Phoenix Timing Belt Replacement « Brake Buddy's Auto Repair & Maintenance Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Phoenix Timing Belt Replacement’

Signs You Need A New Timing Belt

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

Engine The timing belt is an important part of your car or truck. They keep your engine components working in unison by causing valves in your engine to open and close at proper times.

If you do not replace your timing belt from time to time, it could break causing your engine to stop working. To prevent you from being stuck on the side of the road, here are some timing belt tips you should follow.

Timing Belt Warning Signs: If your engine is making scraping or slapping noises, it may be time for a Phoenix timing belt replacement or a Tucson timing belt replacement. Another sign that may signal you need a timing belt replacement is if a warning light on your dashboard is on.

When To Change: Most car manufactures recommend changing your timing belt at regular mileage intervals to help prevent the timing belt from breaking. This prevents you from being stranded on the side of the road. As a general rule, you should change your timing belt every 60,000 to 90,000 miles depending on your make and model. For more precise information, read your owner’s manual to find out when you should replace your timing belt.

A Snapshot Of What Happens: When replacing the timing belt, the mechanic removes the fan belts and timing covers and loosens the crankshaft pulley. The mechanic checks the crankshaft pulley seals as well as the timing belt tensioner bearings. During the long process, the mechanic will remove the old timing belt and replace it with a new one and reassemble all the parts removed.

What Else You Should Do: A lot of times, a mechanic will recommend replacing the water pump when they replace the timing belt. That is because a good part of the labor needed to replace the water pump has already been done during the timing belt replacement. It saves you money in the long run to replace the water pump along with the timing belt.

These are just a few things you need to know about your car or truck’s timing belt. When working with a mechanic, always be sure to ask questions to help you learn more about vehicle maintenance.

Tags: Phoenix Timing Belt Replacement, timing belt change, timing belt replacement, timing belt warning signs, Tucson timing belt replacement
Posted in Automotive Maintenance | Comments Off

When Do You Need to Repair Brake Rotors

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Do you remember the last time you went in for a Phoenix timing belt replacement, and they said you needed new brake rotors? Do you remember thinking to yourself, “What are brake rotors?”

Many people think it is simply the brake pad themselves, but the brake rotor is a separate system that is a very vital part of your braking system.

Brake rotors should last the lifetime of your car unless you have been driving with worn-to-the-metal brake pads for quite some time. Many times you will go to get your brake pads changed and the shop will tell you that you “must” get your brake rotors replaced as well.

Unless you have been driving for over 1,000 miles while hearing a loud grinding sound that usually isn’t the case. Most people can go for an El Paso brake repair and not need to get their rotors replaced but it really is up to you if you want to spend that extra money or not.

You can tell if you really are in serious need of new brake rotors if you feel the brakes pulsating when you try to come to a stop. This can be a sign of corrosion or deep grooves in your brake rotors which is very bad. This means you need to take it in and immediately get the rotors replaced and not risk doing even greater damage to them.

A good rotor should be made of a grey cast iron depending on the metal compound. Make sure they are installing brake rotors with an SAE G3000 or more because this can help prevent brake fade or warping.

Brake rotors help to ensure you get the smoothest stop possible. As long as you don’t drive with your brake pads down to the metal, they should last you the lifetime of your car. If you do ever need to get them replaced, make sure to ask for rotors with an SAE G3000 or more so you don’t have to repair them in the future.

Tags: El Paso Brake Repair, Phoenix Timing Belt Replacement
Posted in Brake Repair Tips | Comments Off

Is It Time To Change Your Timing Belt?

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

When planning your next Phoenix car tune up, don’t forget the timing belt. Your timing belt will vary from vehicle to vehicle in length, composition, and how it interacts with your car’s engine. Though a chain model is more durable, it is also more costly to produce and much louder while operation compared with the standard rubber composite belts used in most cars. Timing belts exist to transfer rotational power from the crankshaft to the camshaft with specific timing. There are two types of engines that use timing belts: Interference and Non-interference engines.

Interference Engine:

Operates with piston and valve sharing the same space
Piston and valve do not normally touch
Timing belt failure can result in considerable damage
Damage can occur simply from slippage of the timing belt

Non-interference Engine:

Piston and valve do not share the same space
Piston and valve do not normally touch
Timing belt failure can results in less damage
Slippage of the timing belt is not likely to cause damage

However, no matter what type of engine you have, if your timing belt goes, you won’t be going anywhere. For this reason, Phoenix timing belt replacement is a very important part of your normal vehicle maintenance. Most manufacturers advise having your timing belt changed at specific intervals. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual will have the specific mileage for your vehicle, but it normally ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 miles. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Timing belts can fail without warning.

Tags: Phoenix Car Tune Up, Phoenix Timing Belt Replacement
Posted in Car Repair | 1 Comment »

How To Check For A Bad Alternator

Monday, April 5th, 2010

When people have electrical issues with their car, their first thought is to blame the battery and rush to get a new one. This means that many times the alternator, another essential part of a vehicle’s electrical system, goes entirely overlooked. If you’re unfamiliar with what an alternator is, it’s a handy little part that recharges your battery as you drive. Without it a perfectly good battery will quickly drain and appear to stop working.

So before you rush out to buy a new battery, here is how you can find out if your alternator is the real problem without having to wait for your next Phoenix car tune up.

To start out, you’ll need a $10 voltage meter than can be bought at any auto parts store. This handy little device will tell you exactly how much charge is running through your battery.

Next you’ll need to turn off the engine (and anything else running in your car), pop the hood, and locate the battery. Attach the positive lead on the meter to the positive battery terminal. Do the same with the negative side. (Note: positive has a + sign and negative has a – sign)

Now take a look at the reading on your meter. A working battery should show a charge around 12.5 volts.

Next you need to unplug the meter, turn on your engine (but not your lights, A/C, etc.) and then plug the voltage meter back into your battery.

Check your meter again. If the accelerator is working properly, your battery should show an increase to at least 13.6 volts.

If the meter shows that you still have the same voltage as before it’s a pretty safe bet that the accelerator, not the battery is to blame.

Note: There is a possibility that the accelerator is not working because the belt that powers it is broken. You can get this fixed with a Phoenix timing belt replacement.

Tags: Alternator Repair, Phoenix Car Tune Up, Phoenix Timing Belt Replacement
Posted in Car Repair | 2 Comments »