Getting to Know Your Timing Belt

You are probably confused with the job of yourrecommendations.
Saab belts. How about reading this article, withIf the timing belt fails completely, the engine will
notes from an online source, to get thejust grind to a halt and the vehicle will totally not
know-how on one of those belts? - The timingwork. The valves and pistons can drive
belts.themselves into the camshaft, thereby causing
Timing Belts are tightened rubber bands orthem to just bend and brake. A very little warning
sometimes chains used to proportion the turningsis executed by a failing timing belt so it is wise
of the crankshafts and camshafts in internalthat a timely timing belt replacement be made.
combustion engines. In the inner part of someThe professionals are responsible for replacing
timing belts are teeth that will correspond to thethem because a lot of peripheral parts like the
gears of a specific engine design. Older vehiclesdistributor and may be the water pump has to be
have timing belts used only to synchronizeremoved for it to become accessible. New timing
camshafts and crankshafts. But with today'sbelts have to exactly match the old ones. The
modern engines, they are also often used tovehicle with broken timing belts has to be towed
drive the water pumps.into the shop. And when the timing belt has been
The timing belts must keep the valves and thereplaced, the mechanic has to synchronize the
pistons working in an accurate order. At just thecamshaft and the crankshaft with a special kind
right time, each valve and piston combinationof strobe light. Repairing the broken timing belt
must push down on the individual cams on acould take several hours, but it's all worth it.
camshaft. It is like pedaling a bicycle, where theThe mechanic may also suggest that the water
pedal must reach the top before you can push itpump be changed at the same time with the
down again. Your foot will either fall through ortiming belt. No need to worry because it will
just break the pedal right off if you tried to pushprobably be worth your while in the long run. This
the pedal too soon. Timing belts work to preventis because just about all the work is done to
the pushing of the pistons and the valves on thereplace the water pump when the timing belt is
camshaft before it has reached a full cycle.being changed; which means it will not require any
Timing belts have a life-span of at least 60,000additional labor as compared to repeating all that
miles, but some of the modern designs will lastwork and the mechanic would then charge again
the whole life of the engine. They should befor the labor if the water pump has to fail at a
replaced in accordance to the manufacturer'slater stage.