Cost and adviseability of timing belt change.

[Will'sFiero]

I just found out that a good friend's g/f has a 96 or 97 Monte Z34. The car has 120K on it... she bought it with ~50K and has never changed the timing belt She also doesn't know if and/or when the belt was changed before she got it.

I really think the timing belt should be changed. It should AT LEAST be inspected thoroughly.

How much does a timing belt change cost? I know it requires new belt and new sprockets, but what else is necessary?

[Lyle's GTP]

If you can find a shop that will do it, (most won't) it will be like $800-1000.00 USD for the job. New belt, tensioner and pulleys will be required. You don't have to change the cogged sprockets unless they were some how damaged. If the job were done by you it would cost less that $300.00 to finish. As far as if the belt were replaced, if the odometer is correct than chances are it hasn't been done. You can check for excess wear with an 8mm socket. All you do is take off the front plastic belt cover and check the belt. If their is obvious wear to the belt or a bunch of black fuzz on the inside cover it should be changed.

Lyle

[Will'sFiero]

I have no intention of letting a shop work on this car. I have no faith in any local shop's ability to do this right.

The sprockets don't need to be changed? That's cool.
All it needs is the idler and tensioner pulleys?
What's the best source for belt and pulleys?

[93Oldsdroptop]

I would say to go thru GM Parts Direct. I wouldn't go with any aftermarket idler pullies. Get a new tensioner also, this is one job that you don't want to do twice.

[xtremelumina92]

my best friends dad owns a auto lab (chain of auto shops) and he was able to do the 96 gtps belt, tensioner and pulleys for $550!!!!! it was done in about 5 hours. It's located here in Michigan, i am not sure of where you live. Later Jay

[SappySE107]

If you do the belt, and can take some pics I would appreciate it. I don't have much on the 96/97 engines and would like to cover the unique steps for those engines.

And I agree with replacing the tensioner along with the pulley. It can and will fail and should be replaced every 120k minimum.

[97montez34]

my best friends dad owns a auto lab (chain of auto shops) and he was able to do the 96 gtps belt, tensioner and pulleys for $550!!!!! it was done in about 5 hours. It's located here in Michigan, i am not sure of where you live. Later Jay

umm... where at in michigan, ive thought about doing this myself.. but re-timing everything kinda intimidates me alittle. ive done most of the work on my car myself, but for some reason i dont wanna attempt this without someone else here that knows how to do it...

[Will'sFiero]

Ok, so replace the tensioner mechanism as well as the tensioner pulley?

What's the primary failure mode of the tensioner? Sudden an catastrophic, or does it just gradually lose tension and allow the engine to jump timing?

Anyone got part numbers so I can go to GMPD?

Any particular brand of belt best?

[SappySE107]

They just go. I mean, they may give a warning, but they will weaken, which will let the belt lose its required tension.

timing belt - 24502982

tensioner pulley - 24503561 bolt - 10162013

idler pullies - 24503859 bolt- 11514441

tensioner actuator - 24503860

[Lyle's GTP]

I must add that it is the best designed tensioner I have seen. All the Honda engines I've seen have a shitty coil spring as a belt tensioner.

Lyle

[Will'sFiero]

They just go. I mean, they may give a warning, but they will weaken, which will let the belt lose its required tension.

timing belt - 24502982

tensioner pulley - 24503561 bolt - 10162013

idler pullies - 24503859 bolt- 11514441

tensioner actuator - 24503860

2982 - $48.33 GMPD vs $84.79 list

3561 - $63.21 GMPD vs $110.90 list (For a pulley?!?!)

3859 - $24.14 GMPD vs $42.34 list (need two, correct?) Why is it listed as an "engine camshaft sprocket"?

3860 - $51.07 GMPD vs $89.59 list

Total comes to $227.22... I know the shipping is high from them... but I don't know exaclty how much because I have to create an account just to get a F@$%ing shipping quote...

[97montez34]

Actuator 24503860 GM LIST: $83.34
OUR PRICE: $47.50

Idler Pulley 24503859 GM LIST: $39.30
OUR PRICE: $22.40

Bolt to Idle 11514441 GM LIST: $6.06
OUR PRICE: $3.45

Tentsioner Pull 24503561 GM LIST: $103.40
OUR PRICE: $58.94

Bolt to tent 10162013 GM LIST: $3.80
OUR PRICE: $2.17

BELT GM LIST: $74.08
OUR PRICE: $42.23

1995 Part# 24502982
1996-97 Part# 24503363

Parts:
GM :$309.98
GMPD :$176.69

Saving:$133.29

[Will'sFiero]

Not quite... Need two idler pulleys.

[series8217]

So the only different part for doing the job on 91-95 rather than a 96-97 is the belt itself?
I'm doing this on a '93 Lumina engine... So are these part numbers (and quantities) correct?
1x 24502982 (belt)
1x 24503561 (tensioner), 1x 10162013 (bolt)
1x 24503860 (actuator)
2x 24503859 (idler pully), 2x 11514441 (bolts)

-Steven Snyder

[SappySE107]

Go to www.partsamerica.com for these parts. MUCH cheaper than GMPD and they are dayco.

The parts listed on the site and in my post above are for 91-95.