Timing belt and chain in Coburg North

The timing belt is the one service item with no warning light and no second chance. It is replaced on an interval, not when it fails, because when it fails on most modern engines the valves and pistons meet.

Book a service0451 109 786
BMW X6 and a Mini Cooper convertible in adjacent service bays

Chains are different. They are built to last the life of the engine, but a rattle on start up is always worth a look. We do both at 1/87 Newlands Road. Send the logbook or the kilometres and we will tell you which your engine has, or call 03 7054 8232 and ask.

Belt or chain, and why it matters

A timing belt is rubber, runs dry at the front of the engine, and has a replacement interval in kilometres and years. The years matter as much as the kilometres, because rubber ages sitting still.

A timing chain is steel, runs in engine oil and is not on a replacement schedule. It relies on oil changed on time, so skipped oil changes are the fastest way to stretch a chain and wear the guides and tensioner around it. One part goes by the book, the other goes by the noise.

What a belt replacement includes

Replacing only the belt is a false economy, because most of the cost is the labour to get in there. Everything driven by or sitting behind that belt gets done at the same time.

  • Timing belt, tensioner and idler pulleys as a kit
  • The water pump where the belt drives it, which is most engines
  • Cam and crank seals if they show any sign of weeping
  • Auxiliary drive belt while the front of the engine is open
  • Timing set to the manufacturer's marks and procedure, then run up and rechecked

If a car has an unknown history, treat the belt as due. A stamp you cannot find is the same as a belt you cannot trust.

When a chain is asking for attention

  • A rattle for a second or two on a cold start
  • A chain or rattling noise from the front of the engine that rises with revs
  • The engine light on with a camshaft or crankshaft correlation fault stored
  • Rough idle or a car that cranks longer than it used to before firing
  • Oil that has been left well past its interval, or a long gap in the history

How a belt job runs

  1. We confirm the interval for your engine

    Same model, different engine, different interval. We check what the manufacturer specifies for yours rather than a general rule.

  2. You get a quote for the kit

    Belt, tensioner, idlers and pump where it applies, listed out, so you can see exactly what is being fitted.

  3. Plan on leaving the car with us

    This is engine front end work rather than a wait in the lounge job. We tell you when to plan on picking it up when we quote your engine.

  4. Timed, run up and road tested

    Marks checked, engine run to temperature, then driven before it goes back to you.

What it costs

The labour varies hugely by engine. Some four cylinder engines give up the front cover easily, some transverse V6 layouts need half the front of the car out of the way first. Chain work is deeper again.

Send the make, model, year and kilometres and we will quote your engine specifically, with the parts list. Or call 0451 109 786 and ask.

There is no cosmetic version of this job

It is either timed to the manufacturer's procedure or it is not, and the difference between the two only shows up later, at speed, with no warning. So the marks are checked against the procedure for your engine rather than eyeballed, the kit goes on complete, and the engine is run up and rechecked before the car leaves. You get the old kit shown to you and an invoice naming every part that went on.

Common questions

How do I know whether my car has a belt or a chain?
Your logbook is the first place to look, because a belt will have a replacement interval listed and a chain will not. If the book is missing, give us the make, model, year and engine and we will check it for you before you commit to anything.
What happens if a timing belt breaks?
On an interference engine, which covers most modern cars, the valves and pistons collide and the engine needs major internal repair. That is why the belt is replaced on an interval rather than when it looks worn. There is no warning light for a belt about to let go.
Should I replace the water pump at the same time?
If the timing belt drives it, yes. The pump sits behind the same covers, so doing it later means paying the same labour twice. If the pump runs off the auxiliary belt instead, we leave it alone unless it is leaking.
My car is under the kilometres but over the years. Is it due?
Probably. Belt intervals are written as kilometres or years, whichever comes first, because rubber perishes on a shelf as readily as it does on a pulley and ages whether the car moves or not. A low kilometre car that has sat for years is exactly the case the time limit exists for.
Can you fix a rattling timing chain?
We start by diagnosing it, because a cold start rattle can be the chain, the tensioner, the guides or something else entirely at the front of the engine. Once we know which, you get the repair and the price before any work begins.
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Not sure when the belt was last done? Send us the details and we will check.

Book a service0451 109 786