- 60 to 90 thousand miles. Whether or not a problem is apparent, a timing belt that is installed in an engine must be replaced at the service interval dictated by the vehicle’s manufacturer, which is normally between 60,000 and 90,000 miles. The precise service interval should be stated in your vehicle’s owner manual.
- Engine unexpectedly shuts down or won’t start. Timing belts may occasionally skip or break while the engine is operating.
- erratic engine performance. The timing belt’s contoured, strengthened teeth engage the crankshaft and camshaft gears. The belt may stretch or the teeth may wear out after many tens of thousands of kilometers, which will cause the belt to shift positions on the crankshaft or camshaft gears. The engine will likely operate poorly or not at all if the belt jumps.
- engine noise that is clanging or banging. The pistons and valves may clash in some engines if the timing belt has jumped, causing noise and damage. Interference engines are the name given to these engine types. The likelihood that a timing belt failure will result in engine damage will be reduced if your automobile has an interference engine by replacing the belt in accordance with the maintenance plan.
In This Article...
Is the Montero timing chain or belt?
With the exception of the 3.0L engines from 1989 to 1993, all Mitsubishi Montero engines have a timing belt and are interference engines.
For comprehensive details on your specific Mitsubishi Montero model year, scroll down or quick-jump.
Timing Belt Basics
Maintaining the timing (synchronization) between the crankshaft and the camshaft is the major goal of the timing belt or timing chain (s).
While a timing chain resembles a bicycle chain, a timing belt is comprised of a rubber composite.
Timing belts deteriorate over time, thus they need to be replaced at the intervals recommended by the manufacturer. Serious engine damage may ensue from a failing timing belt.
Even though a timing chain will inevitably deteriorate with time, it should nonetheless undergo regular checks.
How can my timing belt be checked?
To check the belt, start by examining its exterior to determine if any teeny cracks are developing. The timing belt is an extremely durable rubber-covered metal-reinforced belt. The rubber ought to be largely smooth, without any cracks or missing sections. One or two minor cracks in the belt’s exterior lustrous covering are OK, but if the surface is heavily cracked, this may be a sign of significant wear. To examine the teeth, next slightly flip the belt over. This can be done at the distance from both pulleys that is the greatest. Even though you might not be able to actually “turn” the belt, you can steal a peek at its interior from all sides. Don’t conclude that you can just live with it as is for a time because even one fractured tooth might have disastrous results. Your timing belt may “jump the timing” even if it didn’t break because of the missing teeth on the back. If this occurs, your spark plugs and valves will suddenly stop moving in unison, and your engine won’t function at all or only poorly.
Timing belts are effective for how long?
The maintenance and timing belt replacement on modern vehicles is one of the most misunderstood procedures.
What exactly is a timing belt is typically the most frequent query we receive as a service facility.
A timing belt is, by definition, a toothed belt that joins the camshaft or shafts to the crankshaft “timing the engine’s top and bottom.
To synchronize the piston and valve movements, the camshafts rotate at a speed that is precisely half that of the crankshaft.
What does this mean exactly?
It really is that easy; the valves must be opened or closed at the appropriate moment in time with the pistons’ motion in order to complete the combustion sequence. When that “When timing is off, catastrophic engine damage frequently results.
Surprisingly, the timing belt’s original purpose was to synchronize the needle and bobbin drives on Singer sewing machines.
Timing belts were first created in 1945 by Singer in collaboration with Uniroyal, which is now Gates Inc., as a cheaper and quieter alternative to the original metal band with metal clips.
Now, for all of you from the 1950s and 1960s, a timing chain was normally present in every engine.
The benefits of chains were their extended lifespan, but the drawbacks included their noise, the need for lubrication, and the cost of the materials used in their construction.
the timing belt comes in.
Timing belts are light, require no lubrication to operate, are relatively cheaper to produce than chains and sprockets, and are silent.
The drawback is that belts need to be replaced after a certain amount of time or miles.
This is where all of the maintenance and replacement inconsistencies are found.
According to various schedules, including data provided by the manufacturers, a timing belt typically has to be replaced after 7 to 10 years, or between 60,000 and 105,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The majority of manufacturers advise against exceeding 80,000 to 90,000 miles on the original belt.
This appears to be extremely simple and understandable, however the producers are not telling you this.
The best thing about timing belts is that they have self-tensioners, which are designed to maintain the belt tension at a constant level to avoid power loss or, even worse, to keep the engine from jumping time and breaking it.
As the belts deteriorate and stretch, idler pulleys on them maintain the tension.
Imagine how many times these pulleys and tensioners have rotated over the course of 8 years or 80,000 miles. I’d guess in the millions. The timing belt can be used to drive the water pump, check camshaft timing, and provide data to the PCM, as the auto industry has come to understand.
It is my responsibility as a service provider to express this idea to you, the customer.
When changing a timing belt, it can take up to 4 or 5 hours. If the task is not done correctly, replacing all the tensioners, idler pulleys, and water pump at once, you, the customer, are put in danger.
A Honda Accord’s timing belt was replaced; there were no tensioners or water pumps present.
At around 75,000 miles, it was completed on time.
After 5000 miles of faultless operation, the car stalled and wouldn’t start while being driven to see family on the motorway at highway speeds.
The new timing belt had all of its teeth sheared off when it was inspected after being towed to a repair.
The water pump bearing had seized, which was quickly determined.
As a result, the head’s valves all needed to be repaired, costing $1500.00.
The true question is: Did the service provider advise changing all of the essential components, and did the customer refuse? Or was it a matter of finances or ignorance? This was stolen from the internet.
I get phone calls frequently wondering how much it costs to change a timing belt.
As I’ve hopefully shown, there’s more to maintaining a vehicle properly than just changing the belt.
I will never give a price over the phone without having the opportunity to check all of these things, so I will always ask the caller to come in so that I can look at the vehicle and see if the serpentine belts had ever been replaced, whether the hoses and coolant are original, whether there are oil leaks from the cam or crank seals that frequently cause the belts to deteriorate prematurely, and more.
While some callers hang up, others come in for our FREE assessment and precise estimate.
Being preventive involves taking action rather than reacting.
I’m to blame if a belt breaks down as a result of my failure to explain to you the significance of each component throughout the range of engine designs.
Cost of a timing belt for an automobile
A timing belt kit will typically cost between $100 and $350.00. Most timing belts require between 3-5 hours of labor, which brings your overall cost up to between $400 and $1,000. Don’t forget to avoid “only the belt replacement.” Although the price is lower, the likelihood of subsequent failure rises dramatically.
Is the Fortuner’s timing chain or belt?
Is there a timing belt or chain on the Toyota Fortuner? There is no doubt that the 2.8-liter diesel engine uses a chain rather than a timing belt. On the internet, there is considerable discussion about them possibly acquiring a rattle after traveling tens of thousands of miles, particularly during cold starts.
Can I replace my own timing belt?
It does need some engine knowledge to replace a timing belt and water pump, so if you don’t have much expertise working under the hood, we advise leaving it to the experts. However, if you prefer making your own repairs and restorations, you can do it yourself and avoid paying hefty repair expenses in the process.
Starting with the tools you’ll need, we’ll walk you through the replacement of a timing belt and water pump step by step.
What You’ll Need to Replace the Water Pump and Timing Belt
- Wrench socket set
- tools for driving screws, such as Philips and slot drive
- jar or bucket (for collecting coolant)
- bags made of plastic and a permanent marker (for labelling nuts, bolts and parts you remove from the engine)
- Tip-Ex, white chalk, and white paint (for marking the cogs for simpler reassembly)
- new antifreeze/coolant
Step 1: Preparation
Get your car and work area ready first. Depending on your degree of experience, changing a timing belt and water pump can take anywhere from one to three hours, so make sure you have the time and space necessary. Do the following before you start:
- To reach the undercarriage beneath the engine, jack up the front of the automobile.
- Since coolant will spill out when you remove the water pump, place a bucket underneath it. To find the pump, see your car’s manual.
- Prepare all of your tools, and have bags and a pen on available to name and store the engine parts you remove.
- Before starting, make sure the engine is entirely cool.
- To stop the engine from spinning while you’re removing the timing belt, put the engine in drive and use the handbrake.
Step 2: Removing the Belts
You must first remove the fan belt and power steering belt because they are located next to the cover that protects the timing belt and water pump. To remove the belts, take the following actions:
How challenging is it to replace a timing belt?
Timing belt replacement is a pricey service. Depending on the vehicle, it is a complex, time-consuming process that can take 48 hours. However, repairing the timing belt before it breaks will avoid engine damage and ultimately cost you less money.
Does changing a timing belt require a special tool?
When changing a timing belt or chain, numerous engines demand specialized tools. To ensure that the timing belt is correctly tensioned, you should at the very least have a belt tension gauge. When changing a timing belt or chain, many engines also demand specialized tools.