Used Car Buying Tip by AutoHealth: Never Ignore the Timing Belt

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How many times has it been heard that someone brought a used car and the car stopped moving midway on one of their very early rides?

The problem could be coming from the timing belt in the car or from the parts that it joins. The car might have been sold just at the time when maintenance for the timing belt in the car is due. Otherwise, when one or the other engine parts are on verge of collapse or got some tricky patch work to cover up the main issue, at that time the owners of the car put the car on sale. The condition of the timing belt can play a major role in the cost of the used car.

In India’s used car market a very common problem is patch works on car parts by mechanics at service centers which are not authorized by the manufacturers. Often this unauthorized patch works remain undocumented. The buyers of the used cars need to check service history for the car to get ideas about the wear and tears on the car. They cannot have any clue about the patch works on the car that they are buying. To check about the real condition of the car, the buyers of the used cars should make an inspection of the car by their trusted mechanics to get confirmed about the respective conditions of the different parts of the car before they zeroed upon the most suitable price. In order to get the best price for a used car, the buyer must get hold of the reality of the car.

What is the timing belt in a car?

The timing belt in the car is a toothed rubber belt. This belt makes the camshaft and crankshafts rotate at the same time. Perfect synchronization ensures that the valve and pistons in the engine open and close at the same time. Otherwise, the car may suffer from a catastrophic collision. If the timing belt fails to make the camshaft and crankshafts move in perfect rhythm, then severe engine damage may occur.

What is the function of the timing belt?

The timing belt does a few things as follows:

• It makes the camshaft to regulate valves.
• It is linked to water and/ oil pumps for lubrication and cooling.

Moreover, the internal structure of a timing belt is made of fiber and steel. For reinforcement the structure is covered with rubber. The teeth are covered with nylon.

Often car starting problems diagnosis leads to damage in the timing belt of the car. Any problem with the car when the car cannot be started or the car cannot attain full pick-up after the accelerator is pressed the diagnosis may lead to a damaged timing belt. The most probable car starting problem is wear and tear in the timing belt of the car.

What are the car starting problems symptoms?

A damaged timing belt creates car starting problems. The common symptoms are as follows:

• loud ticking
• slapping noises,
• engine misfires,
• sudden engine failure,
• turning up of check engine light with error coded P0016 and P0030

These symptoms are also considered as car starting failure symptoms. Often the answer to “why car starters fail?” points to the damage in the timing belt.

Types of Timing Belt

Timing belts come to the market in different shapes. Followings are the some variety of Timing Belts:

• Trapezoidal: Classic and common design for standard power transmission.
• Curvilinear: This design is for better stress distribution.

What is the role of the timing belt in car maintenance?

A damaged timing belt can stop the car on the go all of a sudden. Otherwise, it can stir up warnings like loud ticking or slapping noises, engine misfires, sudden engine failure, turning up of check engine light with error coded P0016 and P0030.

How can car history check help avoid hassles with purchase of used cars having issues with the timing belt?

AutoHealth CarCheck History gives service history of cars if the license plate number of the car is put for car history search. The service history gives details of the regular/ routine maintenance and accident repairs. Also, maintenance history gives details about all the maintenance works on the car. This service history of the car reflects the recorded repair and maintenance on the car. Compared with the physical inspection of the car by a trusted mechanic/ technician the unrecorded repairs with unauthorized service persons may be revealed. The buyer of a car can get an appropriate bargain price for the purchase. To reveal under-the-rug history of maintenance on a car, AutoHealth CarCheck report, which is also a report on vehicle history, becomes very helpful. With a vehicle history report comes accident history check free of cost.

FAQ

Is there a timing belt in cars default or not?

No. Timing belts in cars are not default. Timing belt is an accessory of Internal Combustion Engines. The timing belt synchronizes the pistons and valves. Since the Electric Vehicles do not have internal combustion mechanisms and electric motors have few moving parts and no camshaft, valve, they do not need a timing belt.

What is the timing belt replacement time?

Different manufacturers have set different intervals for replacement of the timing belt. However, the common practice demands that the timing belt should be changed each time the odometer reading adds on 60,000 to 100, 000 miles (approximately 95,000 to 160,000 km). Otherwise, the timing belts of cars need to be changed every 5 to 7 years.

What is the importance of timing belts in cars?

Timing belts help change the rotational motions inside the internal combustion engines to linear motion. Because of timing belts the cars move forwards. Any wear and tear or breaking in the timing belt stops the movement of the car and stops the engine all of a sudden. Besides, damages in the timing belt create lots of noises like slapping and ticking. It causes engine misfires. It can light up engine lights with specific codes like P0016 and P0030.

How much does the timing belt in the car cost?

In India a replacement of a timing belt costs as low as ₹5,000/-. Also, the costs of replacing the timing belt may surpass ₹15,000/-. However, the part itself costs between ₹1,000 and ₹3,000. The cost of a belt seems relatively low but the cost of labor seems very high. The possible reason could be the complex process of replacing a timing belt which often takes 4 to 6 hours of labor. Also, replacement of the timing belt often occurs with replacement of tensioner and water pump.