What are the signs of a timing belt breaking?
2 Answers
The signs of a timing belt breaking are: 1. Slight misalignment may cause the car to lose power and struggle to accelerate when going uphill; 2. No idle or severe engine shaking at idle, accompanied by a popping sound from the exhaust pipe when accelerating, and occasional stalling with the popping sound; 3. While driving, the car may suddenly experience unstable idle, frequent stalling, poor throttle response, and weak acceleration. If these issues occur and faults in components like the throttle body are ruled out, consider whether the timing is off or if the belt has skipped teeth; 4. The engine may suddenly stall while driving. If the starter motor spins very fast when attempting to restart, with no compression, this indicates a broken timing belt.
I've been driving for over twenty years and have truly encountered situations where the belt was about to break. At that time, the engine compartment made squeaking noises, especially loud during cold starts in the morning, like metal rubbing. The engine shook violently when accelerating, and pressing the throttle felt weak. Sometimes, it took two or three attempts to start the car successfully. If you looked closely at the belt's surface, there were small cracks or severe edge wear, which I discovered using my phone's flashlight. Generally, it's recommended to replace the belt every 60,000 kilometers or five years. Exceeding this interval significantly increases the risk. Related to this, oil leaks can cause the belt to deteriorate faster, so it's important to regularly check for oil leaks. That time, I replaced it in time, and it didn't break. If it had broken, the pistons and valves might have collided, causing the entire engine to fail, and repairs could cost tens of thousands. I advise fellow drivers to take a closer look during maintenance, not to be careless, especially with high-mileage vehicles—safety is far more important than saving money. Nowadays, with technological advancements, some new cars use chains, but traditional belt-driven cars are still the majority.
