Maybe you guys can help me out....my '03 XLT Neon has about 77 K miles on it. When should I change the timing belt?

thanks in advance!

 

well if your driving an XLT, then your not driving a dodge. that'd be ford my son. and you should change your timing belt & waterpump at around 100k miles.


PS. your signature says XST. it's SXT

 

My bad! Too many cars to keep track of, sorry!

So change it at 100k? I read somewhere that it should be changed around 80K? Maybe that just depends on how hard you drive it?

If I can wait until 100K miles, then I'll do that.

Thank you for your help! Sorry about the model mixup!

 

You should be good till 100k for the timing belt...

 

my book says 105k

 

Funny how DCX has two different extended-service schedules out there for this for my '04... one says 90,000 miles, the other says 105,000 miles...

I plan on doing mine somewhere around 90-95k, just to be safe (am on 85k now... )

 

I am around 108k on my neon haven't changed the belt or the pump. Is that a bad thing?

 

yanno dodge says 105, but im betting thats the totaly safe number for changing it. i bet you can go at least 150 before really worrying.

i had a 96 that had 140 when i sold it last year and the guy i sold it to drives alot to different construction jobs and he has not changed it either. last i talked to him was a month ago and its got 155 on that original timing belt. i drove the **** outta that neon and so does he.

he also uses USED 15w40 from his dodge diesel to add to the crankcase when it gets low on oil cuz it burns oil so much. i said it burns so much oil cuz you use USED friggin oil and its wearing out the rings. friggin redneck and a half that boy is. just goes to show that the neon takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. and tickin it does. i feel bad for that little car.

 

Well, it's an all or nothing thing I guess. I could argue as well that you could probably push it past 105 and be fine... but if you're wrong, you will be very wrong lol.

For those viewing this thread who are not aware, just know that the 2.0 in our Neons is an "interference engine." That means that while it is running, the pistons and the valves cross a small amount of the same area of the cylinders while the engine is running... if your timing belt breaks (it usually will not give you any warning whatsoever before it breaks) your valves and crankshaft/pistons will lose their timing, and chances are the valvetrain will stop instantly, while the pistons keep moving... this means the pistons will travel upward and smash into the valves... and thats where the fun just begins to start...

So changing it somewhere in the are of the recommended maintenance schedule is probably a good idea... unless you like full rebuilds.

 

good point for those that do not know. thanks for clearing that up. i plan on changing mine at 105 or so.