replacing the timing belt question

Good God, $225 to replace the timing belt??? **** that, it's a 2 hour job at MOST, you're getting hosed!

And no, the tensioner doesn't need replaced unless it's going bad, the tensioner on my Thunderbird has about 160K on it and it's fine.

The ONLY engine I would recommend it on is the 2.0 Zetec. Otherwise a good mechanic might take a 2.3 tensioner off and clean all the oil/crud off of it but unless the clearly visible spring isn't broken there's no need.

Actually it's 2.2 hours by the book if the car has A/C, 2.0 if it doesn't. Depending on the shop rate $225 is still a little high, but it's not in the 'getting hosed' range. If you figure $60-$65/hr shop rate and $30 or $40 for the belt, $150 to $185 before taxes is what you should expect. The DIS crank sensor makes doing the later 2.3L timing belts a bit more of a PITA, especially if it's never been apart before. My 93 was pretty well corroded together when I took it apart, getting that sensor out of the way took most of the time I think. The tensioner for an additional $100 is you being hosed though. The tensioner is only 2 bolts to take off and with everything already out of the way, it's an additional 5 minutes to change it. I wouldn't change it unless it needs to be done.

Now that being said, I have changed a timing belt on a non DIS equipped 2.3 in just over an hour, but that was a car that came apart with no problems, and I have changed probably a dozen 2.3L timing belts so I had the procedure down pat.

As always, YMMV.

James

Why add the extra 0.2 hours if the car has a/c? All you have to do is take off/ put on the A/C belt

Heck, doesn't matter. After I got a "free AC inspection" on my stang they determined the clutch was shot and might sieze in the future, so they reccommended that the belt be taken off.

They tried to charge me 15 bucks to take the belt off. I counted it. From stopping my car in the parking lot to closing the hood. I did it in 30 seconds.

But yeah, .2 hours or 15 bucks to take a belt of is par for the course.

The extra 0.2hrs is to take off the A/C belt tensioner. It blocks the timing cover and has to come off to get the front cover off. I can't remember if I normally just pull the pulley off, or the whole tensioner. It's one or the other. My car is in storage, so I can't go and look. *lol*