my 99 protege just hit the 64k mile mark, i know its time for the timing belt. Is this a thing i can do myself or should i have a shop do it. Has anyone done this by themselves? also i looked in the manual and it says that i need a special tool to lock the crankshaft. i checked at the dealership and they said that they cant order the tool for customer, and my local parts stores dont have the tool. what should i do?

 

have a mechanic (not the dealer) do it for you. Also have the mechanic save the old timing belt for you and give it back to you when you pay. Trust me. If there is a problem later you can verify if they actually replaced it or not....but most places are honest about it. Just extra insurance.