Different cam belt typesThere are a number of different sorts of cam belt and the type that you will need will be dependant on what sort of vehicle that you have. There are two different types of engine that need a timing belt. Cam belts for interference engines need to be rigorously maintained due to the closeness between the engine's valves and pistons. Timing bets for non-interference engines do not require such careful maintenance as the pistons and valves are not so close 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, whereas modern timing belts will normally have rounded teeth. Cam belts will usually be made from rubber treated with materials such as Twaron to make it stronger, although HSN tends to be used in more recently made cam belts. | Issues with timing beltsIssues with the timing belt of your car are one of the main reasons for a vehicle suffering a breakdown. You can experience difficulty with timing belts for a number of reasons and you can avoid breaking down if you know how to spot them. The key concern will be the complete snapping of a timing belt, and this can be caused by a number of issues. Timing belts can become over stretched which will lead to them becoming noisy, and making creaking sounds. Should the teeth fall out of your timing belt the cam shaft cannot be turned. The camshaft will also be stopped from turning if the timing belt is not aligned properly. Timing belts can also suffer oil damage causing the dimensions of the belt to shift, stopping it from working. Timing belts will sometimes come loose meaning that they can slide out of position. A corroded cam belt will also snap eventually. |
What is a timing belt?Timing belts connect the camshaft and crankshaft of an engine. Teeth run up it's length that may vary in their shape depending on the sort of belt your vehicle has. Newer timing belts will often have teeth that are rounded whereas older timing belts usually have teeth of a triangular shape. Cam belts are constructed from rubber and are then strengthened by materials such as fibreglass to make sure that they last longer. Cam belts made recently tend to be made from resistant materials like HSN so that they do not suffer damage due to the high temperatures of engines. Cam belts that are modern are much narrower in order to lessen their weight, to generate less friction. | How to replace the timing belt of your vehicleShould 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 Bournemouth 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 Bournemouth cam belt specialist that you give yourself at least two days to perform the work. |
What is the role of 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. | The results of failing to act on timing belt issuesA 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 Bournemouth cam belt mechanics. |
