Where a quiet, more efficient engine is required, a timing belt is often preferred. The main difference lies in the materials used – timing belts are made of rubber composite, whereas timing chains are made of metal. What is the difference between timing belts and timing chains?īoth timing belts and timing chains are essential parts of your car’s internal combustion engine, and play a part in controlling the crankshaft and the camshafts, which in turn ensure that the engine valves open and close at the correct time. But why is it only one or the other, and what is the difference between the two? The team at Mr Tyre are here to tell you all you need to know. Your vehicle will either have a timing belt or a timing chain to keep the engine’s timings in order, which in turn keeps your vehicle running safely and efficiently. Timing chains are made of metal and can last as long as the vehicle itself.Timing belts are made of rubber and need to be replaced every 55,000-90,000 miles.We are conveniently and centrally located at 8215 Research Blvd and we will be happy to assist you.Home » Help & Advice » What’s the Difference Between Timing Belts & Timing Chains? What’s the Difference Between Timing Belts & Timing Chains? If you have any questions, simply come by and see us at German Auto Center. Trust our experts in Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW repair in Austin. Whether you drive a Porsche, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volkswagen or Audi, It is important to remember that with proper maintenance, today’s German performance vehicles will serve you for many miles and years to come. These should be visually inspected at least once a year or with each service. On average, timing belts should be replaced every 80,000 miles or every 5 years. The down side of the external timing belt is the fact that like all belts, it is a wear item and must be replaced. The cost to replace a timing belt along with all related components (and on most models including a water pump) on most models is $700 to $900–far less than the cost of replacing a timing chain. Unlike the timing chain, the timing belt can be easily inspected and replaced. Early warning signs of a failure will be check engine lights and a rattle noise most often heard at engine start up.Īudi and Volkswagen originally made use of timing chains and moved to an external timing belt through the 80s, 90s and most of the 2000s (now returning to chain drive systems). Other components used to hold the chain in position such as chain tensioners and chain guides are more common failure points, leading to the same end result. These chains are more durable and less likely to fail themselves. Porsche, BMW and Mercedes Benz make use of an internal timing chain. These repairs can be a minimum of $4,000 to $5,000 and on some engines, significantly more. A miss timing situation leading to valves opening or closing late or early will drive the piston into the valve, most often bending the valve and possibly punching a hole in the piston crown, rendering the engine useless. Opening a valve at the wrong time can cause it to contact the piston, causing catastrophic engine failure.Ī properly timing engine will allow the piston to rise (building compression) and the valves to open precisely, allowing air and fuel to enter the combustion chamber and exhaust to exit within 1000th of a second. Whether you drive a Porsche, Mercedes Benz or BMW with an internal timing chain or an Audi or Volkswagen with an external timing belt, these devices are designed to keep the relative position of the valves opening and closing to the position of the piston as the engine is running. So what is the difference between a timing belt and a timing chain? Fundamentally, a timing belt and timing chain serve the same purpose.
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