3 Signs You Need To Replace Your Timing Belt

 Your vehicle's timing belt works to make sure that the valves within your engine are opening and closing at the appropriate time to ensure the efficient burning of fuel. Therefore, any sort of damage or wear to your timing belt can have a massive effect on the performance of your engine, and therefore on the performance of the rest of your vehicle as well. Thankfully, there are several warning signs of a bad timing belt that you can watch out for to determine when you need to head to a mechanic to have it replaced.

Dark Exhaust

One the earliest warning signs of a damaged timing belt that is fairly easy to notice are dark discoloration of your vehicle's exhaust. This can point to an improper mixture of fuel and air within your car's engine, leading to darker exhaust. Sometimes, this can also be caused by oil used to lubricate the timing belt leaking into the engine as well. While this is an environmental consideration, it also has a marked effect on your gas tank: dark exhaust will greatly reduce the fuel efficiency of your vehicle and require you to fill up the gas tank more often.

Leaking Oil

As previously mentioned, the timing belt is lubricated with oil to ensure that it is able to move smoothly. The timing belt is sealed off from the engine with a cover that is sealed with a rubber gasket. However, over time that gasket can begin to degrade, allowing oil to leak out of the timing belt and onto the ground underneath your vehicle – or into the engine, causing the black smoke mentioned above. In either case, an oil leak will leave your timing belt improperly lubricated and more likely to experience friction, wear, and physical damage through normal operation, which can then prevent your engine from operating at peak efficiency.

Engine Misfires

Another common sign of a timing belt that needs to be replaced is frequent engine misfiring. This is caused by the valves within your engine opening at the wrong time when the timing belt slips due to excessive wear. Any sort of consistent rate of engine misfiring is a major concern, as it can cause a great deal of stress to the internal components of your engine and make it likely for pistons and valves to become damaged – which are much more complicated and expensive to fix than a timing belt is.

Contact a company like H & S Tire & Auto Center for more information and assistance.