At first thought you might wonder what these two components have to do with one another. However, you’ll quickly realize that almost all vehicle systems or component begin to affect one another, or they depend on each other for proper operations.
What Is A Timing Belt?
A timing belt is a very important component of your vehicle’s engine. Its main job is to make sure all the moving parts work together with exact & accurate timing. Its main function is to synchronize the combustion cycle and connecting the camshaft (responsible for the opening & closing of the engines intake & exhaust valves) & the crankshaft (responsible for the amount of oil needed to lubricate the engine & rotates/sends power to the pistons).
For the combustion cycle to work effectively and not blow up the engine; the controlled rotation of the crankshaft is facilitated through the timing belt and that moves the camshaft.
What Problems Are Caused With A Bad Timing Belt?
First and foremost – any part or component on a vehicle can wear down and need replacement for optimal operation. But often, your timing belt needs replaced because something has caused it to malfunction, break, and completely stop working.
When the timing belt breaks your engine will not be able to ignite and start correctly. You will notice that when you turn the key to start your vehicle you might here the starter make clicking noises, but the combustion needed to ignite the engine will not take place because the valves will not be able to open properly therefore air & fuel mixture will not compression and spark plugs will not set off.
Another sign that your timing belt is about to go bad, or fail will be noticeable oil leaks. The timing belt is secured by numerous nuts and bolts and those can loosen over time causing oil leaks around the engine itself. Most of the time, timing belts break while the vehicle is in use or in motion and this can be extremely dangerous. You will lose a good amount of control over the vehicle, and damage to the engine, valves & cylinder heads.
What Is A Water Pump?
Nowadays the water pump is also known as a coolant pump. Coolant is the mixture of water & anti-freeze. The pump is meant to push coolant throughout the engine so it does not overheat. The engine generates immense amounts of heat through the vehicle and the pump helps cool the engine down and absorb the heat into another vehicle part called the radiator.
When Does The Water Pump Need Replacement? What Causes It To Fail?
In most cases the pump does not actually fail, it fails to do its job because of a belt known as the serpentine or timing belt. Side note; most vehicles have water pumps that are controlled by the serpentine/timing belts, while newer hybrid vehicles have pumps controlled by a motor. That’s a talk for another time though.
If the timing belt is responsible for the water pump, the vehicle wont overheat right away because the engine will stop working right then and there. If the serpentine belt is what drives the water pump than you will usually be given helpful hints from your vehicle. For instance, the battery light will most likely come on your dashboard. And you will notice how difficult it is to steer your vehicle. That’s because the serpentine belt is also correlated to the alternator that helps push the power steering pump.
Warning signs to look out for will undoubtedly be overheating, coolant leaks, smoke from the hood of your car, and difficulty driving if not losing the ability to drive all together.
Be proactive rather than reactive and make sure these belts are in top notch condition so you are not left with costly repairs to your engine.