Timing belt. When to replace?

It is almost impossible to determine the degree of wear of the timing belt. The mileage of a used belt cannot be judged visually - it looks the same after a week of use as it did at the end of its “technical service life”. Unless there was a moment when several teeth were torn off, but it still works properly.

What is important, the timing belts are practically not stretched, but only once, their tension is set in advance. When the belt runs low and has been disassembled for other reasons, it is best to replace it with a new one. The signal to replace the belt (during a periodic inspection of the engine, but when the replacement period specified by the manufacturer has not yet arrived) is friction against the sides of the guide rollers, for example, as a result of damage to the bearings of these rollers, and oil lubrication on the belt. Petroleum products destroy the toothed belt material.

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Regardless of the make and model of the vehicle, the timing belt should be replaced after or before the mileage recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Never later, because the so-called "break" of the belt, consisting in the chipping of its teeth, usually causes serious damage to the engine. In the case of a diesel engine, the head is most often completely destroyed.

When we buy a used car and we have doubts about the engine mileage and the timing of the timing belt replacement, let's do it proactively, which will save us from possible serious problems in the future.

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