Every piece of equipment under the hood of your vehicle is important, but some pieces have a more important job than others—one of those being your timing belt. This belt is a critical piece of equipment that helps keep your engine running properly, but it can sometimes wear down or break. Thankfully, by paying attention to a few variables, you can know when you must replace the timing belt on your Toyota.
What Is a Timing Belt?
Before diving into a replacement timeline, you should know what a timing belt is. An engine has a moving piston, and the internal combustion process in the engine expands gases, pushing the piston, which then turns the crankshaft. The crankshaft turning is what gives your car motion. Simultaneously, a camshaft controls how much air-fuel mixture enters the engine. The timing belt harmonizes both the crankshaft and camshaft rotation, ensuring they are in sync.
When the camshaft and crankshaft are in sync, the pistons and valves in your engine work correctly. Older and broken timing belts interfere with the fire rate of your engine and can also slip, causing the pistons in your engine to malfunction. This malfunctioning will damage your engine, your Toyota’s performance, and the vehicle itself.
Too Many Miles
A timing belt is one of the sturdier parts of your vehicle, but it’s not sturdy enough to never need replacing. Instead, the normal timing belt will last an average of between 60,000 and 90,000 miles.
When your Toyota starts getting to this mileage and beyond, it may be time to replace your belt or schedule an inspection. A general multi-point inspection will look at the health of your timing belt and determine if replacement is necessary.
Warning Signs
How many miles you have on your vehicle can indicate the need for a timing belt replacement, but so can certain warning signs. Sometimes, a timing belt wears out early and begins to create problems. Some warning signs of premature failure include the following:
- Banging and clanking noises
- Engine misfiring
- Engine issues around 2000 and 4000 RPM
- The engine not turning over
- Oil leaks from the front of the motor
- More smoke and fumes
If you notice any of these issues, it’s time to bring your Toyota in for inspection. Even if there’s not an issue with your timing belt, signs like this mean something else is wrong with your vehicle that you need to fix before it worsens.
It’s important to know when to replace the timing belt on your Toyota, but what’s more important is actually doing the replacement. It’s a simple thing that many people like to put off, but you should take care of it as soon as possible. At Yota Shop, we want to make that process simple, so check out our inventory of AISIN Toyota parts to find the right timing belt for your Toyota. With the right piece, you can replace things and be back on the road in no time!