Timing Belt
You may not think too much about your timing belt until you have to. And when you have to, it’s usually because it’s broken and left you suddenly and inconveniently stranded somewhere and facing towing and hefty repair bills. Your best course of action is to maintain your suggested timing belt replacement schedule, and have your vehicle’s timing belt regularly inspected during routine oil changes. Be sure to have your timing belt changed every 60,000 to 75,000 miles, even if you are told your best is designed to last up to 100,000 miles. The professionals at Fixcarnow in Los Angeles do not recommend that you allow your belt to go more than 80,000 miles, even if the recommended change point is longer. Changing your belt early is a lot safer for your engine, and will save you a lot of money and a new engine or car if you are unable to avoid a timing belt failure.
At Fixcarnow in Los Angeles, our ASE-certified technicians inspect the condition of all belts and hoses every time we we change a vehicle’s oil. This way we can catch any evidence of your hose degrading before it happens and can help you avoid expensive and unnecessary repair bills.
The timing belt is the belt that controls the camshafts in your engine and keeps your engine running smoothly. Timing belts keep camshafts turning at the right time in order to keep the engine running. A camshaft is the shaft that opens and closes the intake and exhaust valves in the engine, allowing air in to create combustion, and venting the resulting exhaust. A timing belt must be properly calibrated in order to move in time with the motion of the pistons.
The timing belt is arguably one of the most important parts of your car. It’s made from rubber and is subject to wear and tear due to intense mechanical and environmental conditions. The environment of the engine is quite hot with temperatures under the hood able to exceed 500 degrees. Corrosive fluids such as oil, hydraulic fluids, and battery acid, as well as mechanical dangers such as metal and hard plastics make the path the timing belt must travel dangerous. This is why it’s extremely important to periodically check the wear of this crucial and vulnerable part of your car.
You should know whether you have an ‘interference’ or ‘non-interference’ engine. Interference engines have a smaller amount of space between the valves and pistons, while non-interference engines have more room. The two different types of engines make a difference when determining just how bad a timing belt failure can be for your engine. In an interference engine, with little space to maneuver between the valves and pistons, a slip or break in the belt can send a piston into an open valve. When this happens, it is similar to the engine self-destructing. A timing belt failure in a non-interference engine however will generally not ruin the motor.
Fixcarnow is well known in the greater Los Angeles area as well as the surrounding cities for all the wonderful conveniences we offer including free shuttle service, free loaner cars, free brake checks, same day service and two year warranties. If you live in the Los Angeles area, we are the auto repair shop you need to contact for oil changes, maintenance and all other repairs. You’ll see why our customers love and trust our prices, reputation, and top-quality service.
A timing belt is a toothed belt used to transfer power from the crank to the cam shaft. It is responsible for the smooth running of your engine. It is made of rubber and is usually mounted under an engine cover. The main duty of the timing belt is to control the timing of your engine valves.
A damaged timing belt may cause engine or transmission failure. Just like any other car accessory timing belts get worn out and hence need repair or replacement after a certain period of time. To be on the safe side, it is not advisable to go for more than 80 000 miles without visiting a timing belt repair shop to have it checked and replaced. It is important to do regular timing belt service to check on damages like cracks. These small damages may possibly lead to serious engine damage and cost you a lot if not detected early.
In the occurrence where a timing belt breaks, the valves are left open because the camshafts stop turning. The crankshaft may continue to rotate by inertia since it is heavy. This motion in tern causes the pistons to strike the open valves resulting to damaged pistons and either broken or bent valves. This may also cause the damage of the cylinder head. A timely timing belt repair can help in avoiding such a scenario.
Timing belt service should be done on a regular basis. This will extend the life of your timing belt and even your engine. Your safety is very important. It should be the number one thing in your mind before you start your car. Lack of timing belt repair and replacement may lead to an accident. You may also face being stranded since the car will not run if your timing belt breaks unannounced.
At Fix a car now we offer service, repair and replacement of timing belts every day of the week. We have been operational for over two decades now and our number one priority is to ensure that you get a satisfactory service that will keep you coming again and again. Our timing belt repair shop is well reputed in the whole of Los Angeles as the leading auto repair shop facility. Our dedicated and experienced workmanship are in a position to offer you extensive and professional advice on how to prolong the life expectancy of your timing belt and ultimately your engine. We ensure that you feel the value of your hard earned money by offering you top notch quality and fair priced services.