What is a timing belt?A timing belt is a belt that connects an engine's crank and camshafts. They have teeth running up and down them that vary in shape dependant on your belt's type. More recently made cam belts tend to have teeth that are rounded, whereas sharpened teeth can be found on cam belt that are slightly older. Cam belts are constructed from rubber and are then covered with materials like twaron to make them stronger to ensure that they have a longer life. Newer timing belts will be made from materials like HSN so that they do not suffer damage due to the high temperatures of engines. The dimensions of modern timing belts are not as wide older ones to decrease weight and friction subsequently. | Issues with timing beltsProblems with a car's timing belt are one of the leading causes of breakdowns. A number of potential problems can arise with timing belts and you can avoid breaking down if you know how to spot them. The worst case scenario is your cam belt snapping completely, but there are other issues that can lead to this happening. Cam belts can become too tight resulting in them squeaking noisily. If your timing belt looses its teeth the cam shaft cannot be turned. Another thing that stops camshafts turning are timing belts becoming misaligned. Timing belts can also become damaged by oil being compressed into the belt affecting its precise dimensions and preventing it from working efficiently. Timing belts will sometimes come loose which can cause them to shift in position. Cam belt corrosion can also result in them snapping. |
Ensure that you maintain your timing belt to extend its lifespanIf your timing belt breaks it can be incredibly damaging to your vehicle. The best case scenario will result in you needing a tow-truck, with a significantly damaged engine being the worst possible turn of events. By ensuring that you are regularly maintaining your cam belt you can help to cut down the likelihood of you ever needing an emergency cam belt replacement. The best way to ensure that your cam belt lasts as long as it is supposed to is to check for signs of damage on a regular schedule. If you identify signs of the belt becoming worn, your timing belt has cracked or missing teeth, or you have noticed signs of oil or engine fluid on your cam belt we would advise you having it replaced by a registered Ballymoney cam belt specialist, which can be obtained when you go to Help Fix Car. It is of paramount importance that you ensure that the tension of your cam belt is correct as if your belt is too tight it can cause the belt to slip out of position, often followed by serious damage to your engine. | Timing belt jobs for Ballymoney mechanicsWhen you need to have work carried out on your cam belt you will have to locate a mechanic in Ballymoney. Utilising Help Fix Car will enable you to find mechanic firms in Ballymoney to work on the timing belt of your vehicle. Mechanics in Ballymoney are able to perform a wide range of timing belt tasks. If you think that you have a damaged timing belt they can be used to inspect your timing belt. If a problem with your cam belt is present our timing belt mechanics in Ballymoney can carry out repairs, or you can have your cam belt replaced should this not be possible. A cam belt tightening may need to be carried out, or you may have a timing belt that is too tight. It could be that you need to have a realigning of your cam belt. You may need to have them synchronise your cam belt and crankshaft, or you might have to have both your timing belt and water pump replaced at the same time, you can locate Ballymoney timing belt specialists when you visit Help Fix Car. |
The effects of failing to mend broken timing beltsIf there is a problem with your cam belt it comes highly recommended that you address it as soon as you can. Should the timing belt of your vehicle slide out of position or fail you may experience significant damage to your engine because of it. The camshaft is turned by the timing belt in order for the valves in the engine to open and close at the correct times. Should your car's cam belt be damaged the engine valves in your car won't be able to open and close at the proper times causing them to collide with the pistons of the engine. Should you be experiencing problems with the cam belt of your vehicle you can locate reliable Ballymoney timing belt exerts when you visit Help Fix Car to undertake repairs on your Peugeot's timing belt before significant damage is done to its engine. | How to replace the cam belt within your carShould you have an issue with the timing belt of your car's engine, it may be that you want to replace it by your own hand. The changing of a timing belt is hard to do and will take up a lot of your time, so should you have any doubts about your skills as a mechanic Help Fix Car can be used to track down cam belt specialists in Ballymoney to have a new timing belt fitted. The changing of the cam belt will not be the part of the job that takes up the most time, but rather the near complete stripping of the engine that will be needed to grant you access to the timing belt. We would recommend that if you are looking to replace the timing belt of your car by your own hand rather than utilising Help Fix Car to track down a registered Ballymoney cam belt specialist that you give yourself at least two days to perform the work. |
Types of timing beltThere are a number of different sorts of cam belt and the sort that you will need to have will depend on your car. A cam belt will be applied in two types of engine. Interference engine cam belts require regular maintaining as a result of the level of proximity between the pistons and valves in your vehicles engine. Non-interference engine cam belts need much less maintenance as the valves and pistons in the engine do not sit so closely together. The teeth of your cam belt may be of a number of shapes. Cam belts that are less modern will usually have trapezoid shaped teeth, when contrasted with the rounded teeth of recent cam belts. Cam belts will usually be made from rubber which has been treated with materials like fibreglass to ensure that it is stronger, although modern cam belts are made out of materials like HSN. | Why do you need a timing belt?Cam belts are rubber belts that are able to control the timing of valves in engines. Valves in engines need to open and close a pre-agreed number of times and a cam belt is responsible for this happening. A cam belt's teeth are carefully designed so that they can deliver maximum efficiency for their engine. These teeth will turn the cam shaft of the vehicle's engine and ensure that it does not drop out of sync with the crankshaft. The cam shaft turns half as fast as the crankshaft of the engine, enabled by the timing belt. Should something stop this from happening then the engine will be prevented from efficiently working which can lead to your engine suffering irreparable damage. Examples of such problems can be your engine's valves remaining open when they shouldn't be resulting in them being stuck by the engine's pistons. |
What happens when timing belt problems are not addressedA failure to spot that your cam belt is damaged, or even worse; a failure to act when it is can spell disaster for your engine. If your vehicle has an interference engine not replacing a broken timing belt can result in notable damage to your auto mobile. If the timing belt in your car breaks then the vehicle will not even start up, but if the belt continues to run impaired your engine could be damaged beyond repair without your knowledge. If you have a damaged timing belt your engine's valves and pistons will knock into each other which can result in cracks appearing in your valve guides. The valve guides in the engine of your vehicle may also bend which can cost a considerable amount to have fixed. In extreme circumstances your cam shaft may even break. Should be having difficulties with your timing belt use Help Fix Car to track down Ballymoney cam belt mechanics. |
