ok so i got most the engine put together but dont got the timing cover on because i had to cut it during dissasembly so my question is who here is missing the cover and had no issues with there timing belt

Me...

I haven't had the cover for about a year and a half now. No issues whatsoever. I don't work around the timing belt while the car is running, I'm fastidiously tidy when it comes to objects near the timing belt, and I avoid gravel and dirt roads at all costs.

I have the 1/2 of lower on (with a hole cut out at the pulley) and the upper half long gone. Been doing it since my first mod. BUT I'm willing to take the hit if something does get caught up in the belt. THAT can ruin your whole day (oh yeah, and engine).

A friend of mine has been that way for about 5 months and no problems, even on graveled roads. Plus that DSM has a 2" drop.


Just don't be like this one guy who was using a shirt as a rag to clean the valve cover and got it caught in the belt and ruined the engine. O yeah, don't worry, he wasn't wearing the shirt at the time.

Originally posted by bullettdsm
I have the 1/2 of lower on

Same here

Originally posted by bullettdsm
BUT I'm willing to take the hit if something does get caught up in the belt. THAT can ruin your whole day (oh yeah, and engine).

Yes it can. It's a bad feeling, when it happened to me, it wasn't a result of having the timing cover off though so it doesn't make me worry too much.

I'm only partially willing to take that chance. My one fear when removing the cover was what if one of the accessory belts got thrown off and went into the timing belt. I made a crude, but easily removable shield to protect the timing belt from the accesory belts if one of them were to break.

No belt here for 2 years now, no problems as of yet.

Originally posted by eclipse982nrRST
No belt here for 2 years now, no problems as of yet.

not too much can damage a timing belt that doesn't exist. j/k :P

I run mine fully covered, I don't want to chance it.

i dont have one at all. however i only drive my car about 2500 miles a year.

I think it has been 2 1/2 years without a front or back timing belt cover, and I've had no issues. I also don't drive around in very heavy rain or where there are deep puddles, and at most put about 6000 miles a year on the car.

My suggestion would be to never do ANYTHING under the hood while the engine is running, so you don't chance dropping anything in there, and also not to drive in any deep puddles, and to keep the splashguards on the car, just to be safe.

I have the top half/passenger side cut off, as the chance of road debris entering the timing belt area from that route is remote. I prefer not to chance it by having the bottom half unprotected, as that's obviously closer to the ground and passenger side wheel well, and there have been a few incidents on this board where a rock caused a timing belt loss.

this is what happened to me for not running a timing cover, I would say don't do it EVER

I would highly recommend you run with at LEAST the lower half. A lot of guys cut the timing cover in half at the head, which is actually really nice if you ever need to remove the head b/c it just comes off then. I was running a stock lower half, and I custom made my own top half out of clear plexiglas which looked pretty cool b/c you could still see the timing belt and cam gears, but they were covered. As you can see, a lot of guys have responded, so you are just going to have to make your own decision and realize some come with risks. If you need a new cover, drop me a PM, I think I have one cut in half at the head sitting in my basement.