Back to all

Automotive Tips from Tuffy Grand Rapids: A Broken or Damaged Timing Belt

August 13, 2023

The timing belt rotates the cam shafts which open and close the valves that allow air, fuel, and exhaust to flow through the engine as it powers your car when you drive around Grand Rapids.

An old timing belt can lose a “tooth” in the belt allowing it to slip. The engine could stop or misfire. Timing belt slips – or a broken timing belt – can be disastrous on some engines. In “interference” engines, open valves can get in the way of the piston when the timing belt breaks or slips. When that happens one or more valves can be bent requiring expensive engine repairs.

It is important for Grand Rapids drivers to replace their timing belts as recommended in their owner’s manual to avoid unnecessary breakdowns. Ask the team of professionals at Tuffy Grand Rapids in Grand Rapids if it’s time for your timing belt to be replaced.

Tuffy Grand Rapids
610 28th St. SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49548
616.452.4425

More articles from Tuffy Grand Rapids (28th St.)

Don?t Be Hosed (Radiator Hose Replacement)

January 4, 2026

If you are like most drivers, you dont worry too much about what shape your radiator hoses are in. But they are a vital part of your coolant system, helping carry engine coolant from the hot engine to where it is cooled off in the radiator. When the cooling system has a problem, you will likel... More

Rumble from Down Under (Muffler Replacement)

December 28, 2025

Weve all noticed them at one time or another on the street: a car or truck that drives by and the deep roar from their exhaust system sounds like a drag racer on the line. But what happens when that rumble is coming from under YOUR vehicle? Well, it could be a sign your muffler needs attention. ... More

Let?s Shift Gears (Transmission Fluid Replacement)

December 21, 2025

If you have a vehicle with an automatic transmission, you probably never think about gear shifting. When motor vehicles were invented, all of them had to be shifted manually. But that wonderful self-shifting transmission, referred to these days as simply an automatic, changed everything. Automa... More