Jul. 24, 2024
While you may not see or interact with your car's timing belt every time you drive, it plays an essential task in the mechanics of your vehicle. The timing belt is an engine piece that rotates the engine's cam and crankshaft to be in sync. The strap makes sure every cylinder fires at the right time. These rubbery components can be found under a timing cover near the front of the engine.
Like any other equipment that goes under a lot of strain and pressure, a timing belt will lose its efficiency over time. It is best to look in your owner's manual or consult with a certified professional for advice when it is best to replace your timing belt or chain. Otherwise, a snapped timing belt will cause your engine to fail entirely and possibly bring down other parts of the engine. It is vital that you replace the rubbery at the first warning signs.
Seven years is the maximum life of the timing belt advised by most manufacturers. Regardless of miles, the timing belt should be restored even if the car has only 30,000 miles but is seven years of age. If your timing belt is starting to physically look worn, you may experience any of these warning signs:
A ticking noise emanating from under the hood
An oil leak near the engine
Your motor runs rough
Overall poor vehicle performance
You experience exhaust problems
Poor fuel efficiency
If you believe your vehicle is overdue for a new timing belt, please do not hesitate to bring it to Global Car Care. We are conveniently located in Wenatchee, WA.
When your watch is ticking, you know that it is working right. When you can hear your engine lightly it’s a sign that your engine is usually running ok, but maybe not for long. It may be time to replace the timing belt on your vehicle.
Knowing about timing belt replacements will save you from unexpected breakdowns and help you to avoid thousands of dollars in repair costs. At Honest Accurate Auto Service, we stick to the golden rule that preemptive replacement of your timing belt is the best policy.
Our expert Auto Techs know that it isn’t a question of if the timing belt will break, but when. We offer vehicle owners in Colorado Springs auto repair services from our East location on Tutt Boulevard and our West location on Nevada Mesa View.
A timing belt is an essential part of your engine. The function of a timing belt is to synchronize movement between the crankshaft and camshaft – this movement allows valves to open and close at the correct time so that your engine can run optimally.
There are two types of engines. Interference and non-interference. The interference engine occurs when the timing belt fails or jumps a tooth on the sprocket. If this happens, you might hear our technician say that the valves and pistons have collided and have bent the valves.
If the timing belt breaks, the interference will cause major damage to your engine. If the timing belt on an older vehicle needs to be replaced, the repair cost might exceed the value of the car.
If you have a non-interference engine and the belt breaks or skips a tooth on the sprocket the car will simply stop running or not start. If you want to know whether you have a vehicle with an interference engine, click here.
Advice from Accurate Andy…
“Removing your timing cover will only make the timing belt partially visible to you. That’s why you should check if your timing belt needs to be replaced by using your owner’s manual. Your owner’s manual is a good resource and will recommend the mileage interval recommended for your specific vehicle make and model.”
The recommended replacement according to mileage ranges from 60,000 miles to 150,000 miles. If your vehicle is 6 to 10 years old, it is recommended to replace the timing belt.
If you have these questions, it may be a sign that it is time to replace your timing belt.
1. Why is oil leaking from my vehicle’s motor?
If your car won’t start it could be a variety of issues. Or it could be because it’s time to get the timing belt checked. A broken timing belt results in no compression between parts of your engine and getting it started will not be possible.
2. Why is oil leaking from my vehicle’s motor?
Oil can leak from behind the timing belt where the oil pump, various seals, and RTV are supposed to keep the engine from leaking oil. This can be one of the most expensive oil leaks possible when it comes to repair costs.
3. What is the repair history of my vehicle?
The repair history of your vehicle can provide insight into the condition of your timing belt. If your vehicle is 6 to 10 years old and the timing belt has never been serviced, it’s time to come visit Honest Accurate Auto Services!
Timing belt replacement can be pricey because of labor costs associated with the repair. Honest Accurate Auto Services saves you money by including a variety of other repairs and checks in your timing belt replacement.
Your timing belt service includes…
We replace your water pump at the same time as your timing belt. This is because the lifespan of a water pump is unknown. By doing this, you can avoid an expensive labor charge in the future.
These parts of your engine will be checked and replaced. We call these components “wear items” – they can be worn out by the time vehicle owners come in for a timing belt replacement.
Although not included, we recommend you have us drain your water pump and replace it with fresh coolant.
When you stop by Honest Accurate Auto Services, our experienced Service Advisors and ASE Certified technicians can advise you as to when your car should have the timing belt replaced. They can also tell you if you have an interference engine.
We have two locations in Colorado Springs. Reach out today to make a service appointment!
Protect your investment in your vehicle and take care to follow your recommended service intervals. Maintain the integrity of your manufacturer warranty by caring for your car. It not only saves dollars and cents, but it makes sense!
Customers should be informed by workshops
If the manufacturer has not provided suitable specifications, ContiTech advises that timing belts be replaced after six years at the latest.
The correct time to change a timing belt depends not only on the mileage of the car, but also on the age of the belt, Workshops should inform their customers of this, advises ContiTech. "Long periods of non-use place just as much strain on a belt as regular operation does. Aging damages the material – no matter how much you drive," explains Helmut Engel, Head of Automotive Aftermarket at the ContiTech Power Transmission Group.Replacing a timing belt at the proper time prevents costly engine damage. Decisive for the replacement, however, is not only the number of kilometers driven but also the age of the belt.Many drivers don't realize that the mileage on the clock isn't the only reason to make regular trips to the repair workshop. Most second cars, city cars and convertibles are unlikely to reach the replacement intervals specified by the manufacturer, even after many years of driving. In Germany, over ten million cars are driven as second cars – just under a quarter of the cars licensed with the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrtbundesamt)."In the last few years, some manufacturers have already started to change replacemnt intervals to take age into account, especially for timing belts. However, these changes are not indicated in the service manual,” explains Kai-Uwe Suppé, technical trainer at ContiTech. In order to perform maintenance in accordance with the inspection guidelines, repair workshops should therefore always refer to up-to-date information, otherwise they could be liable to pay compensation in case of damage. "Automobile businesses can obtain all the important information on diagnosis, repairs and maintenance via providers such as Autodata. The information available via such services is updated regularly based on the original manufacturer specifications. That way, the workshop is on the safe side," explains Suppé.When changing belts, it is also highly recommended to replace all the relevant belt drive components at the same time. This provides greater safety for the engine. With OEM-quality kits containing perfectly matched drive components, ContiTech offers the right products for this task. The advantages for workshops are clear: there is no need to order individual parts, you can always be certain that the parts match the vehicle and type and administration for incoming goods and processing becomes a lot simpler. This saves time and reduces process costs. Using kits also provides mechanics with the best possible means of protecting themselves from possible warranty claims. Workshops can find the ContiTech kits in the online catalog at
www.contitech.de/aam
. They are also listed in TecDoc, the digital information system that supplies the vehicle replacement parts market and workshops with comprehensive data for purchasing purposes.RELATED PRODUCTS
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