How to Tell if Your Car Needs a New Timing Belt

Timing belt. How to check timing belt in your car, DIY with Scotty Kilmer. How to replace a timing belt. How to tell if your car needs a new timing belt and how to replace it correctly. Timing belt inspection, removal and repair. DIY car repair with Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic for the last 49 years.

🛠Check out my Garage to see what I use every day and highly recommend:

❗️Check out the Scotty store:

👉Follow me on Instagram for the latest news, funnies, and exclusive info / pics:

If you liked this video, consider subscribing and press the bell Icon to get updated on the latest videos every week.

Scotty Kilmer is a participant in the Amazon Influencer Program.
#savagescotty

[scottykilmer]

🛠Check out my Garage to see what I use every day and highly recommend:

❗️Check out the Scotty store:

👉Follow me on Instagram for the latest news, funnies, and exclusive info / pics:

[marklokken]

Scotty. I’m 63. Wrenching all my life. I opened a shop at 58.
Just wanted to say I watch your videos along with several other guys. Yours are short sweet to the point. Well done

[Hunkerbunker]

He's like the mad scientist of mechanics. Very informative to watch as well.

[kegankelly]

“Then start her up & see what happens.”

That is so accurate.. 😂

[wggggg]

My mechanic charged me 4 hours of labour for replacing timing belt and Scotty did it under 3 mins. LOL

[donaldgay]

Thank you Scotty I'm not a licensed mechanic but I've always have been a car fanatic I do my own work and I know my way around cars but when I see your videos and the knowledge you have to share I am greatful I always learn a better way to get something accomplished by your videos keep them coming I am grateful from one gear head to another God bless you and may I never quit learning you are the best in my book

[Edu_RJR]

It's nice to see someone with so much experience and honesty showing that you can use paint to replace a timing belt.

[olmose]

Scotty, you and all those other good car mechanics out there, amaze me. I am not mechanically minded, so it's all Greek to me. Thank you to all the honest, hard working mechanics that keep us going down the road.

[autmatr]

Two very simple things need to be added: Disconnect the battery ; always rotate the crankshaft pulley a few times and verify the belt alignment and tension.

[F.a.b.i.]

Important tip:
ALWAYS crank the engine by hand at least two turns after replacing your belt, to check if your marks still line up. If you run the engine and you didn't install the tensioner correctly, things are gonna be expensive. Don't save time, be save!
When i replaced my first belt (before I became a mechanic) I cranked it by hand and the marks didn't line up. If I had started the car, I would have needed a new engine.

[postingid]

You seem like the kind of guy/friend/neighbor that people would ask you to look at their car for something simple and it turns out to be not so simple, but not that hard to fix, either. You'll offer to fix it for free and they'll take you up on it, knowing that they're going to pay you anyway, whether you know it or not. They'll end up paying you even more than what a garage mechanic would charge just because you're so loved, entertaining and knowledgeable. I have a friend who's just like you and on occasion, fixes cars and does small home repairs for friends, even though that's not his trade. People reward him greatly, against his wishes, because he's so loved and respected. Scotty, we need more people like you and my friend in the world. It would be a much better place. Thank you, sir, for your videos and the time that you've put into them to share them with us. Much respect, sir. Robert

[larrywuzhere]

Scotty you are the Clint Eastwood of auto repair videos- you act, direct and produce high quality vids! Outstanding work, looking forward to the day YouTube awards Oscars!

[ebayerr]

This video didn't explain "How to Tell if Your Car Needs a New Timing Belt".
He just says if it's 10 years old or older or over 80k miles, it should be changed.
This is more of a scheduled timing belt "how to remove and replace" video, than a diagnoses video.

[F.Krueger-csvk]

Remove spark plugs to allow easy turming of timing belt by hand from crank pulley. Always turn timing belt in direction of rotation. Before timing belt removal, its advisable to look for timing marks on the cam/crank toothed gears. Either a slot or drilled circle. Should be alignment marks on front of engine. Cam gear alignment mark on engine usually at 12 o'clock position. Crank gear alignment mark usually at 12 o'clock position, but can vary. Example 2 or 4 o'clock position. Turn motor till cam/crank toothed gear timing marks are aligned with timing marks on front of engine. Cylinder number 1 T.D.C. = top dead center. Some engines, timing mark is located on the timing cover instead of engine, set up timing before you remove the timing cover. Otherwise use a marking pen. Also check your cam/crank seals for oil leaks, replace if necessary. Check your timing belt "tensioner" bearing by holding the center with 2 fingers & spinning the bearing with other hand. There's a "whurring" noise, replace tensioner bearing. Means grease has lost its ability to protect the bearing, should be no noise. Do a comparison between new & old bearing to get an idea. Some engines have an additional bearing called an "idler" bearing. Check the idler as well, replace as necessary. There are different configuration engines.
S.O.H.C. = 1 toothed cam gear engine,
D.O.H.C. = 2 toothed cam gear engine,
QUAD CAM = 4 tooth cam gears found in V6 & V8 engines. Their a little tricky to work on. It's advisable to use cam gear locking tools, stop toothed cam gears moving whilst replacing timing belt. It's important to note, there are various types of timing belt tensioners.
- no spring assistance
- external spring assistance
- internal spring assistance
- hydraulic pressurised piston usually found on V6 & V8.
Timing set up is critical, otherwise, internal damage, piston bends valves on interference fit engine. (Means cylinder head off job). If non interference fit engine, engine wont idle properly. After timing belt installation, turn timing belt one or two revolutions by hand from crank pulley to confirm cam & crank toothed gears are correctly aligned to timing marks on engine. Important information in reference replacement of cam & or crank oil seals because of leakage. Some late model engines dont have cam & or crank toothed gear T.D.C. machined locator or woodruff key. It is critical to use locking tools to lock cam & or crank shafts before toothed gear removal. Otherwise will result in either engine damage or motor will not run properly.
Research your engine belt replacement before attempting if possible.

[bigbosscaos]

Rename the title to: "How to change the timing belt in less than 3 minutes"

[cbrrcanada]

"Then start it up and see what happens." - LOL.

[swabby]

I've had two replacement coolant pumps. Both times, the shop replaced the timing belts as part of the servicing. It's good peace of mind to have this taken care of.

[peterlim]

I learn more watching youtube videos than years of studying in College, LOL

[zumlz]

I will never forgot I had a 2012 Volvo t5 s60 was driving on the highway and the timing belt absolutely destroyed my engine and I was in the middle lane of the highway had to learn the hard way about the timing belt unfortunately but it’s a lesson learned glad Scotty is educating people out there.

[reginald]

I got extremely lucky with a broken timing belt on an interference engine once - 1984 Honda Accord, the belt broke when I was driving home from the store one afternoon. Cranked multiple times, there was clearly no compression. Had it towed to a shop who told me the belt had broken, and that severe engine damage was likely since it was an interference engine. I gave them the go-ahead to try putting on another belt and running it. They put a new belt and tensioner on there and it started right up and ran like normal. No bent valves or damaged pistons or anything. Mechanic says I was very, very lucky. I still drive that car to this day (and I watch the timing belt like a hawk). Perhaps the fact that I was already slowing down for a red light when the timing belt initially broke (plus everyone says I drive like a granny) may have saved the engine from damage....