All you need to know about wet timing belts

Why Manufacturers Choose Wet Timing Belts

Sometimes, even experienced technicians peer beneath car bonnets and wonder 'why did they do that?' Belt In Oil timing belts are typical examples.

They do not perform in a superior manner, aside from helping the carmaker shave off a few grammes of carbon dioxide from their official new car emissions figures. However, vehicle producer priorities for new vehicles differ from those of motorists that need to fund out-of-warranty repairs and maintenance.

Understanding the Role of Timing Belts

Back in the real world, many car drivers are familiar with wet timing belt issues, mainly because their replacement adds a significant chunk to servicing bills.

Their primary purpose is to ensure that rotating parts within the engine do not make violent and destructive contact. Most of these are 'dry', referred to as such, because they are positioned outside the engine crankcase, most often, behind a plastic cover.

How Wet Timing Belts Operate

The wet timing belt system is sited within the engine and, as the name suggests, is lubricated by the engine oil. Therefore, running a low oil level, or ignoring draining intervals, means less oil on the timing belt and, therefore, degrades the lubricant and shortens the timing belt's life.

As evident in our picture, such belts tend not to snap but their teeth become detached. Even if a severely-weakened belt is still serving its purpose, these fibrous remnants can enter the oil pump, causing a ruinous loss of oil pressure.

Maintenance Tips

Therefore, check the replacement interval on your Belt In Oil and be wary that, if you cover fewer than 10,000 miles per year, with most journeys being shorter than six miles, then it should be replaced sooner.

In addition, be sure that you (or your garage) use engine oil that complies with the manufacturer's specifications. Different timing belt lubricants may contain chemicals that attack the belt. Prioritise a manufacturer specification, rather than viscosity and API/ACEA figures. Furthermore, never neglect regular servicing, including oil changes.

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