Mar 24, 2021
If your cambelt fails, unfortunately, this brings with it hefty repair costs. The cambelt or better known as the timing belt is a vital piece of your car’s kid and it can be easily dealt with by a professional. In this article, we will take you through the warning signs to help you find out when yours needs to be replaced.
The cambelt is an important part of your car’s engine and is made of sturdy composites like Kevlar and Polyurethane. It has been designed with teeth to help keep the camshaft and crankshaft in time.
Your car’s timing belt controls the timing of the internal combustion engines. It controls the timing and sequence of when the valves to the cylinders open and close and to do that, it makes sure the crankshaft and camshaft rotate in sync.
The engine’s camshaft controls the valves, letting fuel and air in and out. The crankshaft moves the pistons up and down at the same time and these two actions must be synchronised. If the timing of this is off, pistons, valves or other vital engine parts could get damaged in the process.
Like many car repairs, there is no one size fits all rule when trying to determine how frequently the timing belt should be changed as it depends on the car you’re driving as well as your driving habits.
Generally, manufacturer’s will suggest either a time or mileage-based change, depending on which of those comes first. There’s a lot of variation between both manufacturer and engines when it comes to a change and could range from 40,000 to 100,000 miles or from 4 to 6 years.
You can check your car’s handbook to see what the recommended change frequency is and when you take your car for a service, the mechanic will indicate whether or not this needs to be changed. Treat these recommended intervals as the maximum as cambelt failure will result in serious mechanical damage, resulting in an even more costly repair.
There is usually no sign telling you that your timing belt needs to be changed as it’s deeply embedded in the engine. However, if you’re lucky you might hear some rattling or slapping noises prior to the cambelt going but sometimes, reputable experts can’t even predict timing belt failure. It’s also something you may not notice affecting how your car drives.
Cambelt repairs can be costly, with the average price in the UK being around £300 to £400. Should you need to have your timing belt to be replaced, get quotes today with MyCarNeedsA.com to find a local, reputable garage near you.
