Doug I disagree with you on your advice to use the Mitsu belt.

The dealer quoted me what, 240 dollars for the timing belt? I got it at a different place for 60 or 70 bucks.

Unless the Mitsu one lasts 3 times longer than the regular one, I wouldn't see why one would spend that much to get it..

Maybe for your engine the price was close then I see what you're saying, but I don't believe that with the 98 sport that would be the case.

Spawn, the nice thing about dealer parts and Genuine mitsu parts is that they have a 90 day warrenty....where the OEM doesn't..

But I guess in the end, if the new belt breaks anyways, a belt will be the last thing on your mind <img border="0" title="" alt="[Embarrassed]" src="images/icons/blush.gif" />

But atleast with the Mitsu belt, you might have something to fall back on..what, go back down to PepBoys and say this belt you bought 2 months broke and now your engine is toast ???

So they refund you the 250 dollars you paid for an over-priced belt. <img border="0" alt="[Baby]" title="" src="graemlins/baby.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /> the rest of the repairs are on you.

I am against paying < rediculously high prices > for OEM items.. From my experience aftermarket performs fine < knock on wood >

The dealer quoted me what, 240 dollars for the timing belt? I got it at a different place for 60 or 70 bucks. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="images/icons/shocked.gif" />

Autozone sells a Goodyear belt for around $30 - their most expensive is about $55 for a beck/arnley. I admit don't know what the track record is for these. I bought the Goodyear.

Question:
Am I right that if one has the belt off, and turns the crank over BY HAND, one would feel a "valve hit" if one was in the way? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" /> This is a '90 3.0, and I've heard both "yes" and "no" on the interference question. I'm in the middle of replacing my belt, and turned the crank around while removing my broken pulley bolt. The only thing I felt was the compression... I hope not feeling any "bumps" means not interference.
-Eric

Just from my experience I had a timing belt break on a 3.0 on the highway, and it caused no valve issues. Even had someone start one with the cams miss-alligned. Cannot say whether the 3.5 would be the same way, expecially the DOHC though.

Early 3.0 sohc engine is NOT an interference engine, and can be turned with the timing belt off. Crank pulley bolt removal is done with the starter and a breaker bar long enough to reach the driver's side frame rail - one tap of the key and it's off - but you'll still have to get the pulley and sprocket off the crank, which was a nighmare in Powell's, and required a new timing belt sprocket before we were through.