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Author: Autocasión
June 08, 2023
The timing belt is the element of an internal combustion engine, to know its operation, possible breakdowns and price enter here.
The change of the Timing belt or the chain is a frequent and essential process that falls within the maintenance program of a vehicle. In this article we will focus on the first, and that is that the lack of proper care in this element can cause very serious problems for the engine and our wallet. It can even cause a serious traffic accident if it fails while we are driving…
What is the timing belt?
Before going into detail, it is convenient to put ourselves in context. The timing belt is a hard, jagged rubber band which is placed on the crankshaft and camshaft so that the cylinders and valves work correctly. It is usually covered with a hard plastic cover that protects it from dirt and sudden temperature changes.
timing belt operation
The mission of the timing belt is to control the movements of the intake and exhaust valves, as well as the pistons, so that all these components work to the beat. If they were not synchronized, the engine could not act to move the car.
When should the timing belt be changed?
The timing belt has a predefined lifetime on each model by each manufacturer. The ideal is to bring maintenance up to date. In this case, it will be the mechanic who will notify you at the right time to change the belt. However, their useful life is generally between 60,000 and 160,000 km, or between 5 and 10 years.
Symptoms that the timing belt is in bad condition
The driver himself when driving will not notice if it is necessary to change it or not, although there are some symptoms that can help us identify when a leash is to retire: Obvious signs of wear or cracks, chipped teeth, vibrations, difficult starting, oil leaks or excessive exhaust smoke. As we say, it is best to do frequent maintenance so that it is the expert mechanic who advises us.
Average price of change in distribution in the main provinces
According to a study carried out by the comparator on-line of Tallerator mechanical workshops, the budget to change the timing belt is 401.91 euros on average in Spain. However, it must be taken into account that more and more models include a water pump in the kit. In this case, change the timing belt it costs 462.72 euros on average.
Average price of changing the distribution kit in the main provinces
- Madrid – 436.61 euros
- Barcelona – 470.76 euros
- Valencia – 371.36 euros
- Seville – 354.87 euros
- Zaragoza – 434.19 euros
With 258.34, 275.97 and 304.54 euros on average, Jaén, Las Palmas and Palencia are the provinces where it is cheaper to change the timing belt.
Average price of changing the distribution kit + water pump in the main provinces
- Madrid – 541.01 euros
- Barcelona – 545.78 euros
- Valencia – 472.28 euros
- Seville – 433.62 euros
- Zaragoza – 505.19 euros
In this case, the cheapest provinces to change distribution and water pump are: Santa Cruz de Tenerife (348 euros), Ávila (349.11 euros) and Soria (374.29 euros).
On the other hand, the car maintenance budget comparator has also analyzed the approximate cost of replace auxiliary belts which are, among others, those that move the hydraulic power steering or the air conditioning system, for example. The average price of changing auxiliary tensioners and belts is 225 euros in Spain, with Córdoba being the cheapest province, with an average of less than 100 euros (91.73 euros on average exactly). They are followed by Castellón and Albacete, with average prices of 107.57 and 120.26 euros respectively.
Average price of changing auxiliary car belts
- Madrid – 256.41 euros
- Barcelona – 265.91 euros
- Valencia – 230.63 euros
- Seville – 293.73 euros
- Zaragoza – 190.43 euros
