20 Jul Everything You Need to Know About Timing Belt Replacement in Ann Arbor, MI
Wondering how much a timing belt costs or when it should be replaced? The actual price of the belt is fairly inexpensive, ranging somewhere between $35.00 and $100.00 dollars. However, on most cars the labor can be expensive. The price varies depending on the year make and model of the vehicle. Also, on many cars, the water pump is driven by the timing belt. The belt also has an automatic hydraulic tensioner that also has a life span and can fail. The timing belt keeps the crank shaft and camshaft timed together so the pistons do not hit the valves while they are in the open position. These shafts have rubber seals that age, they can harden over time and can actually crack and leak oil. At Ron’s Garage, we recommend replacing all these components while replacing the timing belt to ensure you have no future problems. If the water pump starts leaking anti freeze or one of your seals starts leaking oil, the timing belt will have to be replaced again plus the seals ,water pump and tensioners etc. It’s always cheaper in the long run to do the job right the first time than it is to do it over. Additionally your accessory drive belts may also be at the end of their life span and need replacing. Replacing them at the same time would be more cost-effective, as their would be no labor involved. These belts have to be removed to replace the timing belt. Most cars have a replacement interval of approximately 100,000 miles, but this can vary with different conditions. Severe conditions include drastic temperature changes. The travel conditions and age of your car an also shorten the replacement time frame for a timing belt. For example, commercial vehicles that spend a lot of time idling and/or the age of the vehicle will lower the recommended mileage interval. In Michigan, on the first very cold days of winter, it’s not unusual for us to see a couple of broken timing belts. Extreme heat is another enemy of your timing belt.