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| Joined: | 05-01-2005 |
| Location: | Minneapolis, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 575 |
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1. Examine the timing belt for damage. Some wear is OK but if the belt is frayed, cut, or teeth worn, replace it. Timing belts are about $20-30. If the belt breaks when the engine is running, you WILL need about $1000-1500 in repairs. (Snip)...
What Mark said, except...
I'm not as trusting of the timing belt as Mark seems to be, and I generally feel that anything rubber should be replaced. If the engine has been sitting for a long time, then replace the timing belt now. "Long" as in years... seasonal storage is no problem. I don't care if the last thing that happened to the car prior to long-term storage was installing a new belt, replace it now.
For the trapezoidal toothed timing belt, my rule of thumb for normal service replacement is 12,000 miles or 2 years, whichever comes first. That's normal use, and it's more stringent than the recommended 18,000 mile interval. Long term storage is not "normal use", and it's harder on the belt.
If the engine has been upgraded to the round-toothed HTD timing belt, it can go much longer. Especially the later HSN variety of HTD belt.
Just sitting around is hard on all rubber parts, the water pump and on loaded ball bearings. The wheel bearings are probably okay, but pay particular attention to the timing belt tensioner bearings. A tensioner failure is just as damaging as a timing belt failure. Replacing the timing belt and tensioner bearing(s) now eliminates the biggest concern.
When replacing the V-belts, carefully inspect the water pump bearing and seal. If in doubt, rebuild the pump.
Don't be surprised if various lip seals begin to leak after prolonged storage. There's no great risk of harm, so you may as well give them a try. But it would be "normal" if the front main seal, rear main on later engines, cam seals and the auxiliary shaft seals develop leaks. The O-rings at the back of the cam housings and the O-ring that seals the distributor where it slips into the oil pump housing may also leak. You can be pro-active and replace everything, or just wait to see which seals call for attention.
Replace all V-belts.
Tim Engel (Lotus Owners Oftha North)