[Bob Lincoln]

Not familiar with your car, but for my 4-cylinder Daytonas, and the Camry my wife used to own, about $150 to $200 was normal for a professional to do it. The belts are typically $20 to $40, the rest is labor. Depends on how many things have to get unbolted to get at the belt. What engine is this?

 

[73chargerse]

It's the 3.5 HO.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Someone here will have had experience as to what gets removed for access. I can't believe that it's a 7-hour job plus the cost of the part. I did my first timing belt ever when I replaced my (first-time) head gasket, and the belt is about a 4-5 hour job for a total amateur. And it was NOT hard.

 

[73chargerse]

I would love to do it myself, but time is hard to come by with the little ones. That, and I don't have a very extensive array of tools. I also understand that even if it is 700-800 to have it professionally done, it's still cheaper than replacing the motor. I'd just rather not have to spend that much.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Skim through the service manual procedure in you public library and then decide if it is something that you have the skills and the tools to tackle.
The first time around, you better leave yourself a day with plenty of breaks and not knowing the tricks and shortcuts. The shop labor time may be ~5 hours. Replace the water pump and idler pulley at the same time as well. Use the orange HOAT coolant only.

 

[John Wood]

As I understand it, this is one of the more complicted vehicles to change the belt on, plus replacing the water pump at the same time should be a given due to the labor to disassemble and put it back together. There is a writeup and a couple of experiences documented on Allpar at:
http://www.allpar.com/fix/timingbelt35.html

I suspect the $700 quote, which should include a new waterpump, is not out of line.

 

[ImperialCrown]

As noted in the above link, it is easy to get one tooth off and have to disassemble the front of the engine again.
To prevent this major headache, rotate the crank 2 turns after the new belt is on and recheck the timing marks. Many times the belt path will 'settle' after being turned a couple of turns and the marks may then no longer be in time.

 

[73chargerse]

Thanks for the advice guys. May seriously consider doing it myself unless I end up trading it soon. Considering a T&C or Grand Caravan or an SUV.

 

[John Wood]

Here is a pretty good link with pictures and the author's personal comments. It is definitely worth a look.

http://www.dodgeintrepid.net/showthread.php?t=211602

 

[blackstratus]

01 300M Timing belt replacement was $680 at the local Chrysler dealer , that price was from earlier this Spring. Timing belt, water pump and new coolant. Also they did the A/C drive belt.

 

[73chargerse]

Thanks for the info!

 

[carguygibby]

I did mine a couple of years ago, most of the work involved is taking all the crap off just to get to the timing belt. I put in a new timing belt, tensioner and water pump (a must!) and A/C plus alternator belts. Fortunately I do have all the tools but it's not a job I want to repeat any time soon!
Colin

 

[raymondo112]

Just type it in on you-tube, why read about it when you can watch it in real life its like face to face. It's easier to change than most other vehicles due to the front facing motor design, you need a special dampner puller you can buy it online for 80 or less got to search for it, and the rest is just depending on if you work on vehicles what your abilitys are under the hood. Mine aren't great compared to some I am entry level technical, but was more than able to get it done. The timing belt on my car I replaced at 125K miles and it still looked like it could have gone longer, the factory belts on these cars look better than the aftermarket ones. I would still do it asap though, and remember get the kit with the pulley and add a new tensioner better be safe than sorry, and do the water pump since you are there, it doesn't cost much to buy. You can get the whole package on e-bay cheap, and the puller too I bet. Internet is great anybody now a days can be an automotive parts changer by watching you tube. Just the diagnostic and basic knowledge people lack but you can pick it up there too, I wish I could get my money back from that technical school. I would have just sat at home and watched videos.

The only problem I ran into with the 3.5 was keeping the marks from moving off center on the cams, I saw a video latter on someone ran into the same problem and showed a neat trick as to how to correct that it took him a couple times but it took me a whole weekend to do it, sure wish I had seen that video. I wouldn't have wasted 2 days playing around with it calling people and what not, at least you can see it and you got room to play with, not possible with some other cars, I'll take an LH anyday over few of these other ones. :thumbsup:

 

[78LilRed]

The timing belt on my car I replaced at 125K miles and it still looked like it could have gone longer, the factory belts on these cars look better than the aftermarket ones.

On the 5 LH cars I have done timing belts all of them "looked" like new.......fact is though that they are internally/physically compromised due to age and mileage. And can snap at any moment. Then the other concern is the Water Pump bearing seizing up...

 

[raymondo112]

I can reason with that, that's why I never reused it, much cheaper to replace a timing belt and water pump than a whole motor. Look at it that way when you do it and it will make perfect sense, I went with the gates brand belt from Carquest, it didn't seem as well made as the one it came with. It was funny because the day I decided to do it some guy came buy to buy my old heads from my 440 for his Roadrunner and he was doing the same thing to his daughters 3.5. Was running into the same problems too. l.o.l.