The Triangle’s Premier Independent Auto Service and Repair for Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche






SERVING RALEIGH - DURHAM - CARY - WAKE FOREST

 

2620 Rowland Road, Suite 101

Raleigh NC 27615

(919) 850-4355

About Timing Belts & Timing Belt Repair


Properly maintaining your car is always the best way to help ensure that it will not let you down.  And preventive maintenance is almost always cheaper than repairing something after it breaks.  This is particularly true with timing belts.


Free timing belt inspections for most cars


Washburn Motorsports has many years of experience replacing timing belts, and we offer free timing belt inspections for many Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche models.  On some models it’s more difficult to inspect the belt because many parts need to be removed first, and we must charge a small fee for those cars.


So give us a call if your car is 4 years old or older, or if you have 65,000 to 75,000 miles or more on your timing belt.  We’ll be happy to schedule a timing belt inspection for you, and we’ll tell you in advance whether there will be a small fee for this service, or not.


What is a timing belt?

Inside every car engine, a timing belt connects the crankshaft and the camshaft. The camshaft primarily controls the movement of the engine valves and is
therefore responsible for controlling the synchronization (or timing) of every engine cycle.  The timing belt is the mechanism for ensuring that the operation of the camshaft and the crankshaft is synchronized. The timing belt may also serve other functions such as powering oil and water pumps.


The timing belt is a little like the conductor of an orchestra. Without a conductor the various musical instruments will not be playing in proper time, and the music will not be sweet-sounding.  If your engine’s timing belt malfunctions, it’s not going to sound good either.  And it will be much worse because substantial engine damage is likely to occur.


Why do timing belts need to be replaced?

Timing belts are typically constructed of rubber with high-tensile fibers (usually fiberglass or Kevlar), and they are very strong.  However, after 60,000 to 75,000 miles they can stretch, crack, derail or loose teeth.  In rare cases they can even break entirely.  Below is a photo of a timing belt we replaced.  You can see that it’s missing about 15 teeth, and that caused real problems with this engine.  Don’t let this happen to you.




When should I replace my timing belt?

Most automobile manufacturers recommend that timing belts be replaced approximately every 75,000 miles or 4 years, whichever comes sooner.


Some newer cars come with recommendations to replace timing belts every 120,000 miles, however we have observed cracked timing belts on some of these newer cars at 60,000 miles.  That is why we recommend replacing all timing belts every 75,000 miles or 4 years.


Note that it is a common practice to replace the timing belt tensioner and related gears and bearings at the same time the belt is replaced.


What will happen if I don't replace my timing belt as recommended?

If your timing belt fails, your car will not continue to operate, and you will find yourself stranded along the side of the road.


However, before your engine comes to a full stop its internal parts will keep moving due to inertia.  During those last few seconds a lot of damage can occur inside your engine.  Frequently damaged parts include: the head, valves, push rods, pistons, piston rings, connecting rods, crankshaft, camshaft and other components.  Even the engine block can be damaged.  In most cases the engine must be completely stripped and rebuilt. If the damage is severe it is usually advisable to replace the entire engine. Either way you’ll be facing some very expensive repair bills, not to mention towing charges, hotel costs (if you’re away from home), etc.


We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Just give us a call or stop in to see us.






timing belt animation

(source: samarins.com)



NOTE: This information is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as repair advice, and you should not attempt repairs or service based on the information contained on this website.

 

Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche Experts

Repairs - Service - Diagnostics - Performance - Tuning

Call us today for a free estimate!