24/7 mobile service · Riverside
Timing belt due? Replace it before it replaces your engine.
On many engines, a broken timing belt means bent valves and a repair bill bigger than the car is worth. We replace the belt, tensioner, idlers, and usually the water pump in one visit at your location.
Sounds like this?
Signs it's time to call
- Your mileage is at or past the maker's belt interval
- No record the belt was ever changed
- Coolant leak near the front of the engine
- Ticking or whirring from the timing cover area
- Oil leaking onto the belt from a front seal
- Engine cranks faster than usual but won't start
What we measure
Interval- Most makers list a mileage between about 60,000 and 105,000 miles. Your owner's manual has the exact number
Engine type- On interference engines, a snapped belt can bend valves
Water pump- Usually driven by the timing belt, so it's replaced in the same job
Tensioner & idlers- Worn bearings can take out a new belt early
From our jobs
The visit
What happens when we arrive
- Confirm your engine has a belt, not a chain
- Quote the full kit: belt, tensioner, idlers, water pump, and coolant
- Set the engine to its timing marks before anything comes off
- Install the new parts and verify timing by turning the engine by hand
- Refill and bleed the cooling system, then test-run for leaks
When it's a shop job
This is a long job, often most of a day on site, and some engines need the motor supported or a mount removed. Timing chains are usually a shop job. If your belt already snapped on an interference engine, we'll test compression before quoting so you don't pay for a belt on a damaged engine.
Questions people ask
How do I know if my car has a timing belt or a chain?
Your owner's manual or maintenance schedule will say. Or give us the year, make, model, and engine and we'll tell you on the phone.
Why replace the water pump at the same time?
On most belt-driven pumps, the labor is nearly the same job. Replacing it now avoids paying for that labor twice if the old pump fails later.
What happens if I skip it?
Nothing, until the belt breaks. Then the engine stops right away, and on many engines the damage is internal.