Timimg belts must replace at 60,000 miles
#1
08-18-2009 | 10:21 AM
Thread Starter
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 18
From: Qatar
Timimg belts must replace at 60,000 miles
Mazda 2.2L four cylinder and 3.0L V6 engines are at risk for this type of damage
TIMING BELTS MUST REPLACE AT 60,000 MILES
For preventative maintenance, and to comply with the recommended replacement interval specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Rubber timing belts contain reinforcing cords of fiberglass or Kevlar. These cords keep the belt from stretching or breaking, which is no simple task considering the strain that is on the belt. Many other engines use a steel chain for this same purpose.
As the belt accumulates miles, the constant bending every time it passes around a pulley plus constant exposure to heat causes the rubber to harden and become brittle. Little cracks start to appear in the rubber. These cracks are not serious as long as they’re not too deep or cause chunks of rubber to break loose. The constant stress, heat and bending also weakens the fibers that make up the reinforcing cords. Eventually the point is reached where something gives and the belt fails.
Until recently, the incidence of failure peaked sharply after about 60,000 miles, so the vehicle manufacturers mostly recommended replacing the best at 60,000 mile intervals. On newer engines, this interval has been extended to as much as 100,000 miles thanks to improved belt materials.
So what happens if you don’t replace the belt? Maybe nothing. Some belts just keep going and going and will last the life of the engine. Others may fail at 60,001 miles or even sooner. Since no one can predict the exact mileage at which a timing belt will fail, the safest bet is to follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.
WARNING: A timing belt failure can cause extensive engine damage on many overhead cam engines. If the engine lacks sufficient valve-to-piston clearance, a belt failure can allow the valves to hit the pistons destroying both. The cost of replacing the belt at the recommended interval, therefore, is cheap insurance compared to the cost of replacing or rebuilding the engine.
TIMING BELTS MUST REPLACE AT 60,000 MILES
For preventative maintenance, and to comply with the recommended replacement interval specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Rubber timing belts contain reinforcing cords of fiberglass or Kevlar. These cords keep the belt from stretching or breaking, which is no simple task considering the strain that is on the belt. Many other engines use a steel chain for this same purpose.
As the belt accumulates miles, the constant bending every time it passes around a pulley plus constant exposure to heat causes the rubber to harden and become brittle. Little cracks start to appear in the rubber. These cracks are not serious as long as they’re not too deep or cause chunks of rubber to break loose. The constant stress, heat and bending also weakens the fibers that make up the reinforcing cords. Eventually the point is reached where something gives and the belt fails.
Until recently, the incidence of failure peaked sharply after about 60,000 miles, so the vehicle manufacturers mostly recommended replacing the best at 60,000 mile intervals. On newer engines, this interval has been extended to as much as 100,000 miles thanks to improved belt materials.
So what happens if you don’t replace the belt? Maybe nothing. Some belts just keep going and going and will last the life of the engine. Others may fail at 60,001 miles or even sooner. Since no one can predict the exact mileage at which a timing belt will fail, the safest bet is to follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.
WARNING: A timing belt failure can cause extensive engine damage on many overhead cam engines. If the engine lacks sufficient valve-to-piston clearance, a belt failure can allow the valves to hit the pistons destroying both. The cost of replacing the belt at the recommended interval, therefore, is cheap insurance compared to the cost of replacing or rebuilding the engine.
#3
08-18-2009 | 06:25 PM
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,666
From: Manor, TX (Outside of Austin)
The 2.2L was last seen, I believe, in the 626 series here in the US which ended production in 2002. And the 3.0 they refer to in this article must be of older ilk too because the 3.0 that comes in the current 6 series car (as an option) uses timing chains, as do the current 4-cylinder cars. I'm not entirely sure about the older 2.5L engines found the 3rd gen MX6's though. They may have used belts.
Last edited by virgin1; 08-18-2009 at 08:43 PM.
#4
08-18-2009 | 08:30 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,726
From: southern New Hampshire
Once again you speak of which you do not know. You made this post in the Mazda3 group, and as far as I know, there has never been a Mazda3 sold into any market anywhere in the world that uses either a 2.2 or 3.0 liter engine. At this point you cannot be dubbed a spammer as none of your posts contain any spam link, but I can dub thee a serial Troll. Please find another fourm to post your bilge on.
#5
08-18-2009 | 08:47 PM
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,666
From: Manor, TX (Outside of Austin)
Give him a chance, Dale. He "seems" young to me and has a lot to learn. Maybe we can help him straighten out some of this misinformation he seems to have gotten and/or believes... not that I think I'm an expert.
BTW nandy: Where is Qatar anyway?
#6
08-18-2009 | 09:10 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,726
From: southern New Hampshire
Qatar is a peninsula that sprouts northward from Saudi Arabia out into the Persian Gulf. 
As for giving him a chance, I rather thought I had by not tearing apart his first post that stated something to the effect that Mazda engines were designed for Premium fuel. Instead of listening to the responses to his post, he stubbornly posted it again. Go figure. That said, I'll lighten up...
As for giving him a chance, I rather thought I had by not tearing apart his first post that stated something to the effect that Mazda engines were designed for Premium fuel. Instead of listening to the responses to his post, he stubbornly posted it again. Go figure. That said, I'll lighten up...
#7
08-19-2009 | 06:16 AM
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 466
I have a '99 Protege LX and the shop manual which recommends the timing belt be inspected at 60K mile intervals and replaced at 120K mile intervals, EXCEPT in certain states whose pollution control norms are most stringent. In those states, the timing belt is required to be changed at 60K mile intervals.
My engine is the 1.8L FP version which has positive clearance, so even if the belt broke, the engine would quit, but the pistons would not collide with any valves which were fully open.
My engine is the 1.8L FP version which has positive clearance, so even if the belt broke, the engine would quit, but the pistons would not collide with any valves which were fully open.
