TIMING BELT JOB
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 also effect camshaft position which in turn effects timing
and can also have a affect on fuel mileage and engine performance
(This belt tension should be checked in between timing belt replacements).
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 don’t last until
its time to do the belt again. I don’t 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… A nd 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 out.