Brecon Timing belt services | Brecon Timing belt services

Home » Brecon car repair services » Timing belt services in Brecon

How to replace the cam belt within your car

Upon the identification of a problem with your vehicle's timing belt it could be that you wish to replace it yourself. Changing a cam belt that is broken is a difficult task to complete as well as being quite time consuming, so should any doubts arise about your skills as a mechanic Help Fix Car can be brought to use to help you to find Brecon timing belt specialists to replace your broken cam belt. The removal and replacement of the timing belt is not the time consuming part of the job, but rather the stripping of the engine that will be needed to get to the timing belt. We would strongly advocate that should you be looking to replace the cam belt within your vehicle by yourself rather than utilising Help Fix Car to find an accredited timing belt specialist in Brecon that you give yourself 2-3 days to perform the job to a decent standard.

What role does a timing belt play?

Timing belts, or cam belts, are belts made out of rubber that regulate the timing of the valve's within an engine. The engine valves need to open and close a set number of times and the cam belt ensures that this happens correctly. The teeth of a timing belt are attentively designed so that they can deliver maximum efficiency for their engine. The teeth turn the cam shaft and make sure that it stays synchronised with the crankshaft. The camshaft need to turn half as quickly as the engine's crankshaft, and the cam belt ensures this happens. If this is not allowed to happen then the engine does not operate properly which can lead to your engine suffering irreparable damage. Reasons for such damage can be things such as engine valves staying open when they should be closed leading to them become stuck by the pistons.

Issues with timing belts

Issues 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 recognising them in time can be the difference between breaking down or not. 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 over stretched leading to them creaking noisily. If some or all of the teeth fall out of your car's timing belt the cam shaft cannot be turned. The camshaft will also not be able to turn if the cam belt is aligned incorrectly. Timing belts can also become damaged by oil being compressed into the belt changing the size of the belt, stopping it from properly functioning. Timing belts will sometimes come loose meaning that they can slide out of position. Cam belt corrosion can also result in them snapping.

Ensure that you maintain your timing belt to extend its lifespan

You can end up with serious damage to your engine should your car's timing belt fail. The best outcome may be the hiring of a tow-truck, with serious damage to your engine being the worst possible outcome. By ensuring that you keep your cam belt maintained to a high standard you can make sure that you are less likely to ever need an emergency cam belt replacement. The best way of ensuring that your cam belt lasts as long as it should be expected is to check it for signs of damage on a regular basis. If the belt's rubber is looking worn, you have cracks in the teeth of your cam belt, or there are teeth missing, or your timing belt has been covered in oil or anti-freeze we would advise you having it replaced by a registered Brecon 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.

Reactions to a failure to mend a damaged cam belt

If 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 Brecon timing belt exerts when you visit Help Fix Car to undertake repairs on your Chrysler's timing belt before significant damage is done to its engine.

Types of timing belt

There 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.