Given that a vehicle requiring a timing belt/chain replacement has probably racked up a fair few kilometres, it is likely that these ancillary parts are ‘tired’ too. That’s a hefty sum, but it should be remembered that ignoring timing belt/chain issues will result in calamitous damage to the engine, and the cost of repairing that damage will be much more severe.Īs the timing belt/chain replacement is so labour intensive, it is not unusual for a workshop to suggest that other components, such as the water pump, be replaced while the mechanic has access to them. You can expect the cost to be somewhere between $800 and $2000, possibly more depending on the vehicle and whether it is a belt or chain being replaced. However, if there is a problem, replacement is essential and is a job that can’t be ignored. Replacing either of these components is a complicated and time-consuming job, even for the most experienced mechanic, so the work will come at a price. As mentioned, a timing chain may never require changing. The timing belt is made from pretty robust material but will need changing at some point – perhaps at the 100,000km mark or so. WHAT DOES IT COST TO REPLACE A TIMING BELT/CHAIN? Also, oil will impact the physical nature of the belt and make it wear and break down more quickly. The timing belt is designed to fit tightly in place and any fluid or lubricant that affects that grip is a cause for concern. Over time, gaskets and seals in the engine may wear down and oil can leak into the timing belt area. OIL LEAK: Timing belts are hidden from view by a timing belt cover that protects the engine from any debris kicked up when the car is moving. A ‘stretched’ chain will loosen on its sprockets, affecting performance.ĮNGINE WON’T START: If the timing belt/chain is broken, then the contact between crankshaft and camshaft is lost and the engine won’t be able to kick into life. The same symptoms occur when a timing belt loses its tension. This may cause one or more of the valves to open or close at the incorrect time, causing a misfire and rough idling. Over time, these ‘teeth’ will wear and begin to slip. The timing belt itself has ‘teeth’ that grip onto the gears. MISFIRE & ROUGH IDLING: The timing belt connects the crankshaft and camshaft via a series of pulleys and gears. Some models of cars have non-interference engines in which there is room for both to move without fear of contact. It is worth noting that engines in which a fully open valve extends into the space the piston also moves are known as an interference engines. It is a scenario that your car, and your wallet, most definitely want to avoid. Should things go wrong and they do make contact, the resulting damage can include bent valves, damage to the camshaft, damage to the cylinder head and cylinder wall, and potentially the piston too. These components are moving extremely fast and the pressure and heat inside the cylinder is immense. This means that if the timing of their movement is wrong, the pistons can smash into the valves. In most engines, the open valves and pistons occupy part of the same space of the cylinder at different times. At the top of the cylinder are the valves that open to allow the fuel and air mixture into the cylinder. Inside an engine cylinder sits the piston which is forced downwards by the pressure of the combustion of a fuel and air mixture and back upwards by the movement of the crankshaft. In short, catastrophic and extremely expensive to repair! WHAT SORT OF DAMAGE CAN RESULT FROM A BROKEN TIMING BELT/CHAIN? However, as with a timing belt or any moving part, it can break or be damaged. It is designed to have an extremely long lifespan and may never require replacement. Should the ‘timing’ of the movement of the camshaft and crankshaft be incorrect then colossal damage to the engine can occur.Ī timing chain does the exact same job as the timing belt but is a metallic roller chain. The camshaft rotates and opens and closes the valves that allow the air and fuel mixture to enter the cylinders and this process must happen in sync with the movement of the crankshaft – the component that converts the movement of the pistons inside the cylinders into the rotational motion that is transferred to the transmission and ultimately to the wheels that move the vehicle.
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