Pete Candela is a AAA ASE Certified Auto Expert with over 20 years’ experience.
My Honda owner’s manual says to change the timing belt at 105,000 miles. What other components do you recommend be replaced at the same time as the timing belt to save on labor costs?—Michael Z.
Great question! You may want to replace the tensioner pulley and water pump when replacing the timing belt. If you have luck like I do and don’t replace these items now, sure enough two weeks after the job is done either the water pump will start leaking or the tensioner pulley will start to make noise. Depending on your specific application, some aftermarket parts stores such as NAPA (which offers a 7% AAA Member discount on most parts) sell these items as a kit or separately.
While driving home late one night, my car began to overheat. I didn’t just want to stop where I was, so I drove the vehicle until the engine quit. Now my mechanic is telling me my engine is ruined, and I should have stopped the car immediately. What should I have done?—Tiffany R.
Extensive internal engine damage oftentimes can be avoided by shutting the engine down at the first signs of the temperature getting hotter than normal. Pulling over at the first safe opportunity, shutting the engine down immediately and calling AAA Emergency Road Service would be my first choice.