| Subject: | Timing Belt Replacement |
| Question: | I was told that any
time you take a timing belt off you should replace it. Is this true? If a mechanic failed to replace one that was taken off and merely put the old one back on, could this lead to damage to the crank and camshaft seal? If so, in your opinion, would the mechanic be liable for this damage for failing to replace the timing belt? The vehicle at issue here is a 1990 Mitsubishi Montero. |
| Answer: | David, Your timing belts (you actually have two; one is the balance belt) should be replaced every 60K miles or so, regardless of how good it looks. If the belt the mechanic removed does not have that many miles on it, and it looked out, then putting the old belt back on is not a problem. I've removed my own timing belt several times, and just put it back on. The crankshaft is probably the strongest part on your engine, and wil very really be damaged. Though it is a good idea to replace a camshaft seal if there are oil leaks detected. The dealership is not liable for putting an old timing belt back on. |