Symptoms of a Bad Timing Belt

You never realize how much you rely on a synchronous belt until it no longer works. Also called the timing belt, this little piece of the engine is responsible for opening and closing the valves on your engine’s camshaft in time to the engine’s crankshaft. If that doesn’t happen, the engine doesn’t turn over, and when that doesn’t happen, your car stops running. Whoops.

Luckily, there are several signs of a faulty synchronous belt. If you learn to look out for them ahead of time, you can get the car to the shop or replace the timing belt parts yourself before anything dire occurs.

Let’s take a look at what a faulty timing belt is, what the signs are, whether you can drive with it, how to replace it, and more.

Faulty Timing Belt

The timing belt is a long piece of rubber with teeth on the side facing the camshaft, that runs around and around inside your engine, keeping time. More specifically, the camshaft times the valves, which let the air and gasoline into the engine in concert with the crankshaft, which in turn moves the pistons inside the cylinders. It’s a delicate dance that can’t go off or the engine stops working.

When the timing belt is faulty, this dance can fall apart quickly. If the camshaft and crankshaft aren’t working together, the engine runs poorly or not at all. The timing belt may even fall off or shear, causing damage to other parts in the engine, especially if it happens while you’re driving.

For that reason, it’s critical to get out in front of a belt problem by recognizing the signs of a faulty synchronous belt.

Signs of a Faulty Timing Belt

There are many signs to watch for if you want to avoid a synchronous belt blowup. The symptoms of a bad timing belt include:

• Clicking sounds from the engine: Rhythmic ticking or clicking from the car’s engine is a sign that the timing belt may be starting to wear out or act up. It can also mean the oil pressure in your car is low, but you want to double-check that either way.
• Oil leaks near the motor: When timing belts start to wear out, it will often result in oil dripping from the timing belt cover. If you see oil on the ground under the hood, that’s another sign that needs checking out.
• Exhaust issues: A faulty synchronous belt can require the car to work harder than it’s designed to, which may create a cloud of exhaust far thicker than you’re used to. Even when this isn’t related to the timing belt, it’s a serious issue that needs attention.
• High RPMs: Are your revolutions per minute higher than usual? That could also be the timing belt.
• The engine won’t turn over: If it straight up won’t start, that could also be due to a broken timing belt. Either way, you’ll need to get your car towed at that point, unless you can work on it yourself.

Can You Drive With a Faulty Timing Belt

If you see or hear any of the signs of a faulty synchronous belt, stop driving! If the timing belt breaks, your car will stop running immediately, and you won’t even be able to drive it to a shop. At that point, your only choices are to call a tow truck or to abandon the car forever. (Which is illegal, so back to calling a tow truck.)

In any case, we’re assuming you don’t want to abandon the car, so it’s best not to drive with a faulty timing belt, especially as that can lead to other damage in the internal combustion engine and your potentially having to replace more parts than you otherwise would have.

Instead, you’ll want to look into replacing it immediately. If you like to work on automobiles yourself, this may prove an engaging task.

How Long Does a Timing Belt Last?

Even with knowing some signs of a faulty synchronous belt, it's unfortunately still difficult to tell exactly when a timing belt needs to go. Usually, timing belts can fail without warning. But don't panic, knowing how long timing belts last can help you dodge this issue.

With older vehicles, the expected lifespan of a timing belt is at the lower end, around 60,000 miles. You can get away with waiting closer to 100,000 miles on newer cars. This is a fairly standard range for most vehicles, but it will vary. Check with the vehicle manufacturer in your car's owner's manual for their recommendation and make sure you stick to the schedule to avoid problems down the road. If in doubt, it's always better to replace the timing belt early than to wait until it is too late.

Luckily, a timing belt is an inexpensive component to replace. Even with the cost of labor, you will be saving a decent chunk of change by preventing an even costlier repair in the event your timing belt fails.

Illinois Pulley & Gear: Your Timing Belt Pulley Provider

Pulleys are integral to the synchronous belt’s operation. Whether you’re replacing your timing belt yourself or work in a shop and need to order batches of pulleys, we can help. Here at Illinois Pulley & Gear, we specialize in automotive racing parts and would love to help you find the high-quality, American-made supplies you need to keep cars running sharp. Please feel free to get in touch with us today!

It can be hard to tell if your timing belt it failing.

Timing belt repairs should be left to expert mechanics with experience dealing with this sensitive part of your car.

Timing belts are sealed within their own housing in your car, which makes them very hard to check on your own. An experienced mechanic will be able to see the signs of wear and issues that are affecting the condition of the belt. While your mechanic is evaluating your timing belt they will also check other engine systems and functions.

What Does Your Timing Belt Do?

For starters, your car won’t run without a timing belt.

Your timing belt rotates your car’s engine’s cam and crankshaft. This allows each cylinder to fire at the right time. If this timing is off, the engine will not run smoothly if it is even able to run at all.

Your timing belt is located within a separate casing within your car that helps to protect it from dirt, grime, oil and other contaminants that are in your engine compartment. The belt itself is made from a high strength rubber and nylon blend. While this is a very strong material that is meant to last a very long time and endure a lot of usage and stress it will need to be replaced eventually (typically suggested at your 80k tune-up, but you should always consult your owners manual).

How Can I Tell if My Timing Belt is Going Bad?

Since it can be hard to do a visual check, there are four other signs to be aware of indicating that your timing belt may be about to fail. Knowing these warning signs can save you costly repairs, and a ruined engine.

Engine Doesn’t Start

A bad timing belt is just one of the many reasons your engine might not start. You can’t exactly ignore this problem if your car won’t start then you can’t drive it. However, if the timing belt breaks while you are driving you will definitely notice and there will almost certainly be additional damage to your engine. If the timing belt is broken the car will NOT start, the car won’t turn over, there will be absolutely no response.

Related: Reasons Why Your Car Won’t Start

You Hear Squealing Sounds

Whenever any sort of squealing occurs you should have it checked out by a mechanic. However squealing that indicates an issue with your timing belt may happen at all different times such as when you are accelerating, braking, idling – or all of the above. It’s important to get your car checked out when the squealing starts and not to simply ignore it – if the squealing is a worn out timing about to break it’s better for your car, and your wallet to have it repaired before it fails and causes damage to your engine.

Engine Misfires or Runs Roughly

When your timing belt has worn down it will begin to affect your engines timing, causing misfires. Since the timing belt controls the action of the pistons within the engine if the belt is worn or lose they will move erratically if they move at all. Engine misfiring is a sign of trouble that should be checked as soon as possible, otherwise you are risking serious engine damage.

You Hear Ticking/Clicking in Your Engine

When your timing belt begins to wear out it can cause clicking and ticking noises to come from your car’s engine. Since your timing belt is attached to a system of cam’s and pulleys when something begins to fail it creates clicking and ticking noises. This sound can also indicate low oil pressure, which in turn can affect the timing belt. There is a tensioner that keeps the belt taut, and that tensioner is pressurized by the engine oil.

AAMCO Minnesota for Your Timing Belt Repairs

Worried about your timing belt? Hearing strange noises? Engine misfiring? Visit an AAMCO Minnesota near you. It’s easy to call or book an appointment online. Our expert mechanics are here to check and replace your timing belt, as well as complete any other repairs you might need. Those who know, go to AAMCO.

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.