 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
We timing belt services, as needed, for all import and domestic vehicles Call today to see if your vehicle requires a timing belt service and the interval at which it may be due. Import: Acura Audi BMW Honda Infiniti Jaguar Land Rover Lexus Mazda Mini Mercedes Benz Nissan Porsche Toyota Saab Subaru Volkswagen Volvo. Domestic: Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ford Jeep GMC Lincoln.
Timing Belts How do I know if my car has one? Check your owner's handbook, or call us. If you are lucky enough to have one of the handful of models that use a timing chain you will not have to worry about this service. Whether or not a vehicle has a timing belt or timing chain may be something to consider when buying a new car.
The timing belt job can be costly and some owners may sell their vehicle before having this work done. Most of the time there is no way to tell the work has been done by looking at the engine. When buying a used vehicle see if the seller can provide documentation showing the timing belt has been changed. If you bought the vehicle without a service history, it may be safest to have the belt changed as soon as possible. What happens if it breaks? Interference engine vs. non-interference engine. If timing the belt breaks on any type of engine, your engine will quit without warning- period. Pull safely over to the side of the road and call for help. Depending on whether your engine is an "interference" or "non-interference- free-running engine" you may or may not experience major engine damage.
What happens on a "non-interference or free-running" engine? If the timing belt breaks on a free-running engine the engine stops, and your greatest additional expense may be a towing fee to get your car to the shop. Aside from the unexpected inconvenience, and the tow bill, your bill will probably not be much different than if you just took it to the shop and had it replaced. No mechanical damage occurs and the installation of a new belt is basically you need to get you on your way. What happens on a "interference" engine? If the timing belt breaks on an interference engine, major engine damage usually does occur. It most commonly involves open valves being struck by pistons as the engine continues to turn to a stop after the belt breaks. The camshaft stops opening and closing the valves and the ones that happen to be open get struck by the pistons in their cylinder. Sometimes just the valves are bent. Sometimes a piston may be damaged, or worse. The bottom line is an otherwise needless expensive repair that could have been avoided had the belt been changed at the recommended time or service interval. In extreme cases, a complete replacement engine may be required. Is there anything else I should ask about when replacing my timing belt at the normal service interval? When having your timing belt replaced it is a good idea service the following:
|
How
long do they last? For most cars it is 60,000
miles or 4-5 years, whichever comes first. On some vehicles the maintenance
mileage interval is as low as 30,000 miles and some are over 100,000 miles.
Check
your owner's handbook, or call us we can look it up for you. Why the time
period in lieu of miles? Because belts are are made of a rubber material
similar to the hoses in your cooling system. This rubber material will
deteriorate over time. This is especially prevalent in our hot, humid
climate (Have you noticed how the old rubber bands in your desk rot over
time?). Over the years we have seen a number of vehicles that, though well
below the recommended mile interval for replacement, had broken timing
belts when several years old. 