What are timing belts and why do they need replacement?
A timing belt is what drives the camshaft(s) in many vehicles on the road today. The camshaft(s) open the engine valves. When a timing belt breaks or slips on many engines the valves may remain open while the piston comes up causing major engine damage. The vehicle’s manufacturer’s have a recommended replacement interval for each engine (usually 60,000, 90,000 or 105,000). Some high performance vehicles have recommended intervals as soon as 30,000 miles. We can quickly access this information and provide a cost estimate. Because many water pumps are mounted behind the timing belt, we will include replacing the water pump at the same time as an option. Some water pumps act as an idler pulley for the timing belt and could cause it to jump if the pump fails. Many water pumps fail at 90,000-100,000 miles anyway and there is a substantial savings for replacing the pump while the timing belt is off.
