What Does the Timing Belt or Timing Chain Do? On a conventional piston engine — which is found in virtually all modern passenger cars — the up-and-down motion of the pistons turn the crankshaft, and ...

In interference engines, valves and pistons share the same space at different times, relying on flawless timing to avoid contact. If a belt fails, the collision can bend valves, crack pistons, and ...

Your engine’s timing belt or chain quietly keeps pistons and valves in sync — until it doesn’t. Knowing the differences, warning signs, and replacement schedules can save you thousands in repairs. A ...

An interference engine is one in which the valves and the pistons operate within the same space inside the cylinder. The timing belt or chain regulates the movement of these internal engine parts so ...

Justin Pritchard is a seasoned Sudbury, Ontario-based automotive journalist, producer, and technical writer. With a passion for cars and a talent for storytelling, he's established himself as a ...

Zak is new to the CarBuzz team, working as a freelance content writer. When Zak isn't writing How To articles for CarBuzz he's working as a high school automotive technology instructor. Before ...

DEAR CAR TALK: You recently wrote about a guy whose timing belt broke, and who tried to restart his car but whose valves survived only through sheer good luck. In 1957, I had a new Ford six-cylinder, ...

An engine depends on perfect timing the same way a symphony depends on a conductor. Every valve opens at the exact moment it should, every piston moves in perfect rhythm, and everything stays ...

From what I can gather, the engine in your Barina is an interference design. That is, if the timing belt breaks, the pistons and valves (in the cylinder head) will, indeed, meet head on at speed, ...

I drive a 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon with 125,000 kilometres on the odometer. The timing belt replacement interval is 160,000 but I had it replaced after 10 years/100,000 km. The only immediate benefit was ...

Endurance Warranty, Omega Auto Care and American Dream Auto Protect We all need something to keep us running. For some people, that’s a cup of coffee in the morning. And for your car? It’s the timing ...

For years, small diesel engine manufacturers have been using overhead cam designs as a way to get the most out of a limited-displacement platform. Unfortunately, many small overhead cam mills utilize ...