VTIR timing belt cover

[abzndintegra]

Guys

Managed to crack my timing belt cover on my prelude 5th Gen, need to know is it a must to change or can i get away with it cracked. its only visual not in the way of the timing belt itself.

need to know if it will cause motor damaged, also is this cover there only so that noone touches the timing belt (protecton) or asthetics.

[J2daW]

yeah its there to protect the belt and sprockets from tamper, foreign object and dust. dust is only minor but could build up if taken off road or driven behind certain vehicles emitting dust! would only shorten the life of the belt slightly but best off replacing it. wouldn't imagine it would cost more than $10 from a wreckers but...

[Photonic_Si]

Honda has it to prevent the interferance of any foreign object. The chances are low of something falling in there.

Having said that, i have seen a top cover off and a small road rock flicked up past the splashguards and shredded the belt on a mates engine.

Replace the cover or remove it entirely because with a hole in it, its basically a funnel.

[abzndintegra]

Yeh i ended up replacing it, i dont know why i thought it would be expensvie to buy, my mate at honda hooked me up, $45 for a new one which was awesome price, took me about 40 minutes to replace, those bloddy bolts were hard to get to!