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Answer: Timing belts allow your vehicle’s engine to operate. They connect your engine’s crankshaft to the camshaft and play a vital role in controlling the pistons and valves in your vehicle. … The timing belt then turns the camshaft and opens or closes each valve and allows the pistons to move up and down.
The average cost to replace a timing belt will be anywhere from $300 to $500 in total (more for larger cars, trucks, and SUVs). The timing belt itself will usually only cost less than $50 but the majority of a timing belt job is spent on labor. The cost of the labor will be anywhere from $250 to $450 or more.
That’s why highly rated auto mechanics recommend replacing it every 60,000 to 105,000 miles based on the vehicle’s factory recommended maintenance schedule, your individual driving habits and conditions as well as time before the belt breaks or has a catastrophic failure.
Depending on what schedule you may read, including information distributed by the manufacturers themselves, the average life span of a timing belt is between 60,000 and 105,000 miles or after 7 to 10 years regardless of mileage.
The timing belt can fail without any prior symptoms, so if you’re within the mileage window, you should go ahead and have it replaced regardless. That being said, sometimes your car will give you a bit of warning that the belt is wearing out.
You cannot drive a car if the timing belt is broken, it’s as simple as that. The timing belt looks just like a rubber belt with teeth on the inside. … The most common thing that’s going to happen if your timing belt fails while you’re driving is that the valves are going to get bent.
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.
Although timing belts are critical, there’s no need to replace them regularly –unless explicitly recommended in your owner’s manual. Some automakers recommend changing a timing belt between 60,000 and 100,000, others don’t. Many of today’s timing belts can go 100,000 miles or more without needing to be replaced.
But if you are and you enjoy doing your own repairs or restorations then it’s something you can do yourself, and save on some big repair bills in the process. We’ll walk you through the process of replacing a timing belt and water pump step by step, starting with the tools you’ll need.
Most automakers recommend replacing the timing belt every 60,000 to 105,000 miles. Timing chains are heavier and more complex than timing belts, but they also last much longer. Really, unless there’s a problem, timing chains don’t have a replacement interval.
Misalignment is one of the main causes of the timing belt drive failure and can cause a broken timing belt. Excessive or uneven tooth wear on the timing belt, the belt tracking and tensile failure, and tensile damage can all be attributed to misalignment of the timing belt.
Typical costs: Hiring a mechanic to replace a timing chain typically costs $300-$1,000, depending on the make and model of the vehicle, its age and whether the work is performed at a dealership or an independent shop. Purchased separately, a timing chain typically costs $50-$250 or more.
A failing bad timing belt sounds like a ticking noise in front of your car when it starts wearing out. If the belt eventually breaks, it will give a whining noise when trying to start the engine. A whining noise sounds like no compression in the engine.
The timing belt itself isn’t an expensive part. The time and labor are what make it so expensive. To get to the timing belt, the engine needs to be disassembled. Doing so takes significant time and effort.
Does My Car Have a Timing Belt? Some car manufacturers have begun to replace the timing belts on newer vehicles with timing chains. The idea is that a chain is more durable and will last as long as the vehicle. Depending on the make, model and year of your car, you may not have a timing belt.
A loose or worn belt will cause ticking or rattling noises, poor engine performance and overheating, usually triggering the check engine light. If the timing belt breaks, the engine can’t run — and on some engines that break can cause internal damage.
As long as you have the right tools the Timing Belt is not that hard of a job to do, just take your time and be careful. T.L. It’s not too difficult but plan on spending a few hours on it. You’re going to have to pull the water pump off at the same time so you might as well replace it while it’s off.
The timing belt is responsible for making sure the engine’s crankshaft, pistons, and valves operating insync or in time. … The drive belt is responsible for using the engine’s revolutions to drive the power steering pump, a/c compressor, alternator, water pump, and other belt driven accessories.
Timing Belts Are Quieter and Less Expensive to Manufacture
Quieter and less expensive than chains, with some able to last as many as 100,000 miles, timing belts eventually became the go-to choice for automakers right up through the 1990s.
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.
If the timing is off, damage can occur. In some engines, called “interference engines,” the consequences can be especially bad. … You could end up having to have your engine rebuilt, or even replaced. If your cam timing is off, chances are you’ll know because your car will not be running well, if it’s running at all.
The ignition timing error is typically caused by damage internally like the pistons or valves inside the engine. A loose or weak engine timing belt that jumps time can cause the ignition timing to be off.
Listen for a metallic sound that resembles a rattling or scrapping noise. The sound can be intermittent or constant, but it will be a metal to metal contact. … If you hear a rattle, metal to metal slapping or scraping coming from inside the cover, it indicates a timing chain noise.
The simple answer is No, it is not. Timing chain problems are not uncommon, especially in high-mileage vehicles. Like any other moving mechanical component inside any engine, a timing chain is subject to wear. A timing chain is lubricated by the engine oil.
On average you can expect a timing belt to last 60,000 miles to 100,000 miles. This will change based on the make, model, and year of your vehicle. Every manufacturer has their specific recommended years or mileage to replace the belt.
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