Your car or truck’s timing belt is responsible for making sure that the valves open and close in time with the movement of the pistons. Timing belt replacement is usually on the list of higher-priced auto maintenance items, and consequently, many vehicle owners put off replacing their timing belt. Here’s why this isn’t such a good idea – If the timing belt slips or breaks, your car’s engine could be seriously damaged. In this month’s blog post, you’ll find the answers to 5 of the frequently asked questions about timing belt repair.
1. When should the timing belt be replaced?
Just like every other component in your vehicle, timing belts wear out. When they do, they can slip or break causing serious damage to your car’s engine. For this reason it’s important to replace the timing belt before it fails. The recommended schedule for timing belt replacement varies and depends upon your vehicle’s make. Replacement intervals range from 60,000 to 100,000 miles.
2. Why is it expensive to replace a timing belt?
A timing belt isn’t easy to access which makes it a labor intensive job. When it’s time to replace the timing belt, you may also want to consider replacing additional parts, like the tensioner, idler arm, and water pump. That’s because, like the timing belt, these parts are difficult to access. Either way, it’s important to remember that the cost to replace a timing belt is a lot less expensive than replacing an engine that is damaged because the timing belt broke.
3. Why can’t you inspect the timing belt to see if it needs to be replaced?
Most timing belts are hidden behind covers and engine parts. Because of this, we can’t easily perform a visual inspection of the timing belt to ascertain its condition.
4. What will happen if the timing belt breaks?
If your car or truck has an interference engine, the damage will be extensive. That’s because the timing belt keeps the valves and pistons from slamming into each other. When the timing belt breaks, the valves and pistons crash together bending the pistons and damaging the cylinder head or camshaft. Damage can also occur to the piston and cylinder wall.
In a non-interference engine, the pistons and valves aren’t in the same space so they won’t smash together if the timing belt breaks. Though there won’t be extensive engine damage, you will need to have your vehicle towed in for timing belt repair.
5. My car has a timing chain. Is that the same as a timing belt?
Some cars have a timing chain instead of a timing belt. A timing chain will rarely ever need to be replaced. If you don’t know whether your vehicle has a timing belt or chain, you can find the info within your owner’s manual or you can ask one of our technicians.
Does your timing belt need to be replaced? Click here to make an appointment for timing belt replacement with the automotive repair specialists at Lincoln Park, NJ’s, Country Road Automotive now.