Here at Clarke Automotive Systems, we get questions every so often about timing belts. Most people don't even know there's something wrong with their timing belt or that it's time to replace it until their car breaks down on them or starts acting very differently. We're offer car repair Brandon, FL residents rely on time and time again and we're here to offer some help. Here are some signs that it may be time to replace your timing belt.
If you've noticed that when you're driving your car and you get up between 2000 and 4000 RPMs, your engine starts acting weirdly, you should have your timing belt changed. If your timing belt is loose, it will start to slip at higher RPMs and during acceleration.
Old timing belts wear down over time and lose teeth. It's normally recommended to change your timing belt every 60,000 miles.
Experiencing starting and running issues with your car? Most people don't realize that the timing belt is actually a very finely tuned piece of equipment that's very important for your car. If the timing is off with anything - the alignment, the revolutions of the crankshaft or cam shaft, etc, - everything else is off kilter, too. This can cause starting problems because the timing of all the individual components that the car needs to start will be disrupted.
Exhaust problems are also a good sign. A timing belt can be signaled by your car expelling far more smoke than normal. You may also notice that the engine is struggling to compete with its own components.