In caring for your vehicle, it’s important to implement preventive maintenance so major repairs can be avoided. This means replacing worn parts before they fail. This is especially true when it comes to the timing belt. If you don’t replace the timing belt before it breaks, you will most likely need to replace the engine… or your vehicle. This blog post will answer the questions that are frequently asked by customers about timing belts and replacing them.
Q. Why is it necessary to replace the timing belt as recommended?
A. The timing belt is responsible for opening and closing the valves in time with the motion of the pistons. If it breaks, the valves will open at the wrong time and will end up hitting the larger pistons causing major engine damage. It’s also a major safety issue – you definitely don’t want to be driving on the highway when something like this happens. The thing about a timing belt is that it doesn’t typically give you a warning that it’s getting ready to break. That’s why it’s important to have it replaced before it breaks, typically between 60,000 and 100,000 miles (depending on your vehicle).
Q. Why is timing belt replacement so expensive?
A. In the majority of vehicles, the timing belt is difficult to access. As such, a lot of labor is required to remove and replace the old timing belt. Because of this, you may also want to have other difficult-to-reach items – tensioner, idler arm and water pump – replaced at the same time the timing belt is replaced. In most car engines, a timing belt isn’t easy to get at, making it a labor-intensive job. While it is one of the more expensive car repair bills, timing belt replacement is still a lot less expensive than having to deal with the aftermath of what occurs to the vehicle engine if the timing belt should break.
Q. Why can’t you inspect the timing belt to see if it needs to be replaced?
A. Typically, timing belts are hidden behind covers and other engine parts that make it impossible to see the belt’s condition.
Q. What can happen if the belt breaks?
A. The answer to this question all depends on the type of engine is in your car. With an interference engine, the timing belt prevents valves and pistons from smashing together. If the belt breaks in an interference engine, the valves could bend, damage could occur to the cylinder head or camshaft. The piston and cylinder wall could also undergo damage. If your vehicle has a non-interference engine, the valves and pistons won’t slam together because they don’t occupy the same space. Your vehicle won’t undergo major engine damage, but you will need to have it towed to our shop in Verona, New Jersey, to have the timing belt repaired.
Q. My vehicle has a timing chain. Is this the same thing?
A. Some vehicles have a timing chain instead of a timing belt. Timing chains rarely need to be replaced.
Need to have the timing belt replaced? Let the automotive repair professionals at Luke’s Auto Service in Verona, NJ handle this job for you. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment for timing belt repair.