If you’ve heard of a timing belt but aren’t 100% sure what it does, it can get a little confusing trying to figure out why it’s important and how to know when there’s something wrong with it.
Your timing belt is actually a vital part of your vehicle so it’s definitely in your best interest to understand how your timing belt works, and why it’s so important to the function of your vehicle.
What does a timing belt do for your Fairfax, VA vehicle?
As the name suggests, a timing belt is a rubber belt. It slips over gears that are found at the end of both the camshaft and the crankshaft. On the inside, the part that is attached to the gears, features rubber teeth that catch on the gears and allow the belt to rotate and turn with the camshaft in the crankshaft.
The camshaft is what operates the valves in your engine that let gasoline and air mix in your engine. The crankshaft moves the pistons up and down in the cylinders.
These movements need to be precisely timed, so that the air/fuel mix is injected into your engine at the exact right moment.
If your vehicle’s timing belt fails, it’s highly likely that the pistons are still going to hit the valves in your engine, destroying them and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. This is a citation you don’t want to experience!
To learn about how often your timing belt needs to be replaced or signs you should replace your timing belt now, click here.
