What is a timing belt and how it works?

Engine timing belt also known as cam-belt or toothed belt is made up of fibre reinforced, durable compounds such as highly saturated nitrite. The purpose of timing belt is to rotate the camshafts in such a way that the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves timing remain consistent with the position of the piston in the engine cylinder head. This opening and closing timing of the intake and exhaust valves is very important and a key factor for any combustion engine to remain functional. If timing belt snaps it damages the cylinder head valves and engine fails.

What is the timing belt replacement interval?

The average life span of a timing belt is between 60,000 and 100,000 miles or after 7 to 10 years regardless of mileage Depending upon the make and model of the car.To find out the exact timing belt replacement intervals for your car its important to check your manufacturer manual.

What will happen if the timing belt breaks?

If the timing belt snaps, intake and exhaust valves touches the piston causing bent valves , cylinder head or camshaft damage and possibly piston and cylinder wall damage.

What are the Symptoms indicating that your car timing is out or timing belt has broken?

• Clanking noise from the engine.
• Engine won't turn over.
• No Compression.
• Engine misfires.
• Oil leaking.
• Engine stops abruptly.
• Rough engine operation.

It is not easy to find and discover if there is any problem with the cam belt as it is hidden under the protected cover until it's too late and has broken. The best solution is to follow the timing belt replacement interval guideline given by the manufacture and get it changed accordingly.

Can you drive a car with a timing belt problem?

No, it doesn't worth taking that much risk because timing belt plays very important role in the engine running operation and all your car engine valves opening and closing timing intervals depends on timing belt, if the belt snaps while driving, your car will loose power immediately and engine will completely fail, causing risk to your life as well as other road users, Once your vehicle has reached the recommended timing belt replacement mileage intervals simply get it changed soon as possible to eliminate risk of unexpected and sudden timing belt breakage.

What is a cost of replacing timing belt ?

Timing belt replacement cost depends on the make and model of the vehicle and labour time. It is different for different makes and models, please enter your car registration number above to find out the exact cost of replacing the timing belt on your car.

makes such as Ford , fiat , VW, vauxhall , kia, Nissan , toyota, citroen and peugeot can cost anywhere from £250–£550 from an authorised dealer.

Following are the statistics of Timing Belt Replacement on common vehicles in the united kingdom.