the car said it was quite a big job as it was a Jap car and automatic. I will phone the garage in the morning but I am quite anxious to get this problem sorted so I can put this blokes mind and rest and get the car sold!! Thanks again for taking the time to reply
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[Johnny GSX-R]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Safe engines are quite rare. If the belt snaps expect to bend a load of valves.

To be honest you are not going to be able to tell much about the state of it by looking at it. Unless you know for certain when it was changed (ie, receipt) then assume it hasn't been.

All the best

Keith
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[NSR Mick]

On a CVH Ford i could do one in under 20 min, its not that hard if you have some mechanical knowledge, is a Haynes available for your car?

Granted some cars are harder than others, for example on Pug 407 Diesels you need to remove an engine mount, but as long as you can lock up all the important pulleys, usually just crank and cam/s its easy.
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[biker-dj]

I expect there is a manual but unfortunately after 3 operations left me disabled doing the job myself is out of the question unfortunately. I shall ring a garage tomorrow and get a quote.
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[0ddball]

Generally you are looking at 2 hours labour on a run of the mill car plus the cost of the belt. Though it do it properly on many cars you should replace the idler pulley/s and tensioner which can bump parts price up to around £80.

[biker-dj]

Not much change out of a ton, if at all and thats just if I only get the cam-belt. Oh what a headache selling cars
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[mattish]

I had the cambelt snap on my 1.8cvh sierra which resulted in mr piston getting quite coasy with ms valve So I bought another 1.8cvh sierra (hey I have bad taste - and also need to move around alot of kit). It cost me around 180quid for the lot mainly due to the cam tensioner costing 80 flaming quid and the waterpump also being knackard

[biker-dj]

Good news! I went into the garage where I bought the car and mentioned about the cam-belt and told him the story of how people keep knocking the price down on the car and straight away he offered me 600 quid, cash - result
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