My Pacifica Touring purchased new has 110,000 highway miles. The only service is oil and filters. It runs like new, cool and uses a qt of oil about every 4000 miles. The car is like new and I'm leaving in a month on a 4000 trip and I'm worried about the timing belt...the serpentine belt looks great. I hate to have someone pull apart an engine that's running perfectly. Any thoughts?

 

Sounds like it was never done yet. Belt Change interval is 7 years/100k. You are over due big time and are playing Russian roulette due to the fact that when it slips/breaks the valves will bend when they hit the pistons.
Well documented at the 300mclub.org site as it is the same engine.

 

Thanks FIREM, you are correct I am playing Russian roulette but it's so hard to let an unknown mechanic tear into a beautifully running engine. Sort of like having a heart cauterization to check for blockages when you have no symptoms. This car has been a trouble free joy to own. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and change it even though I plan to sell it early fall. I don't want the belt to break in the wilds of the New Mexico desert.

 

For me I am letting it go and not going to change it, I have 102k now and really what is the vehicle worth now? Runs great but I know if it goes the engine is trashed but oh well not worth the investment in a 12 year old car. If I get a couple years more I will be very happy. Have AAA and they can tow it to a junk yard if needed.....

 

brian3 your post made me smile as I've had the same thought, and it's valid. The problem is I need the car to take me from my home in VA to the desert of NM and back. Why not get a new car now...long story. The thought of being stranded in the NM desert is not appealing, or do I spend the money on preventive maintenance and hope the mechanic knows what he is doing. It's a crap shoot, one is expensive the other costs nothing. All your input is very helpful and appreciated but the bottom line it's my choice. Oh how I wish it had a chain!

 

My thoughts are they designed the engine with a lot of headroom on the recommended mileage to change the timing belt. Otherwise we would hear a lot of engines destroyed as some do not change it even at 200k. looking at the forums I have not seen that and when you see a Pacifica with 200k miles on Craigslist and talk to them they most likely did not change the timing belt either,

 

brian3 I tend to agree but there is another factor that gives me greater concern and that's the water pump. Now I have no indication that the pump has a problem but if it fails it will take out the belt. Yesterday I took the car to a local repair shop that primarily works on semi-tractors like Freightliner but also has an auto division. It is highly thought of. The head of the auto shop couldn't believe that the serpentine belt had never been changed as it looks new, but I do have a spare. He gave me a quote of $750.00 to install the belt kit and to do a complete service on the car. The price seemed fair so I gave him the go ahead.

 

As a follow up I take the car in tomorrow AM to have the timing belt changed with new water pump, gaskets and other items in the kit. Of course coolant will be replaced along with a new serpentine belt keeping the old as a spare.

My son just told me he sold his 2005 Pacifica to his brother in-law and the car now has 250,000 miles with nothing changed but the oil. Guess he's lucky but I still feel better changing the timing belt and water pump. I'll have the trans fluid changed later this summer. Great car like new, drives great and still looks up to date so why spend $$$ on a new car?

Any thoughts on using Seafoam in the gas to clean the injectors?

 

I starting using Seafoam occasionally on fill ups then started to get the cat efficiency check engine codes. Certainly do not know if related or just years of burning oil thru the cat. Ended up changing the cat and don't use additives just in case related but I do not know for sure it was or not.

 

very curious how things worked out with the timing belt service?
how did the old belt look?
would you give us a good update.