Timing Belt Replacement Cost (2026)

Replacing a timing belt costs about $505–$1,005 at an independent shop in 2026 when the water pump is replaced with it, as Gates recommends for belt-driven pumps: a $196–$346 belt-and-pump kit plus 3.1–4.4 hours of labor at $100–$150/hr. Belt kit alone: about $390–$790. With genuine Honda parts at dealer labor rates, a Honda V6 job works out to about $1,200–$1,540. Engines with a timing chain have no belt to replace.

Sources: chain price pages, retailer and manufacturer list prices, official documents (below) · Prices checked 2026-11-09 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology

Timing Belt Replacement cost by service type

ServiceParts / fluidLaborTypical shop total
Timing belt kit (belt, tensioner, idlers)$81–$1293.1–4.4 hr$390–$790[1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6]Gates kit + 3.1–4.4 hr (Gates installation-sheet times) × $100–$150/hr
Timing belt kit + water pump$196–$3463.1–4.4 hr$505–$1,005[4],[5],[6],[7],[8],[9],[10]Gates/Aisin kit with pump + the same 3.1–4.4 hr × $100–$150/hr
Dealer, Honda V6 with genuine parts$650–$770Belt + tensioner + pump at MSRP4.4 hr$1,200–$1,540[4],[11],[12],[13],[14],[15],[16]Honda MSRP parts + 4.4 hr × dealer rate $125–$175/hr

Labor varies by engine: Gates’ sheets list 3.1 hours (Saturn 3.5L), 3.7 (Toyota 4.7L V8) and 4.4 (Honda/Acura V6). Seals, drive belts and coolant can add to the bill. Before tax, shop-supply and disposal fees. Where we derive a total, labor is hours × $$100–$150 per hour[5],[6]. See the methodology.

DIY vs. shop vs. dealer

WhereCostWhat you get
DIY$80–$345Kit only to kit with pumpKits cost about $81–$129 without a pump and $196–$346 with one. It’s an advanced job: cam and crank timing must be locked and set exactly.[1],[2],[7],[9]
Chain / independent shop$505–$1,005With water pumpAftermarket kit plus book hours at $100–$150/hr. One Honda/Acura specialist posts $1,100–$1,650 for a complete kit job with pump, drive belts and coolant, and $600–$800 for the belt alone.[5],[6],[17]
Dealer$1,200–$1,540Honda V6, derivedGenuine parts list for about $650–$770 on a Honda V6 before labor. Dealers often run timing belt coupons, such as $150 off a package that includes the water pump and seals.[11],[12],[14],[18]

On an interference engine, turning the crankshaft or camshaft with the belt off can damage the engine, so follow the manufacturer’s procedure exactly. If you’re not set up to lock the cams and verify timing, this is a shop job.[19]

Timing belt vs. timing chain

  • Not every engine has a timing belt. If your owner’s manual lists no timing belt replacement interval, your engine likely uses a timing chain, which isn’t a scheduled replacement item. Check the manual or ask a dealer with your VIN.
  • Belt engines carry a mileage-and-time interval: Acura specifies the J-series V6 belt every 105,000 miles or 84 months (or when maintenance code 4 shows), and every 60,000 miles under adverse conditions.[4]
  • Toyota specifies the 4.7L V8 (2UZ-FE) belt every 90,000 miles or 72 months; Saturn specified its 3.5L V6 at 100,000 miles.[3],[20]
  • Gates identifies the Honda/Acura J-series and Toyota 2UZ as interference engines, where a broken belt is likely to cause valve-to-piston damage. That is why the interval matters more than for most maintenance.[4],[20]

Should you replace the water pump with the timing belt?

  • If the belt drives the pump, yes: Gates’ product copy says timing-belt-driven water pumps should always be replaced at the same time as the belt.[21]
  • Pump maker GMB notes the customer already pays for 4–6 hours of labor to change the belt and that replacing the pump at the same time adds almost no extra labor time.[22]
  • In parts, a kit with the pump costs about $115 more than the same kit without it.[1],[2],[7],[8]
  • Gates also recommends replacing the thermostat with the water pump.[19]

What drives the cost

  • Engine: labor ranges from about 3 to 4.4 hours on the engines in Gates’ installation sheets, and V6 and boxer engines tend to be at the high end.[3],[4],[20]
  • Whether the kit includes the water pump: about $115 more in parts on the kits we priced.[1],[7]
  • Genuine vs. aftermarket parts: Honda’s list prices for belt, tensioner and pump total about $650–$770, versus $196–$346 for an aftermarket kit with pump.[8],[11],[12],[14]
  • Shop labor rate: $100–$150 an hour at most independents, $125–$175 effective at dealers.[5],[6],[15],[16]

When you actually need it

Replace it at the mileage or time in your owner’s manual, whichever comes first, and use the severe-condition interval if it applies to how you drive. A timing belt usually gives no warning before it fails, so waiting for symptoms isn’t a strategy on an interference engine.[4]

To find your engine’s scheduled intervals, see maintenance schedules by brand.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to replace a timing belt?

About $505–$1,005 at an independent shop with the water pump (kit $196–$346 plus 3.1–4.4 hours at $100–$150/hr), or about $390–$790 for the belt kit alone. A Honda V6 with genuine parts at dealer rates works out to about $1,200–$1,540.

How long does a timing belt replacement take?

Gates’ installation sheets list 3.1 hours (Saturn 3.5L V6), 3.7 hours (Toyota 4.7L V8) and 4.4 hours (Honda/Acura J-series V6) to remove and install.

When should a timing belt be replaced?

At your manual’s interval: for example, 105,000 miles or 84 months on the Honda/Acura J-series V6 (60,000 under adverse conditions) and 90,000 miles or 72 months on Toyota’s 4.7L V8.

Does my car have a timing belt or chain?

Check the owner’s manual maintenance schedule: a belt engine lists a replacement interval; a chain engine doesn’t. Your dealer can confirm from the VIN.

What happens if a timing belt breaks?

The engine stops. On an interference engine, such as the Honda/Acura J-series V6, Gates says valve-to-piston damage is most likely, which turns a belt job into an engine repair.

Sources

  1. PartsHawk, Gates TCK257 timing belt component kit (Toyota 1MZ-FE 3.0L), accessed 2026-11-09.
  2. PartsHawk, Gates TCK329 timing belt component kit (Honda/Acura J-series V6), accessed 2026-11-09.
  3. Gates Corporation, Installation instructions TCK329 / TCKWP329 (Saturn Vue 3.5L): interval and labor 3.1 hr (2025-05-22), accessed 2026-11-09.
  4. Gates Corporation, Installation instructions TCK329 / TCKWP329 (Honda/Acura J-series V6): interval, interference engine, labor 4.4 hr (2025-05-22), accessed 2026-11-09.
  5. Ratchet+Wrench, 2026 Ratchet+Wrench Industry Survey (posted labor rate distribution, p. 13) (2026-06-29), accessed 2026-11-09.
  6. Ratchet+Wrench, Industry Insights: U.S. Auto Repair Shops and Labor Rate Trends (PartsTech 2025 shop survey) (2026-08-19), accessed 2026-11-09.
  7. PartsHawk, Gates TCKWP257 timing belt kit with water pump (Toyota 1MZ-FE 3.0L), accessed 2026-11-09.
  8. PartsHawk, Gates TCKWP329 timing belt kit with water pump (Honda/Acura J-series V6), accessed 2026-11-09.
  9. PartsHawk, Gates TCKWP328 timing belt kit with water pump (Subaru EJ25), accessed 2026-11-09.
  10. PartsHawk, Aisin TKH-002 timing belt kit with water pump (Honda/Acura J-series), accessed 2026-11-09.
  11. Honda Parts Now (Honda dealer parts), Genuine Honda timing belt 14400-RCA-A01 (MSRP), accessed 2026-11-09.
  12. Honda Parts Now (Honda dealer parts), Genuine Honda timing belt auto tensioner 14520-RCA-A01 (MSRP), accessed 2026-11-09.
  13. Honda Parts Now (Honda dealer parts), Genuine Honda water pump 19200-R70-A01 (MSRP), accessed 2026-11-09.
  14. Honda Parts Now (Honda dealer parts), Genuine Honda water pump 19200-RCA-A01 (MSRP), accessed 2026-11-09.
  15. Dealership Guy, Reynolds and Reynolds: repair orders, rates increase for shops (Fixed Operation Golden Metrics 2026) (2026-08-17), accessed 2026-11-09.
  16. Reynolds and Reynolds, The Fixed Operations Golden Metrics 2025 (dealer effective labor rate) (2025-08), accessed 2026-11-09.
  17. Nalley’s Automotive, Anderson SC (local shop example), Timing belt replacement: posted price ranges, accessed 2026-11-09.
  18. Capitol Acura, San Jose (dealer), Service special: timing belt package $150 off, accessed 2026-11-09.
  19. Gates Corporation, Installation Instructions for the Water Pump (2024), accessed 2026-11-09.
  20. Gates Corporation, Installation instructions TCK298 / TCKWP298 (Toyota 4.7L 2UZ-FE): interval, interference engine, labor 3.7 hr (2025-02), accessed 2026-11-09.
  21. Beach Audio (Gates product listing), Gates TCKWP329 Timing Belt Component Kit with water pump, accessed 2026-11-09.
  22. GMB North America, Why Smart Techs Replace Water Pumps Along With Timing Belts (2026-04-16), accessed 2026-11-09.