Cam chains tend to last longer as they’re made of a stronger material. Unless they’re “wet belts”, cam belts can dry out and crack over time if they’re not replaced.

A replacement involves removing engine parts like the cam belt cover, water pump, and tensioner, and getting the engine’s valves to be perfectly synchronised requires precision timing. If you need a replacement, make sure to take your car to a professional mechanic.

No. The cam belt is a vital part of your vehicle’s engine, and failing to keep up with the proper checks and replacements for it could result in major damage to your vehicle. If you’re getting near to your next recommended cam belt replacement date, make sure to take your vehicle to a professional mechanic – they’ll be able to advise on when you should get it changed.

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Whether your car has a timing belt or a timing chain depends on the make and model. For example, most BMW and Mercedes cars use cam chain engines.

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When you get a quote, make sure it includes the price of the belt, tensioners and labour. In some cars, you must take the timing belt off to get to the water pump. So, if you need to change the cam belt, some people choose to have the water pump changed at the same time as the cam belt will already be off.

You can also ask the former owner or the dealership where you bought the car, and check for stickers or markers on the engine or maintenance records for evidence of recent work.

It’ll be much more expensive to fix if the timing belt snaps and causes other engine damage. So if you notice any unusual noises or a drop in engine performance when you’re driving, pull over in a safe place and tell us.

A cam belt is made of rubber and is an important part of an internal combustion engine in a vehicle – it works to synchronise the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft and makes sure that the engine’s valves open and close at the right time during each cylinder’s intake and exhaust strokes.

It’s always better to get your cam belt checked with regular car servicing or to take it to a garage as soon as you notice a problem. If you leave it and the cam belt snaps completely, it’ll cause a much bigger problem.

There’s no set rule for when to replace your cam belt. It depends on the make and model of your car, as well as how much you drive the car. It’ll usually need to be replaced more than once over the course of a vehicle’s lifetime.

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If your cam belt sustains damage, it can result in poor engine performance or misfires – caused by incorrect timing of the engine’s valves.

Manufacturers will usually recommend replacing your timing belt after a set number of years or miles. This could be anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 miles or 4+ years.

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The cam belt, or timing belt, is an essential component of your car’s engine. But what does it do, when does it need replacing and what happens if it breaks?

This depends on the make and model of the vehicle – so make sure to check your vehicle handbook for the recommended intervals for changing a cam belt. Generally, it’s recommended to get your cam belt checked every 40,000-100,000 miles or 4 years, whichever comes first.

If you don’t get your cam belt changed at the correct time, you run the risk of damaging your vehicle in or losing money in the following ways:

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Your cam belt might need replacing sooner than your vehicle manufacturer’s schedule recommends. There are a few tell-tale symptoms to look out for and things that can go wrong:

If you’re able to remove your engine cover, then you’ll be able to visually inspect your cam belt for any damage. You’ll want to look out for any fraying, cracks or missing ridges (or ‘teeth’).

Timing chains are housed inside the engine and are lubricated by the engine oil, while cam belts are usually located outside the engine. But some manufacturers are now using “wet belts”, which like cam chains, run internally in the engine oil.

The main role of a cam belt or timing belt is to control the timing of your vehicle’s internal combustion engines. It controls the timing and sequence of when the valves to the cylinders open and close. To do that, it makes sure that the crankshaft and the camshaft rotate in sync.

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The cam belt can wear out over the course of a car’s lifetime. On many cars, it can be tricky to get to the cam belt, so we always recommend taking your car to a mechanic if you’re not sure. Stick to your manufacturer’s servicing schedule for the best chance of spotting any problems.

We don’t recommend that you try to replace a cam belt (timing belt) if you have little experience. Even if you consider yourself a DIY mechanic, a cam belt replacement is a complex job that requires several hours of work and specialist tools.

If your car won’t start, it could mean there’s a problem with the cam belt. If the cam belt is broken, then the cam shaft won’t rotate when the crankshaft turns, so the car may not start at all.

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Cam belts have teeth on the inside that match up with the corresponding teeth on the crankshaft and camshaft gears. Cam belts need to be replaced at certain intervals to prevent them from breaking and causing serious damage to the engine.

The price of a new cam belt or timing belt plus labour varies depending on the make and model of your vehicle. Prices for parts and labour can start from around £250 and go up to over £500, or even over £1,000 for some luxury vehicles.

If your vehicle does have a wet belt, it’s important to top up with the correct grade of oil. The wrong type of oil can degrade the wet belt prematurely, causing it to fail.

The main difference between a cam or timing belt and a timing chain is the material. Unlike cam belts, timing chains are made of metal.

One of the main reasons for cam belt failure is the auxiliary belt. If the aux belt deteriorates and shreds, the fibres get trapped under the cam belt as they both run off the crank shaft pulley. This usually causes the belt to jump or come off altogether.

A timing belt is just another name for a cam belt, both refer to the same thing – a toothed belt that is part of the internal combustion engine in a vehicle.

If you’ve acquired a new car and you’re wondering if the cam belt was recently replaced, you can always check the maintenance records (if these have been provided with the car). The maintenance records should also indicate the date of the replacement and how many miles the car has done since it’s been fitted.

You should check out any unusual noises from the engine straight away. Cam belts don’t usually give much notice before they fail, but a rubbing sound from the belt cover area is a sign it’s about to fail. If you hear it, switch the engine off and call a mechanic to check it.