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So your car has about between 30K and 60K on it and your owner's manual list timing belt replacement as part of the scheduled maintenance.You take your car into the shop and ask them about this timing belt thing and they tell you that it will cost several hundred more than your maintenance usually cost. You look at the service guy like he is trying to rip you off, cause you think in the back of your head how could a belt cost so much. Well I am here to explain why and how critical this belt is.
The timing belt is a rubber/nylon belt that connects the crankshaft to the camshaft(s).This belt often times also turns waterpumps, auxillary shafts etc.There are also several other important parts that work inconjunction with the timing belt such as timing belt idlers, tensioners and oil seals.As the timing belt is exposed to heat and various substances such as road grime and oil along with the strain of everyday driving it starts to stretch. After the belt starts this stretching process it gets loose and begins to wear on the teeth of the belt, it can also effect camshaft position which in turn effects timing and can also have a affect on fuel mileage and engine performance (This belt tension should be checked in between timing belt replacements).
Most engines today have very complex internal workings and very close tolerences, especially import vehicles and are known as interferance engines. Which means if the belt breaks that the valves will make contact with the pistons. This is where the big money comes in because when these parts collide it does severe internal damage like bending valves, folding over ring landings on the pistons etc.
Now the reason timing belt jobs are costly if done right is because it takes several hours and several hundred dollars worth of parts. You don't just put another belt on and off you go because you have those other parts I mentioned earlier with the same wear as the belt and believe me most of the time these parts don't last until its time to do the belt again. I don't know how many engines I've seen destroyed due to a water pump failure and stripping the teeth off the timing belt or oil seals that were not replaced saturating a new belt with the same results.. And many people tell there mechanic to just put the belt on and not the assoiciated parts because money is tight. And then in a few weeks having their car towed in because it just quit running and they can't understand why since they just had all the maintenance done, but they failed to have the water pump replaced with the belt and it locked up and wiped the belt out which in turn wiped thier engine out.
In all my years working on cars I could never understand people not having the money to do the maintenance correctly, but they can come up with several thousand to put a new engine in thier car thats only has 65K on it, when it should have gotten 150K no problem. If you are worried that your mechanic is trying to rip you off when it comes to these repairs then you need to find a new mechanic because there is already a reason you don't trust him..REMEMBER PAY ME NOW OR PAY ME LATER, THE LATER THE MORE..
mcourson was a professional mechanic with 20 years experience in all aspects of the automotive repair and shop operations.Since retiring last year mcourson has been writing articles to educate the consumer on automotive repair and mechanic selection.
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