Timing Belt Replacement

Your car can run without an alternator belt for a short time and it can run without an air conditioner belt, although you might be a little warm!  But your car cannot run without its timing belt! It is always best to follow the vehicle’s manufactures recommended Utah timing belt replacement interval.

Why replace your timing belt?

Murphy’s Law (of timing belt failure)

If your timing belt gets worn and skips a tooth or even worse-if it breaks, it could potentially cost you hundreds of dollars and leave you stranded at the worst possible place and time!

What is my timing belt, and what does it do?

Your timing belt is perhaps the most critical belt in your vehicle.  The timing belt connects the crankshaft to the camshafts.  Its responsibility is to keep everything on time.

What does on time mean?

As the crankshaft turns, the pistons go up and down in the cylinders.  The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshafts connected and in time with the pistons. The camshafts open and close the intake valves, allowing the air and fuel to enter the combustion chambers to be ignited to produce the power.  The spent fuel is then exhausted through the exhaust valves. The timing belt is the connection between the crankshaft and the camshafts.  If this connection is broken, potentially valves can contact pistons.  Worst case your motor could be ruined.

Know your Engine!

There are 2 types of engines

• Interference engine

Many modern cars have interference engines. If a timing belt breaks or jumps a notch in an interference engine, the valves may open at the wrong time and then get struck by the pistons. The result will be many hundreds of dollars in damage to your engine. You should ask us to check if your vehicle has an interference engine.

•  Non-interference engine

This type of engine, as you might guess does not have the danger of the valves striking the pistons and causing bent valves and damaged pistons.  However if your timing belt does break, or skip a tooth you may find yourself stranded with a vehicle that will not run, which is inconvenient, but the loss of the timing belt won’t do any permanent damage.

 Ask your friendly Layton Carcare staff for details about the need for timing belt replacement. 

It is best done as a preventive measure before it fails.  All vehicles have a “recommended service interval” for timing belts and chains.  Call Layton Carcare in Layton, UT today for your timing belt replacement at (801) 593-9200.