Ok cool I bet my engine is fine then.
How can you tell you need to do the timing belt?

Would you agree that if everything is running well and there is no codes that I can wait until at least 105000?

 

unbolt the top timing belt cover, and if there is a lot of play, then its time to do the timing belt. I havent checked mine in a while, but the last time i checked, it was good and tight. From what I have seen, its either the balance shaft belt or the tensioner that goes bad.

 

Nice thanx! Ill check that! That's the info I needed. You always have valuable info pearl.

Cheers!

 

I see the black cover on the front of the engine(engine faces left). I can take that off fairly easy and just look at and feel the timing belt for play? I can hear a little bit of tap tap sound sometimes now when I take off in first.
I was gonna check it this weekend but we took my bros new mustang out of town for thanksgiving instead of my sxt.

 

pearl i have an 02 stratus with a black spoiler as well haha when i saw your car i was like wow his car looks just like mine, my stratus has an aluminum black spoiler stock rims, my car had the disks already but i'm upgrading them soon to drilled and slotted, my car has the black plastic fog light covers, stock height, i just replaced my idler pulley because the bearings in it were going bad but the bolts on the pulley (one in the center and the locking bolt) were both loose when i went to change it, does this mean anything about my timing belt, i got the car with about 50,000 miles and it went through a 47 point inspection before i bought the car for $4,700 it now has 97,000 and i got the car less than a year ago.... i do a lot of small town driving and i know its gonna get expensive quick if i don't replace it (timing belt).... i'm planning on becoming a mechanic and i want to pull the motor and do the job on my own with a little insight from some others... anyway back to my question... how soon do you think i should pull the motor and do the job.... there are no noises really from the motor except the normal Mitsubishi motor noises, i have slowly been replacing all the mounts as they have been going out... Do you think the timing belt is starting to go? i want to be safe than sorry as i now if it breaks its gonna be way worse... everything i know about working on cars i have tough myself but its all been small stuff, kinda. i'm only 17 and really want to learn everything fast but don't want to over do myself, in the middle of a big job like this... please help. there is not much room in the bay with the 3.0 so do i even have to pull the motor or just take the right wheel off and take as many pulleys off as i can?
thanks,
Jake.

 

So I do not need to replace the timing belt pulley's typically?

I.E. - the timing belt components pack that you can buy for $79.99 at Autozone or Pep Boys?

Lance

 

i would just check them if they feel like the bearings are out change them, if they make noise or are hard to turn i would change them but not usually. most of the time they are ok and don't need changed but if you have doubts change them because while your in there might as well, you wouldn't want one to fail later.

 

Ok sounds good thanx!

Lance