How Long Can a Cracked Engine Belt Last?
3 Answers
Engine belts with cracks need to be replaced promptly. Normally, belts should be replaced every three years or 40,000 kilometers. A broken engine timing belt can cause the engine to malfunction, severely affecting its performance, and may damage the valves and pistons. The steps for replacing a timing belt are as follows: 1. Remove the valve cover, detach the crankshaft pulley, and take off the timing chain cover; rotate the crankshaft to align the first cylinder at top dead center, then tighten the crankshaft fixing screw to secure it. 2. Rotate the intake and exhaust camshafts; there are grooves at the rear of the camshafts—align the grooves of both camshafts evenly and insert the specialized tool. 3. Remove the old chain and install the new one. The crankshaft pulley does not have a keyway; during installation, align the round hole on the pulley with the groove on the chain cover. 4. The crankshaft position sensor is adjustable—ensure the gap is properly adjusted during installation, otherwise it may trigger a fault code; both the crankshaft sprocket and pulley rotate freely.
Last time, cracks appeared on my car's belt, but I didn't pay much attention. As a result, it suddenly snapped after driving less than a thousand kilometers, leaving me stranded on the highway. I was really panicked at that time because once the belt breaks, the car loses power steering, the air conditioning stops cooling, and even more frightening, some cars may experience engine overheating. A cracked belt is like a ticking time bomb—you never know when it will fail. Later, the mechanic told me that if the cracks are numerous and deep, don't take the risk—replace it immediately. If there are only slight surface cracks, it might last a few hundred kilometers, but this is definitely not a long-term solution. Especially in hot weather, belts are more prone to problems. Now, whenever I inspect my car, checking the belt is always my first priority—safety comes first.
Having driven for twenty years, I've encountered many cases of belt cracks. In my opinion, belts with shallow fine cracks can still be used, but not for more than a month or two thousand kilometers. It largely depends on how you use the car: if you frequently take long trips or carry heavy loads, the lifespan will be shorter. I know a friend whose car belt was cracked but he kept driving for three months, and it suddenly snapped during a heavy rainstorm, nearly causing an accident. Another detail to note is the environment around the belt matters too—if the engine bay is particularly dirty or heavily soiled with oil, belt wear will accelerate. So regular cleaning of the engine bay also helps extend belt life. Weather factors can't be ignored either; low winter temperatures make rubber brittle. Anyway, experienced drivers know to schedule a replacement as soon as cracks appear, not wait until it completely fails.
