TIMING / CAM BELT

Your timing belt is usually very difficult to inspect, as it’s located inside your engine, underneath the timing cover. Even when the timing belt is easy to access, a visual inspection often won’t reveal if a timing belt is ready to fail. For this reason, a timing belt needs to be replaced based on mileage or age. 

Most car manufacturers recommend a replacement interval of between 60,000 and 120,000 miles or every 4 years up to 10 years. This means that the belt must be replaced at 60,000 miles; then at 120,000 miles; then 180,000 miles, and so on.  Or at 4 years, 8 years, 12 years etc.

Your timing belt replacement interval will be listed in the maintenance section of your owner’s manual. 

Don’t have a manual? Give us a shout, and we’ll look up the recommended service interval for you.

A timing belt that is past its expiry date will eventually break. 

A broken timing belt is never a good situation; one that we wouldn’t wish on any driver. Besides causing an inconvenient break-down, a broken timing belt can cause considerable damage to the engine. This is because most modern engines use an interference head design, where the pistons can actually contact the valves if the valve timing is not correct. This usually results in Hundreds maybe Thousands of Pounds of engine damage in the form of bent valves; broken pistons; etc.

Repairing the damage that results from a broken timing belt can sometimes cost more than the vehicle is worth; instantly rendering your vehicle almost worthless. The only way to avoid this situation is to replace your timing belt on time, every time.