Aveo '07 timing belt question

[thecoolestname36]

First off, I bought an aveo at 40k about 5 years ago and I had my timing belt replaced at about 62,000mi after finding this website and hearing about the disastrous results when it fails. (So thank you guys so much for that!)

So far I'm at 130,000mi now and I'm wondering if I should replace it again. Should I replace the timing belt ever 60,000mi? This has been in the back of my mind for the last year and I feel like I'm really pushing the envelope right now.

I'm thinking about bringing it to a dealership just to have it checked out to be on the safe side of things. But if they're already in there they might as well replace the part so I don't have to have two different charges for labor.

What do you think?

[Daox]

A lot of the time when the 'timing belt goes' its not the timing belt, its the idler pulley on these cars. Then the belt jumps time and things go boom. Unfortunately you can't check the idler pulley. I'd replace the belt and pulley and be safe. I would also not have a dealer do the work. A timing belt is not anything special and a private shop will be cheaper.

[avguy]

Just expanding a bit on what Daox wrote. There are 4 components in the timing belt loop: belt; idler pulley; tensioner; and water pump. The later 3 all have bearings, and can fail as they age. So if you want the best insurance against major engine damage, replace all 4 components. The fact that the parts outfits sell them as a package tends to show that full replacement is a fairly common thing. This will of course increase what you will pay, but the potential cost of the major failure weighs heavily in favor of spending a relatively small extra amount now. For those of us who DIY, I believe that replacing everything has become the norm.

[thecoolestname36]

I dont feel confident enough to go inside of the engine since I've never been there before. I've done the breaks, struts, bearings (I pressed them in to save money) tie rod ends, master cylinder, thermostat, sway bar linkages, and the idler pulley on the serpentine belt so far on this car myself. Do you think with this experience I would be able to handle this on my own?

[avguy]

Given the things you've done previously, the timing belt would be a breeze. There are no rusted bolts as found in suspension work, and all of the parts should come out and go back in very easily. The kit costs around $100, and you will save $300-500 in labor by doing the work yourself. Just study the how-to DIYs for this job which are found on this forum and other sites, and you should do just fine