This week, I learned more about cars than I have know in my whole life...which wasn't a small amount, thanks to my dad. I decided to change the timing belt (among other things) on our "new" 2000 Honda CR-V. What an experience. Here's the the car being stripped to begin the work.
It was beautiful to see the inner workings of the car. Here's the cylinder head exposed. The internal combustion engine is one of the most ingenious designs of man. The two parallel lines are the camshafts that open and close the valves, which in combination with the fuel and oxygen, powers the car.
I had to take off quite a bit to access the timing belt from the driver's side of the engine and through the wheel well. Here is looking down at the pulleys after everything had been removed. The two pulleys at the top turn the camshafts (see above).
And here is looking up from underneath the car at the lower part of the timing mechanism. With the belt in place, everything has to be exactly positioned to be "in time." This controls the precise coordination of the crankshaft (bottom pulley), the water pump (the whole in the middle of the picture as I was also replacing this), and the camshafts. A little off and the engine could have serious problems.
After 4 days (not continuous, thankfully), lots of dirt and grease, near failure about 15 times, many trips to the auto store for parts and rentals, the support of Jane and Meredith, and the help of my father-in-law, Steve McKinzie, we were successful in our quest. We saved $800 on the job (if we had taken it in to a shop), learned a lot, and have many good stories to share.
Erik, I sure wish you could have changed the timing belt in my car! I just had it done, and the labor alone was - yes - about $800! Way to go!
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