Timing Belt Replacement Redwood City - Why Timing Belt Replacement is so Important - Bosch European Redwood City

So your car has about between 30K and 60K on it and your owner's manual list timing belt replacement as part of the scheduled maintenance. You take your car into the shop and ask them about this timing belt thing and they tell you that it will cost several hundred more than your maintenance usually cost. You look at the service guy like he is trying to rip you off, because you think in the back of your head how could a belt cost so much. Well I am here to explain why and how critical this belt is.

The timing belt is a rubber/nylon belt that connects the crankshaft to the camshaft(s).This belt often times also turns water pumps, auxiliary shafts etc. There are also several other important parts that work in conjunction with the timing belt such as timing belt idlers, tensioners and oil seals. As the timing belt is exposed to heat and various substances such as road grime and oil along with the strain of everyday driving it starts to stretch. After the belt starts this stretching process it gets loose and begins to wear on the teeth of the belt, it can also effect camshaft position which in turn effects timing and can also have an effect on fuel mileage and engine performance (This belt tension should be checked in between timing belt replacements).

Most engines today have very complex internal workings and very close tolerances, especially import vehicles and are known as interference engines. Which means if the belt breaks that the valves will make contact with the pistons. This is where the big money comes in because when these parts collide it does severe internal damage like bending valves, folding over ring landings on the pistons etc.

Now the reason timing belt jobs are costly if done right is because it takes several hours and several hundred dollars’ worth of parts. You don’t just put another belt on and off you go because you have those other parts I mentioned earlier with the same wear as the belt and believe me most of the time these parts dont last until its time to do the belt again. I dont know how many engines I've seen destroyed due to a water pump failure and stripping the teeth off the timing belt or oil seals that were not replaced saturating a new belt with the same results.. And many people tell there mechanic to just put the belt on and not the associated parts because money is tight. And then in a few weeks having their car towed in because it just quit running and they can't understand why since they just had all the maintenance done, but they failed to have the water pump replaced with the belt and it locked up and wiped the belt out which in turn wiped their engine

by mcourson
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source: http://wrytestuff.com/swa13581.htm

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