1991 Accord timing belt schedule question

I don't have an owners manual for the car and I think I read on this
newsgroup that the timing belt on a 1991 Accord needs to be changed at
90,000 miles. I just spoke to Honda service and they said 60,000
miles. This is a 4 cylinder. The car has 94,000 miles so if it is
60,000, not good.

The odd thing is that I thought I had the timing belt done when I
bought the car used from the dealer around 7 years ago but they have
no record of it.

I can't find a schedule on the net so if anyone knows for sure please
let me know. Thanks.

 

You can obtain your Owner's Manual here:
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/logon.asp

No login required. Just click "Owner's Manuals", then navigate to yours. It
takes a bit to download the whole thing, so report back here if you want to
do that.

The maintenance schedule in your manual says 90K miles or 72 months. With a
new belt, that interval would increase to 105K/84 months. If you're not
sure when it was done last, get it replaced! You're due now.

 

Thanks much. Six years. I must have had it done when I got the car,
but not at the dealer. Still, it needs to be done again.

 

Make sure your driving does not fall into the "severe
category" of the maintenance manual. If it does, then 60k
miles may be the interval.

 

The 91 Accord timing belt doesn't fall into severe condition category.

 

I don't know what factors affect the interval. I'm in the northeast so
we have snow and salt, and the roads around here can be pretty bumpy.
And I suppose I'm fairly tough on a car although I do the oil pretty
regularly. Still, it's been at least six years so the belt will need
to be done. The car is staying in the family.

 

To clarify, you mean you think there are no "severe driving
conditions" limitations for the 91 Accord's timing belt.

The maintenance schedule for the 91 Accord available via
http://search.ebscohost.com/ says otherwise. (Login (for
free) using the username "lib" and the password "access."
Click on "Auto Repair Reference Center.")

If the vehicle is operated under any of the following, then
the TB an balancer belts should be replaced at 60k miles:
Extremely dusty conditions. Fifty percent or more of the
vehicle's operation is in 90 degree F or higher temperatures
or 32 degree F or lower temperatures. Prolonged idling.
Frequent short running periods such that the engine does not
reach normal operating temperature. Police, taxi, delivery
or trailer towing usage.

I don't see this at the autozone site's free manual, nor the
UK site. Both of the latter denote factory service
maintenance schedules. OTOH Canadian Honda owner's site goes
back only to the 94 Accord and gives a limit of approx. 96k
km (= 60k miles) for its timing belt.

From what the owner said, it seems possible the owner's shop
was legitimately recommending the 60k miles for his car.

Regardless, it's moot. The owner says he's past the regular
service interval time limit.

 

You mean this? http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/2650/serviceintervalskepticalnv4.gif

This information is unreliable due to three factors. First, no mention
of the Honda Mtr. Co. Second, did NOT provide the 6 year interval
for the timing belt. Third, the inclusion of severe conditions which is
not backed by Honda Mtr. Co.

Somebody may have made up the info for the reason of profit or
probably too lazy to look up the correct data. The Honda timing
belt is design for temperature of 90F+ and pretty much sealed from
dusty conditions. Malaysia, for example, is a pretty hot and humid place
but the Honda belt works just fine. The timing belt has no effect on
prolonged idling. What really count are the 72 months and miles. The
OP's 72 months had lapse. The belt should burst by now but it hasn't
because it was designed with a lot of overhead.

He should've replaced it 9 years ago based on his absence of
record. After six years the belt is under severe condition. This goes to
prove that Honda makes one of the best belts. One more reason
to show that the severe service interval data on arrc.epnet.com has to
be corrected.

 

I mean what I wrote above.

The Ebsco site's Honda procedures contain the following
acknowledgment: "The Publisher expresses appreciation to
Honda Motor Company, Ltd., for their generous assistance."

 

This has to be printed or asterisks on the screen shot I gave you in
order to have merit. The screen shot speaks for itself its layout
quality. Honda or Toyota maintenance schedule has a distinct
quality in printing. The user has to pick out these details in order
to be an objective reader.

 

People can read the information both you and I gave in this
thread and decide for themselves, AFAIC. You might be right.
I just can't say for sure, given the discrepancies, and I
want to be honest.

I think it's particularly significant that Canadian Honda
has the 60k mile limit, presumably because of the
temperature extremes.

OTOH, someone else also posted here recently that timing
belt materials are superior today compared to c. 1990. They
did not back this up with a citation, IIRC, so I don't know
how much authority to give that claim.

All the maintenance schedules, including the UK site's, I
see online for Hondas speak for themselves re poor layout
quality.