We all know that a timing belt is an important part of our engine, but there is a surprisingly large number of the population who don’t fully understand exactly what it does. Sure, it serves a very important purpose, but what exactly is it? In a nutshell, the timing belt connects the crankshaft to the camshaft up inside the engine. This ensures that both will spin at the same time. The timing belt also helps to synchronize the engine’s pistons and valves. Without this, your engine would not function.
So, the question begs to be asked: How can you tell if your timing belt is going bad and needs replacing? For your convenience, the following are three indicators that your timing belt is having serious problems:
- When the timing belt is worn out, you’ll sometimes likely to hear a ticking sound coming from under the hood when the engine is running or you may hear a squealing at certain times—accelerating, decelerating or breaking.
- Your engine might not start. Of course, there are a lot of reasons your car might not start, but a broken timing belt is one of the more expensive ones. In these cases, the starter will engage, but the engine will not turn over.
- The engine is misfiring while you’re driving it. As mentioned above, your vehicle’s timing belt is responsible for synchronizing your engine’s pistons and valves. If its timing is off, your engine will run irregularly.
If you find yourself having issues with your timing belt, the technicians at Champion Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Lansing can help. Give them a call today. They would love to help you.
