96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

Is a 1996 Mazda Miata one of those zero clearance cars where if the timing
belt breaks it will do damage to the rods / pistons? Is anyone aware of
that? I was told by a friend that certain cars (and he called them zero
clearance) will do damage to the rods / cylinders if you don't change the
timing belt and it breaks. Thanks for any help.

Brian

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

I have read many times that the miata engine is non-interfering and no
damage would result if the timing belt broke. However, in my Haynes manual
under the section of replacing the timing belt, there are cautionary
instructions there about turning the crankshaft bolt by hand that imply that
not to be the case, but they may provide those instructions in all their
manuals instead of determining if the engine is non-interfering or not.

"Brian" > wrote in message
news:L0_Og.7555$4a3.3469@trnddc07...
> Is a 1996 Mazda Miata one of those zero clearance cars where if the timing
> belt breaks it will do damage to the rods / pistons? Is anyone aware of
> that? I was told by a friend that certain cars (and he called them zero
> clearance) will do damage to the rods / cylinders if you don't change the
> timing belt and it breaks. Thanks for any help.
>
> Brian
>
>

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

The 1.6L and 1.8L NA and NB engines are not "zero clearance" engines. A
timing belt failure will normally just cause the engine to stop running.
Changing a timing belt is a fair amount of work. While you are at it, the
idler spring, pully, and the water pump likely should be changed if the
milage is high.
Miata.net has the proceedure documented in the garage section, and the newer
service notes concerning crankshaft torque in that section.

"Brian" > wrote in message
news:L0_Og.7555$4a3.3469@trnddc07...
> Is a 1996 Mazda Miata one of those zero clearance cars where if the timing
> belt breaks it will do damage to the rods / pistons? Is anyone aware of
> that? I was told by a friend that certain cars (and he called them zero
> clearance) will do damage to the rods / cylinders if you don't change the
> timing belt and it breaks. Thanks for any help.
>
> Brian
>
>

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

If I was making this decision about my own car, and was not able to get
definite answer, I would go ahead and change it out especially if I was
not certain as to how many miles the the belt has on it. This is just
an opinion, and you know what they say about opinions. They're like
---holes and everybody has one. Ron.

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

Brian, your buddy's wrong on 2 counts. As others have indicated, the miata
engine will not do itself damage (unlike most Hondas for example) and he's
got his terms wrong. It's interference vs non-interference engines (on
interference engines tolerances are in the negative I guess you'd have to
say, not zero ;-)

Chris
99BBB

"Brian" > wrote in message
news:L0_Og.7555$4a3.3469@trnddc07...
> Is a 1996 Mazda Miata one of those zero clearance cars where if the timing
> belt breaks it will do damage to the rods / pistons? Is anyone aware of
> that? I was told by a friend that certain cars (and he called them zero
> clearance) will do damage to the rods / cylinders if you don't change the
> timing belt and it breaks. Thanks for any help.
>
> Brian
>
>

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

Isn't it recommended to change the valve cover gasket as well? I belive you
have to take the valve cover off. BTW, my timing belt was changed at 60K,
and now my mileage is around 130K, so it's been about 70K.

Brian

"Chuck" > wrote in message
news:qW7Pg.22884$SZ3.6099@dukeread04...
> The 1.6L and 1.8L NA and NB engines are not "zero clearance" engines. A
> timing belt failure will normally just cause the engine to stop running.
> Changing a timing belt is a fair amount of work. While you are at it, the
> idler spring, pully, and the water pump likely should be changed if the
> milage is high.
> Miata.net has the proceedure documented in the garage section, and the
newer
> service notes concerning crankshaft torque in that section.
>
> "Brian" > wrote in message
> news:L0_Og.7555$4a3.3469@trnddc07...
> > Is a 1996 Mazda Miata one of those zero clearance cars where if the
timing
> > belt breaks it will do damage to the rods / pistons? Is anyone aware of
> > that? I was told by a friend that certain cars (and he called them zero
> > clearance) will do damage to the rods / cylinders if you don't change
the
> > timing belt and it breaks. Thanks for any help.
> >
> > Brian
> >
> >
>
>

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

Brian wrote:
> Isn't it recommended to change the valve cover gasket as well? I belive you
> have to take the valve cover off. BTW, my timing belt was changed at 60K,
> and now my mileage is around 130K, so it's been about 70K.
>
> Brian


The two areas are not related. Replacing the valve cover gasket is very
easy, the timing belt is much more complicated. I would only replace the
valve cover gasket if it is leaking.
Doing that only takes a while because of the cleanup and removing the
old gasket after taking the valve cover off. The actual removal and
re-installation only takes a few minutes once you have your tools ready
and everything is cleaned up.
Of course, a strut tower bar adds one more step to the process. :-)

It's about time for a new timing belt at 70K. Did they do the water
pump, seals, tensioners, etc.? I would have them done either way, though
I would also squeeze another 10K to 20K miles out of it if they were
done the first time.
If the water pump is original, there is a good chance that it is getting
ready to go and it would be my main worry over the timing belt.

The recommended change interval is 60K or 100K depending on if you are
in California. I have never seen one break before 100K miles, so I am
pretty comfortable with going 80K to 90K instead of 60K between changes.
This also eliminates any decision-making on the water pump, it
automatically gets replaced after 80K miles.

Pat

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

> This also eliminates any decision-making on the water pump, it
> automatically gets replaced after 80K miles.
>

Is that so? I don't recall seeing that mentioned anywhere.

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

Frank Berger wrote:
>>This also eliminates any decision-making on the water pump, it
>>automatically gets replaced after 80K miles.
>>
>
>
> Is that so? I don't recall seeing that mentioned anywhere.

I didn't say it was mentioned anywhere. I am referring to my own
personal car maintenance, not anything that Mazda or anyone else has
published.

Once the front end is torn down enough to replace the timing belt, I am
automatically going to replace the water pump because I have seen two of
them fail very soon after a timing belt change.
The fact that I am going about 25% longer than the "recommended"
replacement interval, (unless you live in California and have the exact
same timing belt), makes replacing the water pump a very good idea
because I have not seen many water pumps make it to 160K miles.

One of them failed at about 75K miles after having the belt done at 60K.
A new water pump would have saved a lot of money in that case.

Pat

96 Miata - replacing timing belt
 

"pws" > wrote in message
...
> Frank Berger wrote:
>>>This also eliminates any decision-making on the water pump, it
>>>automatically gets replaced after 80K miles.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Is that so? I don't recall seeing that mentioned anywhere.
>
> I didn't say it was mentioned anywhere. I am referring to my own personal
> car maintenance, not anything that Mazda or anyone else has published.
>
> Once the front end is torn down enough to replace the timing belt, I am
> automatically going to replace the water pump because I have seen two of
> them fail very soon after a timing belt change.
> The fact that I am going about 25% longer than the "recommended"
> replacement interval, (unless you live in California and have the exact
> same timing belt), makes replacing the water pump a very good idea because
> I have not seen many water pumps make it to 160K miles.
>
> One of them failed at about 75K miles after having the belt done at 60K. A
> new water pump would have saved a lot of money in that case.
>
>

"It automatically get replaced after 80K miles" doesn't exactly tell the
reader all that.