While you may not pay much attention to your car's timing belt, it plays a vital role in the mechanics of your vehicle. The timing belt is an engine component that rotates the engine's cam and crankshaft in sync, ensuring every cylinder fires at the appropriate time. You can find your car's timing belt under a timing cover near the front of the engine, and since it was likely manufactured from performance-quality rubber, it will need to be replaced every now and then. In this post, we will look at a few common symptoms that may indicate your timing belt needs repair.

Like any piece of equipment, a timing belt will deteriorate with time. It is best to check the owner's manual or ask a trusted professional to know if your engine has a timing belt or chain. A broken timing belt will cause your engine to fail completely and potentially cause damage to other parts of the engine. It is essential to replace the belt while it is showing warning signs to avoid it breaking unexpectedly. 

Time is perhaps more important than miles. Seven years is the maximum life of the timing belt recommended by most manufacturers. For example, the belt should be replaced even if the engine has only 30,000 miles but is seven years of age. More timing belts break due to age than mileage.

If your timing belt is beginning to deteriorate, you may experience any one of the following warning signs:

• A ticking noise coming from the engine

• An oil leak near the motor

• Your engine runs roughly

• Your vehicle's engine won't turn over

• Overall poor vehicle performance

• You experience frequent exhaust issues

• You have problems with your RPMs

• Poor fuel efficiency

Do you think your vehicle might need a timing belt replacement? If so, we invite you to bring your vehicle to Neighborhood Tire Pros today!

Maintenance

What Is a Timing Belt? And When Should You Replace It?

Timing is everything. For jokes, music, cooking, dating—even engines! That’s because your car’s engine relies on a timing belt to stay in sync. The timing belt makes sure everything in the engine is operating smoothly, keeping you safe on the road.

Replacing the timing belt is an important maintenance item! So, if you own a car, you should understand how a timing belt works and when to replace it.

Read: The Car Maintenance Checklist Every Driver Needs

What is a timing belt?

Think of a timing belt like a bike chain for your vehicle—it keeps all the internal moving parts of an engine in sync. It also sometimes powers the water pump, oil pump and injection pump.

The timing belt is a rubber belt with hard teeth that interlock with the cogwheels of the crankshaft and the camshafts. It synchronizes the movement of the crankshaft and camshafts. This ensures that the engine intake and exhaust valves open and close in time with the pistons. If the crankshaft and camshafts are not operating in unison, the vehicle will not run correctly.

If the intake valves open too early, there may be too much fuel-air mixture flowing into the engine combustion chamber, leading to poor combustion and power loss. And if the exhaust valves open too early, the combustion chamber will lose pressure and cause a power loss. If the engine components are very out of sync, they might collide and damage each other, resulting in costly repairs.

Timing Belt vs. Timing Chain

Depending on your vehicle model, you might have a timing chain instead of a timing belt. A timing chain functions the same as a belt, but it is metal instead of rubber. Because they are lighter and quieter, timing belts became popular to use after they were introduced in the 1960s.

Thanks to design improvements and a long lifespan, many modern cars have returned to using timing chains instead. If your car has a timing chain instead of a timing belt, you may be able to go longer before replacing the timing chain. As always, check your owner’s manual or give us a call to be sure.

When should you replace the timing belt?

It’s important to replace your timing belt at the mileage intervals your vehicle manufacturer recommends. Every manufacturer is different, but typically, it needs to be replaced every 60,000–100,000 miles. The recommended interval for your specific vehicle can be found in your car’s owner’s manual.

Because the timing belt is made of rubber, it will wear down over time and eventually break. When it breaks, the engine will stop running or the components will be out of sync, damaging the engine.

If you don’t replace the timing belt at the recommended time, you could end up with total engine failure, broken or bent valves, cylinder head or camshaft damage, and piston and cylinder wall damage. This is not the type of situation where it’s safe to think: ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.’ Replace the timing belt according to the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule to avoid thousands of dollars repairing or replacing your engine.

8 Signs That It’s Time to Replace the Timing Belt

Often, there aren’t any warning signs before a timing belt breaks. But here are some possible indicators that it might be time to replace your belt:

• Decreased engine power
• Overheating
• Vibrating or shaking
• Trouble starting the vehicle
• Squealing or rubbing noises from the belts
• Ticking noise coming from the engine
• Leaking oil
• Check Engine Light

While your vehicle is in for service, we recommend also replacing the water pump. The water pump usually has a similar lifespan and is easy to access when the timing belt is off. That way you save money on labor costs.

Read: What Is a Serpentine Belt & When Should You Replace It?

Timing Belt Repair & Replacement at Virginia Tire & Auto

Replacing the timing belt is an expensive service. It is an intricate, labor-intensive process that can take 4–8 hours, depending on the vehicle. But replacing the timing belt before it breaks will prevent engine damage and save you money in the long run. If you’re unsure about your belt needs to be replaced, stop by Virginia Tire & Auto today.

Our expert ASE-certified technicians will examine your vehicle, identify any damage to your belt, and replace it with quality service at an affordable price. If you do need work done, our timing belt replacement service comes backed by our 2-year/24,000-mile service warranty. Click HERE to schedule a check-in time at one of our convenient locations!

When To Change A Timing Belt

Timing belts, or cambelts, are an important part of your vehicle’s engine. They help to control the amount of air that is allowed into the engine by opening and closing the engine’s valves, which can improve efficiency and performance. In some cases, it may not be a belt but a timing chain. This works in the same way, although it’s thought that a chain can be more hard-wearing and last longer. But, just like most other moving parts in your car’s engine, it has a lifespan and won’t last forever. So, when exactly should you look at changing or replacing your timing belt? Read on to find out more.

Knowing when to change your timing belt is important, as you don’t want it to break while you’re driving. When the belt breaks, it can cause a lot of damage to your vehicle’s engine, even irreparable damage, and so you’ll want to avoid this scenario where possible. This is why you should regularly check the belt when your car reaches a certain age or mileage and before buying a used car. Just like a car service is recommended after a certain number of kilometres or after 12 months (whichever comes first), it’s recommended that you change your timing belt in much the same way.

How Long Should A Timing Belt Last?

It’s thought that a timing belt should last up to eight years, and it should be changed after this time, but it does depend on the vehicle you drive.

These belts are typically made out of rubber, however, over time, rubber can begin to naturally dry out and crack. This is exactly what can happen with your tyres and why you may see cracks appearing in these, too. The rubber can also begin to stretch as the belt continually rotates. When this starts to happen, your vehicle can become less efficient and may produce more exhaust fumes as it burns more fuel.

How Many Kilometres Before Changing A Timing Belt?

Some car manufacturers recommend that a belt is changed after 75,000 kilometres, others might say up to 170,000km. This is a huge difference in distance and seems a little bit vague. Therefore, to check what is recommended personally for your vehicle, you should take a look in your vehicle manual. This should give you a better idea.

When a belt needs to be changed can also depend on how you’ve driven the vehicle and the conditions it’s been driven in. For instance, a car that has spent a lot of time idling in traffic could need a replacement belt sooner than one that hasn’t. Climate and driving conditions can also have an impact. Therefore, it’s recommended that the timing belt is checked over by a car technician every year or so. You could request that this is done during its monthly service.

How To Check A Timing Belt

Rather than waiting for your car’s timing belt to break before replacing it, it’s a good idea to check the condition of it regularly. As previously mentioned, a broken belt can cause severe damage to other parts of the engine, such as valves and connecting rods. Therefore, you should check it occasionally yourself for obvious signs of damage that could alert you of any problems.

First, you should see if you can feel anything strange when you’re driving. Do you notice a loss of power when accelerating, a rattling noise, or slow acceleration at lower revs? All of these things could be a sign that your vehicle’s belt has weakened and could need replacing. You should also check the amount of white smoke coming out of your exhaust. This can often be easier to see in cold weather, but an overproduction of exhausts could be a sign that the belt needs replacing.

Second, you can inspect the belt visually for signs of damage or excessive wear. You should remove the timing belt cover to reveal the belt itself. Look for cracks, frayed edges or worn teeth on the inside of the belt. The rubber shouldn’t be shiny or marbled, as this can be a sign that it’s worn away. You should use a fingernail to press into the belt and you should be able to see a small mark or imprint where the pressure was applied. If you can’t, it could be a sign that the rubber is becoming brittle.

Then, start up the engine and look at the belt as it moves around. It should stay tight and straight - any sign of bending or flexing means that it’s likely stretched and weakened over time.

If you think that the belt has weakened or could snap, you should take it to your local garage to have it looked at by a professional. We’d advise against changing the belt yourself, as it takes precision to install it in exactly the right position for it to do its job properly. With a new belt, you may see improved acceleration and better efficiency, so you shouldn’t put it off.

We hope that you have found this blog useful. If you are interested in getting a quote for car insurance , call us on 01 4003400 or get a quick quote at the top of this page.