Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Timing Belt

While you may not pay close attention to your car’s timing belt, it plays an important role in the mechanics of your vehicle. The timing belt is an internal engine component that rotates the engine’s cam and crankshaft in sync, ensuring each cylinder fires at the appropriate time. Your car’s timing belt can be found under a timing cover near the front of the engine, and since it is likely manufactured from high-quality rubber, it will need to be replaced from time to time. In this blog, we’ll look at a few common symptoms that may indicate your timing belt needs repair.

At SCR Performance in Loveland, our certified mechanics have helped hundreds of people repair and replace their worn out timing belt with a new model. If you notice any of the below symptoms in your vehicle, contact our auto shop today.

You Hear A Ticking Noise Coming From The Engine

If you hear a ticking noise coming from your car’s engine, there could be something seriously wrong with your timing belt. The timing belt in your vehicle is attached by a series of pulleys that go to the engine’s crank and cam shaft. The crankshaft powers the engine’s connecting rods, which are attached to pistons inside of the combustion chamber. The camshaft, on the other hand, operates the cylinder head valves and rocker arm assembly, which sends fuel to the combustion chamber. The expelled gases then exit through the exhaust manifold. When your car’s timing belt starts to wear out, it may produce a ticking sound inside of the motor. This could also be an indication of low oil pressure as well.

Your Car’s Engine Won’t Turn Over

When your car’s timing belt is broken or irreplaceable, your engine will not be able to ignite or turn over properly. This means when you turn the key, you may hear the starter motor engage, but since the timing belt is responsible for operating the crank and shaft, it will not fully ignite. When your timing belt is broken, you won’t be able to drive your car at all. Oftentimes, the timing belt will break while the car is in motion. This can cause serious damage to cylinder head hardware like rocker arms, push rods, or valves.

You Notice An Oil Leak Near The Motor

Another common sign that your timing belt is in bad shape is an oil leak. If you start to notice oil around your engine, your vehicle may be experiencing a leak, which often occurs from the timing belt cover. While your timing belt cover may be secured by a series of nuts and bolts, it is very likely that they can come loose over time. An oil leak may also occur when the gasket between the engine block and timing cover wears out or is cracked. This can lead to your engine overheating and a handful of other expensive repairs.

You Experience Exhaust Issues

If your car’s exhaust has been expelling far more smoke than you’re used to, it could be related to an issue with your timing belt. This can make your engine work harder than it’s supposed to in an attempt to run under duress, which can lead to costly repairs down the line. As a result of this excess work, your car will expel more exhaust than it should.

Your Revs Start Acting Up

If you’ve noticed that your RPMs (revolutions per minute) have started to act strange, it could be an indication that something is wrong with your timing belt. Whether your timing belt is missing teeth, or it has snapped completely, this can have a tremendous effect on your car’s RPM meter.

Unfortunately, sometimes there are no obvious signs that your car’s timing belt is need of repair. That’s why highly rated auto mechanics recommend replacing your timing belt every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. You can also check your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation as well.

Car Maintenance and Service in Loveland

SCR Performance is proud to offer Loveland and Colorado residents with a complete array of automobile services including timing belt services. Our auto repair shop specialized in European marques such as Audi, BMW, MINI, Porsche, and Volkswagen and we would be happy to assist you with any car maintenance and repair issues.

Don’t let a functioning timing belt cause you to forgo maintenance – a quality timing belt can withstand so much, and are so well built, that it can be easy to tick over your km’s without realising you’ve passed your service interval. Ask any mechanic and they’ll tell you that the key to a healthy timing system is maintenance.

Following OE vehicle recommendations, and having your mechanic perform maintenance checks, is far more cost effective in the long run than leaving your timing belt installed until it breaks (and breaks your engine with it!). Neglecting regular maintenance, including the replacement of your timing belt, can lead to complete engine replacement. Repairing an improperly maintained vehicle timing system, or one that has experienced damage due to timing belt failure, can potentially set you back thousands of dollars.

With this in mind, have you been following your belt replacement intervals? If not, it’s time to book in with your mechanic so that they can assess your engine and belt condition. Gates Australia have teamed up with one of our Australian suppliers, Sparesbox, to bring you up to speed on five signs that it’s time to replace your timing belt.

1: Engine won’t start

If your engine won’t fire up, it is obvious something’s not quite right, but identifying the culprit can be challenging. Did you know that it could very well be a worn-out timing belt? If so, you should be able to hear the starter motor when the ignition is on, even though the engine won’t turn over. Unfortunately, your engine may already be damaged at this stage, if it is the timing belt causing this issue. We recommend you call your mechanic immediately, or, if you’re broken down on the road or in a car park, your insurance company (if you’re not insured, you can call to get your car towed to the mechanic).

2: Engine is making a ticking noise

A functioning timing belt (although, yes, it’s to do with timing!) should not make a ticking noise. If you notice a ticking or clicking sound coming from your engine, the source could be a worn timing belt. A high-pitched screech or whirring upon starting the engine, when you’re accelerating, or when you’re idling, may also suggest it’s time to change your timing belt. While the noises could be caused by a number of other issues, they are nothing to be idle about. We recommend you take your car to a mechanic for a full diagnosis to prevent engine damage.

Bonus Tip: If you also notice some engine vibration (not the good vibes type), in addition to or alongside a ticking noise, this can also be an indication of a worn timing belt and it’s suggested you visit the mechanic in this case, too.

3: Engine misfires and/or runs rough

Is your engine running rough (you feel it shaking or bouncing when idling, making unusual sounds, or has inconsistent RPM counts)? Though there are a number of potential causes, the rough days may end if you replace your timing belt. Misfiring can also potentially result from your engine’s timing being jeopardised; the worn or loose timing belt slips, resulting in the cylinders opening and closing prematurely. Misfiring is a serious problem that should be addressed straight away.  Ultimately, if you feel like your engine is running erratically, or it stops running all together, you should head to your local garage for help.

4: Car acts up between 2,000 and 4,000 RPM

If your engine has slow acceleration (it feels less powerful than it should, or used to be) when it reaches between 2,000 and 4000 RPM, is rattling, or is making an unusual sound when revving, it could be an indication that your timing belt is loose or breaking down from old age. This can also be caused by belt slippage during acceleration at high RPMs, which is another indication that your timing belt may need to be replaced, as some of the belt teeth could be missing. We recommend going to your mechanic immediately.

5: Engine exhaust fumes/smoke

If you’re noticing unusually heavy exhaust fumes, your timing belt could be the culprit. A worn timing belt overworks your engine, and the extra effort means that more exhaust is released. A large amount of excess exhaust is a strong sign that you may need to replace your timing belt ASAP. We recommend going to your mechanic and getting your engine checked before you continue to drive your vehicle.

Whether or not caused by your timing belt, if your engine is showing one of more of these five symptoms, you shouldn’t push your luck any longer. Hand your keys over to your mechanic, or, for newer cars, your vehicle manufacturer, and save yourself some potentially serious costs. A broken timing belt can cause your engine significant, sometimes irrevocable, damage, especially if you have an interference engine, which are common in modern cars of today. Remember, prevention is better – and, let’s face it, cheaper – than cure.

Timing belts allow your vehicle’s engine to operate. They are in charge of synchronizing the rotation system of the engine’s camshaft and crankshaft, in order to enable engine valves to open and close at the right time. 

These car parts are subject to great forces inside the vehicle’s engine. For this reason, every vehicle that has a timing belt will require a new timing belt replacement at some point during its life. Without a fully functioning timing belt, the car’s engine won’t be able to run properly.

When to replace the timing belt?

Timing belts are strong and highly efficient but being constantly under stress and operating in high heat environments make them impossible to last forever. However, drivers widely forget that timing belts must be replaced on a regular basis. Then, when to replace a timing belt?

The largely depends on the manufacturer and model of each vehicle, so first thing to do is check your owner’s manual for specific recommendations.

In many cases, there might be no apparent indication that a timing belt is becoming worn. Often, it just breaks. That’s why, when it comes to timing belts, prevention is by far the best solution.

5 warning signs to detect timing belt failure

There are a few warning signs that can help you diagnose when you need a new timing belt, but it is important to remember that prevention is the key to an optimal car maintenance, as there are no certain clues to indicate a worn belt that may be close to snapping.

Listed below are five key signs to be aware of that may help you determine if it’s time to check and get a new timing belt.

1. Engine misfires

Timing belts run through a system of pulleys that operate both the camshaft and the crankshaft. The teeth they use for this are meant to grip and move smoothly, but if the timing belt starts to wear out, it may create a repetitive clicking or ticking sound coming from inside the engine. 

2. Smoke after starting the vehicle’s engine

Belt wear and stretching damages the catalyst, as the fuel is not completely burned in the chambers due to an incorrect composition of mixture fuel. That means: all the fuel that has not been consumed is directed to the exhaust system. If you hear a clicking noise when starting the engine and see black smoke coming from the vehicle’s exhaust pipe, this indicates an incorrect fuel composition that may be due, among many others, to damage to the timing belt.

3. Difficulty starting

A worn timing belt will affect your engine’s starting speed as it is attached to the pulleys that drive the crankshaft. Eventually, the belt can slip on the camshaft drive causing the engine cylinder to open and close at the wrong time.

The stretching or wear of the timing belt will cause it to skip one or more teeth, and therefore as a result the engine ignition is lengthened, in addition, as we have already mentioned, the jumps or slips of the belt cause the desynchronization of the engine.

4. Belt appearance

If we are inspecting our vehicle, or we are about to make a visit to the garage, the first sign that will indicate that the belt is worn is its appearance. It is possible to see small cracks throughout the entire piece. If the cracks are enlarged, then the internal threads of the cracks can be seen. In addition, another sign is the detachment of small pieces or fragments of the belt material that will end up falling inside the entire engine.

5. Loss of voltage

Another sign of advanced belt wear is high elongation. When this occurs, there is a loss of tension which makes the deflection force of the belt less. This will lead to belt slipping in the first place or worse, belt dropping during engine operation. Belt slippage or skipping will lead to engine out of sync and this can lead to piston/cam collision resulting in catastrophic engine failure.

DOLZ TIP:

Timing belts must be in good shape order for your car to properly start. If your belt has been damaged, you will most likely hear the starter engage when you turn your key but the engine will not ignite.

In case your timing belt is broken inside, it won’t be possible for your engine to start working, since your timing belt is what engages your crank and camshaft, it won’t turn over. If this happens in addition to any of the above warning signs, it is probably that the problem is due to a snapped timing belt.

Calling a professional for advice is the only sensible solution here. If the problem is caused by the timing belt, there is a high chance it results in the damage of other engine compartments, so the situation could be rather serious.

Keep reading: Things to consider when choosing a timing belt kit

Dolz Timing Belt Kit, the best replacement option

The replacement of the water pump or the timing belt are two of the most common operations in a garage. In our experience, it is much more cost-effective and safer to replace them for preventive reasons than to wait for them to break down and stop working altogether.

In addition, by replacing these two components together, you will save on labor, reduce the number of visits to the workshop and will improve both the quality and safety of the intervention.

DOLZ offers premium timing belts; 100% tested and equivalent to OE:

• Timing belt: resistant to changes in temperature, water and oil, thus ensuring an optimized durability.

• Idlers: high-quality raw materials and grease to ensure the highest efficiency.

• Water pump: manufactured with a silicon carbide seal. It is designed following the original specifications

Do you need to replace your timing belt? And the water pump? Contact us to know more about our full timing belt kits, they include all necessary components for an optimum timing belt replacement.