Hawthorne and Lawndale Auto Repair

In the world of auto repair, there are certain parts that act like ticking clocks. You don’t see them, you don’t hear them, and you usually don’t think about them until they stop ticking. The timing belt is the champion of this category. It is a humble notched belt hidden behind a plastic cover, but it holds the life of your engine in its metaphorical hands. If you have ever wondered why your mechanic gets a serious look on their face when they mention your timing belt, it is because this isn’t just another maintenance item like a spark plug or a cabin filter. If a timing belt snaps, the party is over for your engine. The Mechanical Choreographer To understand why replacement intervals matter, you have to know what this belt actually does. The pistons move up and down while the valves open and close to let air in and exhaust out. In an interference engine, the valves and pistons occupy the same space at different times. If the belt breaks, th ... read more