ST1100 timing belt - any way to tell if it has been replaced?

My 02 engine imploded at 139,000 miles from a water pump failure not a timing belt failure.
The belt had been changed at 100,000 miles.
But I've got one with 176,000+ miles with the original water pump and one with 130,000+ miles with the original water pump.
It's not the belt that fails, it's the tensioner pulley or the water pump.
If I was concerned, I'd be changing the water pump and the tensioner pulley at 100,000 miles instead of the belt. :biggrin:
 
kiltman said:
What is likely to cause the belt to fail? Age? Or component failure, as in the tension pulleys or water pump? From my reading on various forums, the majority of timing belt failures (rare) tends to be a seizure of a mechanical component that leads to the belt being compromised. That’s what I would be more concerned with.
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That is exactly the issue. It's far more likely the coolant pump, idler pulley, etc. will fail before the belt. I'm not sure I'd be concerned before 100K at any age, but there is always risk. There is risk in messing with a machine that is in perfect running order, within service limits and exhibiting no issues. If I am changing the belt, I'm also changing the coolant pump, idlers, etc. I don't care what it costs. I'm doing the work so there are no labor charges, just parts. The cost of the pump amortized over the time I've owned the bike is not worth discussion, not to mention having the tear into the thing again if it craps out later. My commuter car has a timing belt with a 100K interval. Same belt drives the coolant pump. When I change the belt, I change the pump. Granted the pump is much cheaper, but the labor to get at it makes it a no-brainer to change. Considering how anvil reliable and cheap to run any ST is, the cost of the pump is insurance.
 
Sage advice from you guys. Does anyone have a complete list of parts recommended to be replaced, including gaskets, O-rings, hoses, etc. for the whole while-you're-in-there job?
 
Larry Fine said:
Sage advice from you guys. Does anyone have a complete list of parts recommended to be replaced, including gaskets, O-rings, hoses, etc. for the whole while-you're-in-there job?
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FWIW, there's no "while you're in there" associated with the two jobs you're referring to.

The hoses under the carbs replacement is in a different area of the engine than the timing belt, they're two different jobs.

For the timing belt, look at the "front cover" fiche for a parts breakdown. There are two pulleys that are not cheap, some choose to replace them, some don't. I replaced them, but the original ones
seemed to be OK. My thinking was replace everything and not think about it again for another 100k miles.

for the hoses the fiche is "water pipe".
 
Oldbikefixr said:
Our previous bikes had been GL1000's but I damaged our new looking one when the left side belt broke damaging the intake valves and guides. So, one of my tasks during my refurb was to replace the belt, inspect the pulleys movement while the belt was removed then to adjust the valves. Relatively cheap peace of mind.
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I've never owned a Gold Wing, but remember hearing that the timing belts were a known failure point way back in the day. I suspect the timing belt on the old GL1000s was a different type of belt than that used on the ST, and the fact that they would fail over time has nothing to do with the reliability of the ST belt. With all of the evidence on this forum of old belts looking like new, and nobody ever claiming a belt failure that wasn't due to something else seizing, the ST belt is not something that is a failure waiting to happen.
 
Uncle Phil said:
My 02 engine imploded at 139,000 miles from a water pump failure not a timing belt failure.
The belt had been changed at 100,000 miles.
But I've got one with 176,000+ miles with the original water pump and one with 130,000+ miles with the original water pump.
It's not the belt that fails, it's the tensioner pulley or the water pump.
If I was concerned, I'd be changing the water pump and the tensioner pulley at 100,000 miles instead of the belt. :biggrin:
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hmm... but when I advocate to replace belt, spanner, idler and w/pump as a set at about 100K I'm getting called rude names... ;)
 
You know what's funny? I have friends that rent new cars when they have trips or vacations but we have no fear on our "old" motorcycles. Imho all we can do is do our due dilligence and load up and ride on. Before I make my RTE trip in June I'll do the basic's tire pressure and oil level and full tank and I'm ready to go. Can my original timing belt break at 85K miles...well it's possible but unlikely given the reports by people I trust here on the forum. I'm thinking what may trip me up is the original 23 year old hoses and fuel pump. But as I always say I ain't going to worry about it and I'm really going to enjoy my RTE and enjoy my friends I've met here on the forums. Happy riding!
 
A frame of reference -

I have a nephew-in-law that delivers new semi-trucks - the ones you see where they 'stack' 3 or 4 together.
These are brand new out of the factory units including the one he is driving - and they ain't cheap!
The number of times he has been stranded on the side of the road when the brand new lead truck fails is astonishing.
'New' don't necessarily mean there will not be a problem. ;)
 
Uncle Phil said:
A frame of reference -

I have a nephew-in-law that delivers new semi-trucks - the ones you see where they 'stack' 3 or 4 together.
These are brand new out of the factory units including the one he is driving - and they ain't cheap!
The number of times he has been stranded on the side of the road when the brand new lead truck fails is astonishing.
'New' don't necessarily mean there will not be a problem. ;)
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How true. I have seen it with my own eyes. Mostly from my Harley Davidson friends:rofl1:
 
I can't speak on the ST specifically, however almost every idler pulley I've ever seen has a standard bearing that can be replaced if you have an arbor press or a large vice and a bit of time. Often the new bearing, even a high quality one, will be 10% of the cost of the "new" idler. Pop the bearing out, the numbers are on the side, go get a new one. Easy and saves money.
 
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