Belts & Hoses
Timing Belt
Overview
Did you know?
They say timing is everything. That's doubly true when it comes to your timing belt. First, your timing belt keeps your valves operating in time with your engine so that it runs properly. Second, if you replace your timing belt on schedule, you'll likely avoid the downtime and expense that can result from a broken or slipping timing belt. At DOWNEY Car Care Center in we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at and let us help keep you safely and economically on the road.
Let's address a very important maintenance item for everyone in -timing belt replacement. It's important because letting this one slide can lead to very expensive engine damage.
Your timing belt choreographs the timing of your combustion process. Your pistons travel up and down in the cylinder. Intake valves open at the right time to let in air and fuel, they close at the right time to allow the fuel to burn and then the exhaust valves open at the right time to let out the exhaust.
All this happens thousands of times a minute and it's your timing belt that makes sure the valves are opening and closing at precisely the right time. If the timing is off, your engine won't run. And that's the best case.
The worst case is that a valve is opening at the wrong time and collides with the piston. The result is bent valves and maybe even more damage to the cylinder head. Repairs can run several thousand dollars.
Now, timing belts just wear out naturally so you want to replace a worn belt before it slips or breaks. Check your owner's manual or with your service advisor at DOWNEY Car Care Center in to see when they recommend you replace the timing belt. If you've never replaced your timing belt and have 60,000 or more miles on the clock, talk with your service advisor at DOWNEY Car Care Center right away to see if you're due.
On some engines, the water pump is driven by the timing belt as opposed to the serpentine belt. If that's the case, it's a good idea to replace the water pump when you're replacing the timing belt, and vice versa since much of the same work has to be done for either. The same is true for the timing belt tensioner -it should be inspected and possibly replaced.
Now, replacing a timing belt is one of the more expensive routine maintenance items on your service schedule. But not replacing your timing belt can lead to some of the most expensive repairs you're likely to ever have.
Serpentine Belt
Overview
Did you know?
20 percent of vehicles on the road today need a serpentine belt replacement. A worn belt can not only break without warning, it can slip and damage important engine accessories. Have your belt inspected and replace it if it is worn or damaged. You'll be glad you did. At DOWNEY Car Care Center in we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at and let us help keep you safely and economically on the road.
You know that long belt that snakes around the front of your engine? It's called the serpentine belt. The serpentine belt is driven by the engine as it turns. It powers your alternator, air conditioning compressor, and power steering pump. On some vehicles it also runs the water pump, radiator fan, and power brakes. Sounds like a lot of important stuff doesn't it?
If your serpentine belt were to break on one of our roads, your battery would die in a few miles. If it runs your fan or water pump, your engine could overheat. And steering and braking could be more difficult. Obviously, the best thing is to replace your serpentine belt before it breaks.
Check your owner's manual for when it's recommended that you replace your serpentine belt -or just ask your service advisor at DOWNEY Car Care Center by calling . He can inspect the belt as well to see if it's in trouble.
You may have been told by a service advisor in to look for cracks in your belt to see if it needs to be replaced. Of course, cracks are still a concern, but modern belt material doesn't crack as often as old belts did. What we look for these days is the thickness of the belt. We have a special little tool at DOWNEY Car Care Center that measures the depth of the grooves in the belt to see if it needs replacing.
A worn belt can slip or be misaligned, putting undue stress on the accessories it runs.
Now you can imagine it's important for the belt to be tight, so there's a tensioner pulley on your engine that puts pressure on the belt to keep it at the right tension. The spring on the tensioner wears out over time so we recommend replacing the tensioner pulley at the same time as the serpentine belt.
Replacing your serpentine belt on schedule, or when an inspection warrants it, will keep you from an unexpected breakdown.