The background: Have a 2005 AWD 3.5 L Pacifica since new, 100k miles at this point. Want to get a couple more years out of it if possible but don't want to put a ton of money in it. When something happens big time I trash it due to low resale values. That being said it is about time to change the timing belt. Is it really necessary at this point? What mileage have others obtained before it either broke or continues to run? I do understand my risk if it does go, I call it quits. Let me know what you have gotten (or not) out of this engines timing belt.

 

100k is when its done. if you want someone to tell u that there magic number was xxx and expect yours to be the same thats fool hearty. A the way yours was driven is surely different then theres was plus environment plus if ever been changed before what brand was put in ect. DO your math from this point see how much it is to change it and the water pump and pulleys then make your own call. But asking how far you can go on lady luck is all you no one else should answer that.

 

Thanks for the reply. My question was not how far I can go on the original timing belt but how far others have gotten on theirs. I can then make a better educated decision based on current engine / belt design vs. the standard maintenance schedule. Since the recommendation is around 100k miles surely only a very few are expected to fail by then otherwise the recommendation would have been much shorter since a failure while driving is not very good and they error on the side of caution typically.

 

7 years 100k replacement, so you are way overdue based on age.
These engines are NOT freewheeling, meaning that if/when the belt breaks/skips the valves will contact the pistons trashing the heads.
Belts age with time as well as miles. A number of documented failures on the 300Mclub site both from age and or mileage. One instance of belt replaced at 100k, failed 90k later just before the planned replacement for the second time. A recent topic on the Prowler Forum indicates as the belts age they stretch (same 3.5 engine, typically low miles but aged)
If you plan to get a few more years out of it, replace the belt as failure is just a matter of time.

 

Maybe just take a chance the next couple years instead of investing the $600 into a car worth maybe $2500. Have really not been able to find a cases where the 3.5L Pacifica timing belts failed prior to 100k miles online, been checking Craigslist occasionally and some I have seen have close to 200k miles without it changed. I know the recommended change interval is at my current mileage of 100k but recommendations from the manufacture mean their tests indicate failure prior is rare. Current internet searches seem to coincide. Just wanted to see if anyone had stories to prove otherwise. Will report back down the road how it goes.

 

I replaced a timing belt on a PT 2006 that had 89k on it it broke took out some valves. that was a month ago