Timing Belts

Does your car have a cam belt or a timing chain?

Belt, wet belt and chain engines need very different maintenance. Assuming a chain lasts forever is an expensive habit.

The three designs

  • Dry timing belt — runs behind a cover, replaced at a set interval
  • Wet belt — runs in engine oil, dependent on oil specification and condition
  • Timing chain — usually longer-lived, but not maintenance-free

How to find out which you have

The engine code and model year decide it, and variants of the same model can differ. We can confirm it from your registration rather than a general assumption about the badge.

Chains still need looking after

  • Rattle on start-up, often the first sign of a stretched chain or worn tensioner
  • Timing-related fault codes and rough running
  • Oil starvation from missed services accelerating wear
  • Guides and tensioners wearing before the chain itself

Ask us to confirm

Send your registration to 07440 140340 and we will tell you which system your engine uses and what we would recommend.

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Want this checked properly?

Send us your registration and the symptoms and we will tell you what the next step is.