A timing belt a lone for my car is $52 without a water pump on partsamerica.com It does not say if the water pump is included. They sell a water pump separately for like $80 with a lifetime warranty. I do not know if my cars water pump is driven by the timing belt like I read but it most likely is. I read that it is a good idea to change the water pump each time when the timing belt is changed. I cant do that because I cant afford the water pump but is that a good idea?
Does anybody have any good instructions on how to change a timing belt? On my car the timing belt has a cover and it's on the side of the engine, I guess like most cars. All I know is that I'll take the cover off, loosen the tensioner, take the timing belt off, put the new one on and than tighten the tensioner and I'm supposedly done. I do not know how the tensioner is tightened or how much I should tighten it. I do not know if I have to take anything else off the engine to change the timing belt. I hear from some people that there is other things they need to take off the engine and that is why it costs so much to get a timing belt replaced at a shop. A shop is out of the question because it costs too much.
I also read that the tensioner is replaced each time with the timing belt. I cant find a tensioner. Should I replace the timing belt even though I cant find a tensioner?
They also have timing chains. Some expensive ones and some cheap. This one is $200 http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...number=1449841
I cant afford that but is it better to have a timing chain. Are the only advantages over a belt noise, and durability?
This is for a 2000 Hyundai Elantra. Also needs an oil change soon, spark plugs, and maybe a fuel filter. All I can do myself except the spark plugs because I need some tools which I'll have to buy.