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When doing a timing belt on a Toyota, Honda, or Subaru vehicle… Should you replace the idler and tensioner bearings at the same time?

At the very least they should be inspected for noise and excess play while timing belt is apart. The fact is when performing this repair on a client vehicle it would be beneficial to replace all timing belt related items while the front of the engine is apart and exposed. Note the pros and cons.

Pros

• Prevents premature timing belt failure.
• Makes it so that your mechanic is not going back into the front of the engine for repairs for 4 – 6 years.
• definitely saves on labor costs on each individual item.

Cons

• The parts cost adds up quickly, so upfront expense can quickly reach a thousand dollars or more.

 

To my own clients I always present what I call a Timing Belt Kit. This includes: timing belt, waterpump, cam and crank seals, oil pump seals if applicable, and then inspect all other items for signs of wear. I do this because I have found that the market will typically not bear the added expense of all components on the front end, it is a simple truth. If an additional issue is noticed while the engine is apart the client is advised accordingly.

On my own personal vehicles I always replace every part related to the timing belt. That would include the Timing belt itself, along with waterpump, cam and crank seals, idler bearings, tensioner bearings, oil pump seals and gaskets, tensioner springs and shocks, drive belts, etc.

I guess what it comes down to is whether we are willing to invest today to save in the future… you be the judge by examining the following generic Toyota/Honda/Subaru price comparison.

Fully Loaded Timing belt Kit Complete- $887.00

  

Same vehicle with each item repaired separately.

Timing belt- $399                           

Waterpump- $475                             

Cam Seals- $425

Crank Seal- $425

Oil pump seal- $425

Idler Bearing- $405

Tensioner and bearing- $425

Drive Belts- $135

All of the above listed items will eventually go bad if not replaced with timing belt, however they may not necessarily go bad prior to the next timing belt replacement interval. Since you have no control as to how long they will last, and they cost over $3000 when all items are done separately… It makes perfect sense to the individual who plans on keeping their vehicle for several years to replace all items, including the tensioner and idler bearings while doing the timing belt job.

ToyoMotors:
http://www.toyomotors.com

Phoenix Car Repair Pros:
http://www.phoenixautorepairpros.com

Car Repair Blog
http://www.car-repairphoenix.com

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