If you're not sure whether your cam belt is due for replacement, we can check your vehicle's cam belt interval for you.
Please note that this is not a visual inspection. Cam belts which look perfectly serviceable can still fail and therefore, we cannot assess the serviceability of your cam belt by visual inspection alone.
The good news is that you don't even need to pop into the garage! Just pop your email address and registration number in the form provided and we'll send you the details of your cam belt interval. We'll also include a free, no obligation estimate so that you have an idea cost.
The cam belt (also known as a timing belt or camshaft drive belt) is a toothed belt that connects the crankshaft to the camshafts in many engines. Alternative engine designs may use timing chains or gears to achieve the same goal.
Failure of the cam belt will normally lead to catastrophic engine damage as the pistons make contact with the much smaller valves.
Vehicle manufacturers normally recommended intervals for cam belt replacement. These normally consist of a mileage and a date. Eg, 60,000 miles or 5 years, whichever comes sooner. These intervals can vary from vehicle to vehicle. Even similar vehicles' cam belt intervals can vary by model year - it can be a bit of mine-field.
Not to worry though, our technicians are on hand to advise on the correct intervals for your vehicle, just give us a call on 01386 765168 to start the ball rolling.
In addition to replacing the cam belt, it is advisable to replace the cam belt tensioners, any idler gears and the water pump (if cam belt driven) as these are often the cause of timing belt failure. We always estimate for the worst case scenario, so our prices include cam belt, tensioners, idlers and water pump where needed. If you are comparing cam belt prices across different garages, always make sure you know what is and isn't included.
Rather than a cam belt, many engine designs use a timing chain instead. The timing chain does exactly the same job as a cam belt but uses a chain instead of a toothed belt.
Due to the increased strength of the chain over a toothed belt many manufacturers consider these to be able to last the life of the vehicle. Therefore there is often no recommended interval for timing chain replacement.
That said, many engines fitted with timing chains do suffer with issues such as chain stretch, tensioner and guide failure, pulley wear etc.
These normally manifest themselves as harsh rattles from the engine, especially on cold start or engine deceleration. If you're engine is sounding harsh or rattling (especially on start up), don't put of having it checked - it may save you a lot of money in the long run.
To find out if your vehicle has a cam belt or timing chain or to book a free check please get in touch.
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