Third Coast Auto Group Official Blog
Timing Belt – signs it’s going and when it’s gone
By Product Expert | Posted in Tips and Tricks on Tuesday, December 5th, 2017 at 6:15 pm
The timing belt, also known as a camshaft belt, is one of the essential pieces of your engine. While some under-hood components can fall apart and it will just make life unpleasant, when the timing belt dies it can actually cause significant damage to your engine. This belt is usually hidden by the engine cover, and it coordinates the cam and crankshaft, and makes sure that your engine cylinders are firing at the right times. When this belt goes, it can throw everything off, and actually deform other engine parts that rely on the timing belt. But how can you know when the timing belt is going?
How can you know when the timing belt is going?
Unfortunately, the timing belt can be a silent killer when it comes to engines. Engine misfires, or a ticking noise coming from the engine are two early warnings of a timing belt issue. A motor oil leak coming from the timing belt cover can be another bad sign. While many of these issues can have other causes, all of them are worth bringing to a mechanic.
Much as we welcome new customers here at Third Coast Auto Group in Austin TX, we don’t really want you to need to check out our large used vehicle inventory when you could prevent damage to your vehicle in the first place.
Avoid timing belt problems
One of the best ways to avoid timing belt problems is to find your car’s manual (many manufactures have vehicle manuals available online who have lost or never received the original) and have the timing belt checked according to the recommended maintenance intervals (and replaced when necessary).
How do you know when your timing belt is dead?
If your timing belt is broken, then your car won’t start. However, if you want to be sure that your problem is the timing belt, the video below shows what a broken timing belt sounds like!
