Every car will be different, so be sure to check the suggested timetable for your car year and model. A good guideline to follow is to change the timing belt every 75 miles or 5 years (whichever comes first). Your timing belt is made of rubber, which can be broken down from the heat and pressure generated when the engine is running. There are teeth at the bottom of the belt to keep the engine synchronized and running normally. If these teeth wear and slip, or the belt stretches, you will have serious problems.
If the timing belt starts to show any common symptoms, it should be replaced immediately. Timing belts usually start to produce high-pitched, squeaking noises before they fail. If the timing belt does break, a loud noise will be produced in the engine because the parts will be forcibly broken. The engine will also shut down and cannot be restarted.
How to check the timing belt
What happens if the timing belt breaks?
The last thing you have to deal with in an internal combustion engine is a timing belt break. If this happens, the valve and piston will not be synchronized and will collide with each other. This will cause damage to the piston and valve and the inner wall of the cylinder. In the worst case, the camshaft will also be damaged, which is a very expensive repair. If the belt breaks, the interference-free engine design will not cause any damage, but it will still completely paralyze the vehicle.
Photo of the person who replaced the timing belt How to replace the timing belt
Replacing the timing belt requires advanced knowledge of the mechanical system, because you will need to remove many parts and put them back in place correctly. If you are familiar with your engine and are satisfied with the idea of doing it yourself, you can follow the steps below. Otherwise, you should contact an ASE certified professional to handle this work.
Remove all parts that may prevent you from accessing the engine timing belt cover.
Remove the cover and check the material and condition of the belt.
Replace the belt with the recommended part number.
Don't forget to replace the water pump, tensioner and pulley at the same time as the belt.
Replace the originally installed cover and components.
Additional thoughts and considerations
Considering the large amount of labor required to approach the timing belt, it is always a good idea to replace other components at the same time, because these other components have been removed or easily replaced during the repair process. This is a list of engine components to be replaced when repairing the timing belt.
