Cambelt’s are also known as timing belts, and they are a vital component of your vehicle. The Cambelt is crucial to your car’s functions and can therefore incur a hefty cost when a replacement is needed. Cambelt replacement is inevitable, however few of us know what actually happens when your cambelt is replaced.
The cambelt is essentially a rubber belt with teeth which regulates the way your engine works, by synchronising the rotation on the crankshaft and camshaft.
Essentially, a cambelt ensures the timing and sequencing of your car’s internal combustion engine.
When should a Cambelt be Changed?
Like most components of a car, a cambelt will wear itself out eventually. However, it is such a key part of kit that its decline can cause a lot of further engine damage. Consequently, it is a problem that you should want to deal with efficiently to keep costs and stress down.
Much like clutch replacement, it is better to get the job done promptly to eliminate any further damage.
On average, mechanics state that your cambelt will need replacing every 4- 6 years, however this varies depending on your car model and make.
The most common time when a faulty cambelt is identified, is during your annual MOT servicing. Replacing it can be quite costly as it involves a lot of labour.
Your car’s manual may also give a recommendation of Cambelt Replacement intervals.
Unfortunately, there are often little to no signs that your cambelt is dying as it is hidden deep within the engine. Occasionally you will hear a rattling or slapping noise prior to cambelt failure or you may notice some corrosive damage upon a visual examination.
What Actually happens when your Cambelt is replaced?
The exact location of your cambelt varies depending on your car model and make. How easy the part is to access will also affects the cost and of course labour time.
The first step is to take off the fan belt by loosening the nuts and pushing the alternator down. Remove the bolts from the cambelt cover, then take both the top and bottom cover off.
After unscrewing the bottom cover, you should then be able to see the timing belt.
The mechanic will typically mark the cogs at this point in order to remember where they line up for piecing it all back together at the end.
The bolt on the tensioner pulley is loosened. The mechanic presses down upon it which will cause the belt to come off.
The next step of the process is to put the new belt on.
The new belt is slipped over the cogs then loosened on the tensioner pulley which actually tightens the new cambelt up.
A wrench is then used to ensure that the bolts are super tight in order to keep the tensioner in place.
The final stage is then to put the rest of your timing belt back together again in reverse order.
As you’re probably thinking, this process is not simple and is therefore best left to the professionals. If you have any questions regarding cambelt replacement, don’t hesitate to leave us a comment below.
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