I’ve seen timing belts that strip a few teeth from the belt and when they get to the crank its unable to rotate the belt but looks good when you remove the timing belt cover.
@@malcolmdown9170 True, ive also seen belts jump or loose teeth. Then you do the other steps like mentioned in this vid, like a compression test. Always do the quickest and simplest first, as mentioned, oil cap is one of them, if its above the cam and you got someone to crank the engine while you look.
good thing that Toyota Camry's don't have interference engines , otherwise that engine is pretty much toast , at least on a Toyota they are relatively straight forward , on a Alfa Romeo not so much
I once dodge a preety big bullet when i replaced a timing belt on my father's fiat tempra which is an interference engine because as it turned out the tentioner for the bearing seized and the belt was literally rubbing on the tentioner so much that it caused discoloration and the smooth side of the belt having melted from the rubbing and having cracks all over it.
Someone following information in this video can be under the impression that it is a good idea to turn the engine over using the starter, with the timing belt off. This is generally a bad idea. If the engine being worked on is an interference engine 'where the valves can collide with the pistons if not in sync' with the starter engaged and the timing belt removed, it can bend valves! Eric, it is probably a bad idea to use a car with a non-interference engine, as it can cause confusion and worse, engine damage may occur. Precautions must be taken to ensure that the relationship between the camshaft(s) and crankshaft remains in sync for interference engines. Given the scenario that the timing belt hasn’t jumped time, then removing it and turning the engine over with the starter, bad things can happen. I’m a big supporter of your channel. Watch every new episode of yours and have learned a lot from you. Keep up the good work!
An easier way to minimize damage is turn the engine over by hand and remove the valve cover or cap and check if the camshaft rotates. There is less chance of serious damage.
Great video, very informative. I have seen plenty of engines where you can see the cams spinning (or not as the case may be) though the oil filler cap. Nothing wrong with your steps but its a good 'quick and dirty' check to add to the list.
Thanks ERIC always clear and entertaining, think I have the same thing. Lexus IS200 auto 1999, parked up and started it daily while not using until one morning it didn't ,appeared to be flat battery so charged it. starter spins and not turning over. Reason I 'm posting this is if I put it in Drive /Reverse I can roll it forward or backward and I'm fairly certain that's not right either.
You're a more patient man than I Ezza. I would have have removed the oil cap and looked inside, or as you said the dizzy diamond capilious. That said, you are a legend Ezza, an you fixed it!! Ezza (Sir Eric) is a modern legend I'd suggest.
Eric, on some cars you can remove the oil filler cap and watch the cam shaft and rocker arms when cranking the engine over. If the cam and rockers don’t move the timing belt may have stripped teeth. Thanks for the videos!
Eric, I'm surprised you didn't try the simplest and dirtiest option. Just unscrew the oil cap and look at the cam turning, or not (maybe it's a car specific). No possibly destructive disassembly needed.
Even though you did this 4 years ago you might look a little grayer but hey I appreciate it man cuz videos like this wow I wish there was more like them all right be safe and thank you very much Matt U.S. MARINE VETERAN
I could've used this video about 4 months ago Eric, my 89 camry had a busted timing belt but I'm a noob, and 2 friends that are very much car guys couldn't work it out, that both picked it had no spark so I checked the distributor and it wasn't turning so I worked out it was the timing belt, after almost losing my job due to taking a few days to work out the actual problem
@@ericthecarguy it's still a useful video cos the camry completely died so I'm now driving a car with no distributor so at least I know how the diagnose if the timing goes on this car, although I plan on replacing before it happens this time because I believe it's an interference engine
That's a great idea, and I wish I would have put that in this video. However, there is a baffle under this oil cap that prevents a clear view of the cams. Thanks for the comment.
@@ericthecarguy a little off topic but hoping u can help...I got a duralast 8amp battery charger/maintainer my 12v car battery after sitting for 4 hours still connected to my car it will settle around 12.3-12.2v volts and some mornings my car will not start my alternator is good it charges the battery while the car is on at 14.2v volts so i decided to try charging it with my charger and its charging my battery at like 15.3v is this normal? its like 20°-30° degrees here in chicago...The charger has a microprocessor in it but i havent left it on long enough to see if the voltage goes down im afraid its gonna ruin the battery or even possibly cause it to explode...haha (not funny i know) haha...thanks in advance
I had a 1984 Accord with a manual transmission. I was on the highway going 60+ when the timing belt broke. At the time I lost all power and didn't know it was the timing belt. I immediately put it in neutral and coasted to the shoulder. I think that car had an interference engine but somehow I suffered no damage at all. How lucky was I? Was throwing it in neutral what saved me?
Thanks Eric for another great video!! Have 89 Toyota 4x4 3.0 engine just bought it guy said it just died going down road thinks It's timing belt but has sit for several year's I turned it over by hand turned bout half round got pretty hard to turn is that normal
Why I replace the timing belt on my Tdi diesel every 2-4 years. It’s $50 for oem part and it’s good to look around every few years. It will prevent a breakdown on the side of the road. Even if you just notice a coolant leak or something. It’s cheaper than having a mechanic take a look at your car.
That's a good reason for people getting the timing belt replaced on a schedule. No one does it untill it's too late and possibly damages the engine. Depending on design. :-(
Meh, depends on the owner. Some owners are very good about maintenance. Others, not so much. In this case it was an old man that didn't drive the car much. Based on the new tires, I'd say when he needs to spend money he does, just not on anything preventative. Thanks for the comment.
Hayyyyy You knows what's weird the 2 times I've encountered a broken timing belt the engines were interference engines but after replacing the belts the engines ran perfect... I wonder why sometimes the valves get bent and sometimes they don't. Proper weird m8
DaBossk I would say it was sheer luck on an interference engine, a 50/50 chance. The only way to be sort of safe is to replace the belt before the scheduled replace. But who remembers belts, some people need a good kicking to check and replace the oil lol.
Eric I have been watching from before the time you purchased the 82 mustang AKA Black Pearl! For the Fairmont build. Love the Fairmont ride along video kick ass. How ever would love to see the resurrection of the AKA Black Pearl . The ride along in the mustang was alsome before it was sacrificed . I am a car guy and dig your channel. Will you be considering bringing it back?
Had one that I suspected had a broken timing belt, but when I pulled the cover off the timing belt looked intact and tight. Didn't see any broken or damaged hardware but it had all the symptoms of a timing belt. Went through similar diagnostics as Eric. Scratched my head for a while. Cranked the engine while putting the Mk I eyeball on the cam. Engine cranked fast, but the cam didn't move. How the hell can you have a tight timing belt and have the crank turn but not the cam?!?! Pulled the timing belt. The crank had scooped all of the teeth off of the timing belt right there at that one spot and left the rest of the belt undamaged. Wish I'd saved that belt to show folks.
In many cases you can just remember the oil filler cap and crank the engine while looking through the oil filler cap hole. You should be able to see if the camshafts are rotating. Something times removing one the CAM sensor is easier and quicker.
I wish I would have men toned that in the video. That said, this engine has a baffle under the oil cap preventing a clear view of the cams. Thanks for your comment.
Didn't mention a very important issue. Yeah, only if your engine is non-interference. If I were to do this on my Honda it would have probably bent some valves from the top of the pistons hitting them. Couldn't you just take the oil cap off and watch for cam activity also?...Thanks Eric. Always love your videos...
I disagree. Even if the engine is an interference engine, you won't damage it further by turning it over because the cam can't move. If a piston is obstructed by a broken valve or other damage, the engine won't turn over at all. Attempting to turn it over won't cause any additional damage either, the engine is already done. Yes, you could just take the oil cap off, and I wish I would have mentioned that in this video, but on some engines, like the one in this video, there is a baffle under the oil cap which prevents a clear view of the cams. As for your Honda, they don't always bend valves. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-enPNb8dxCZk.html Thanks for your comment.
@@ericthecarguy Thanks Eric. That is why I watch and learn from the videos that you make. You are the professional... And I did say "probably bent some valves", because even though the cam isn't moving couldn't there be a possibility of 4 valves being open at the same time (2 intake and 2 exhaust)? And by turning it over any further could cause damage to the open valves. yes, I've seen some cases where they dodged a bullet and stopped the engine without it doing any damage, but I just assumed that turning it over any further like you did in the video could possibly cause damage that if luck was on your side hadn't happened yet from when the timing belt first broke. That's why I suggested maybe a different diagnostic approach first... thanks again!
Non interference engine. I have a 99 Toyota rav4 same sound. Did a compression test also . Broke timing belt on s 95 honda odyssey whole different ballgame bent valves
Your rav4 might be the same engine so hopefully for you he does more videos on this car, I know they used the 89 camry motor on the older rav4s but I'm not sure on the newer ones, have a look on Wikipedia
That’s pretty rare. Actually I personally never saw just two clips holding the cover. But yeah should be a no brainer to do that first if you have that possibility.
@Random Stuffs Well heck, with the way today's vehicles are built, you are kind of working blind many times anyhow, and there are several different types of blindness from what I've been told. I think its really cool that someone that is visually impaired can still work on vehicles and I'm sure many have told him he couldn't...this is awesome he's doing what he wants regardless of his vision impairment...great job Kyle.
But the oil pump is driven by the timing belt on 3sfe/5sfe, so that would mean no oil pressure while cranking? But then again nothing turns in the top end anyways, or am I thinking wrong? Awesome video😀👍
Well that was convenient that it broke down in front of your shop, and yes thankfully it wasn’t an interference engine. I see the valve cover gasket is leaking so I’m assuming you replaced that as well. Those are great cars and I’m sure that it will continue to last a very long time.
love your videos Eric. wanna ask you a question i no you work on lot of hondas J series engines i have 2006 honda odyssey EX-L MODEL and the rear bank has a ticking sound would you be able t o tell me what that sound is.
On January 1sr, my 17 yrs old car stalled on highway, and cannot restart. ODB code for cam position sensor failure. I opened the timing belt cover and found out it was a broken timing belt.
Erick how many miles did the Camry have ??? Had they ever replaced the timing belt on that car ??? I had a 98 Camry until the head gasket went at 500,000 miles..
Hey Eric! I have a 2005 Neon SRT-4 with only 22k miles. Non interference motor. It has the original timing belt. Would it be a good idea to get it replaced despite the low mileage? Or not to worry about it?
I’m doing a motor swap on a 99, replacement is a 96 engine. I have several components to transfer over to make it work. The 96 had just had all timing components and water pump replaced prior to my son crashing it. 🙄
So many times i have wished that manufacturers would provide a small inspection cover into the top timing belt cover. would be great for checking if your belt is still in one piece - like in this instance, but it would also be great for checking the condition of a belt. If you get a sticky tensioner you would see the wear on the back of the belt. But on a lot of modern cars it is a job in itself just to get the top timing belt cover off. A little inspection hatch would be so good.
Hi Eric, could you tell me if the timing belt will break suddenly without any sign/warning/symptom??? I have an odyssey, but cannot tell if the last owner replaced or not. No any records either. The mileage is 110K. I opened the cover and see the belt looks fine; teeth are good; no crack on the surface.
Does every brand engine react differently with a broken timing belt? I know b that with old 90s Honda engines if the timing belt goes, usually the car goes to the crusher.
Yes. It depends on if it's an interference engine or not. For example all those Hon-duhhhhs that went to the crusher... most likely have interference engines, which means bent Valves everywhere. Meanwhile on this 5S-FE Camry there is no interference, so all Eric has to do is make sure #1 is TDC, somehow realign the cam shaft to where all the Valves are set correctly, then put a new timing belt (bare minimum) on there and BOOM
There's a lot of misconceptions about broken timing belts, especially in this comment section. Yes, engine damage can occur on some engines if the belt breaks. However, in my experience, it's mostly just a couple of bent valves. Once the bent valves are replaced, the engine can go on to live a long and happy life. If it's properly maintained that is.
Even on those particular engines, which are indeed interference engines you won't see bent valves every time. Sometimes the belt will break at idle and you'll get a bunch of bent intake valves, sometimes it will break at 8000rpm and not do any damage. Certain Kias however would sometimes break a timing belt and break valves which would then punch a hole in the top of the piston and smash into the head as the engine spun down
On many cars, you can remove the oil fill cap to see if the rockers move while someone attempts to start the vehicle. If the belt is broken, they will not move when cranking the engine over.
You are correct, and I wish I would have put that in the video. However, there is a baffle under the oil cap on this car that prevents a clear view of the cams. Thanks for the comment.
The shop said that the crankshaft seal and camshaft seal have been leaking and that oil got on the new timing belt ( well 6 month old fairly new) and with that hot oil and excessive heat it snapped the belt in 2 pieces so they have to replace both seals and belt ...the question is can those 2 bad seals get the timing belt snap in 2 like that???? Toyota Camry 1999 2,2 L 4cyl auto.
Had one of mine snap on the motorway in the fast lane, 110KPH then the engine goes silent. I managed to get to the shoulder then turned the key to get that depressing no-compression sound .Took the head off, and it had taken one valve clean off, snapping it at the stem! Never assume the previous owner had the common sense to change it when due.
Sure. People seem to be hung up on this issue in the comments here. If the valves were bent when the belt broke, you're not going to bend them more by turning the engine over. Remember the belt is already broken, the cam can't move as a result. Thanks for the comment.
new subscriber here. i want to ask you a question sir, i am stock in buying car same engine but the other one has turbo. what car should i buy in terms of saving fuel turbo or non turbo
Hi Eric i think I will title my comment ( NUTS) I took a big chance , I was far from home with my 1992 diesel golf the belt broke left the car in a farmers yard went back the next day put on a new belt and drove home on 3 cylinders with puffs of white smoke following me home , result a bent exhaust valve pistons were o k ended up doing a engine rebuild . All ways enjoy your vids thank for listening .
Car makers should just put clear plastic timing belt covers on all engines as standard, just on the top part is enough, not just when it snaps but to casualy check its condition, or just make it easier to remove, if i have to take off rocker cover to get to it of corse i wont bother
long time ago a broke a timing belt in a honda accord. They towed my car to a garage and the guy there showed me a quick and dirty way to see if the timing belt broke......just take off the oil cap and look inside for movement while you are cranking. Naturally , this doesn't work for a slipped belt but is good for a broken belt or if many teeth are missing on the belt.
Used to have a 91 Honda Civic. Was leaving a gas station one day and the whole car just shuts off. Pulled over and tried to crank it and it was making same sound as car etcg is working on in this video. Had no resistance at all. It was also the timing belt. So The old Honda d-series engines are non-interference as well. Didn't do any damage. The 3.0 Toyota v6 engines found in the old pickups r also Non interference
I aslo want to add that I had that car for maybe 6 years and besides that timing belt breaking, which is normal failure, I never had not one single problem with that car. D series may have been slow but that was the most bullet proof engine I have ever seen. Drove parts car just like it down the road one day that had baseball size hole in front of block shooting oil out 20 feet running on 3 cyl vibrating like crazy but but Car never stopped running lol. I finally just removed the engine and replaced it
My timing belt failed twice on a 1983 Honda Civic S and it kept on going after fixing. I do however think the valves bent as it sounded a bit raspy afterwards.
Easiest way- Take the oil cap off and look at the valvetrain while someone cranks the engine, it should be moving. If it's not, the timing belt is broken. This works on most engines and doesn't require any tools.
I wish I would have included that bit of info in this video. I didn't because on this engine there is a baffle under the oil cap that prevents a clear view of the cams. Thanks for the comment.
Just had a timing belt on my works diesel transit go last week, when I had it recovered to a local garage when they checked first just by listening when turning it over no compression, looked in the oil filler and there looked like bits of rubber?
depends on where the oil filler is. Had a vauxhall corsa stop running, timing belt ok, but the cam shaft sheared between 3 and 4 so wouldn't turn the dizy.
I wish I would have put that in this video. However, on this engine there is a baffle under the oil cap that prevents a clear view of the cams. Thanks for the comment.
Eric, why not simply remove the upper timing cover to look for timing belt and not do any engine cranking etc to avoid any potential valve/train damage?
1. You won't always see a damaged belt by removing the cover, it could be broken farther down like it was on this engine. 2. Removing the upper timing cover on this engine is more difficult because you have to remove an engine mount and move the power steering reservoir out of the way. Lastly, once the timing belt breaks, the cam stops moving. There really is no way to damage the engine more by turning the engine over as it was running when the belt broke in the first place. If the engine is damaged, say with bent valves, you won't bend them anymore than they're already bent. If there was a catastrophic failure, such as a broken valve dropping down into the cylinder, the engine won't turn over, at least not very far, and the damage would already be done. It's not like turning it over in that situation will make things any worse. Thanks for your comment.
Hi. My 2004 Ford Explorer has started cutting off. As soon as I try to give it gas...it shuts off. How do I know if it's the fuel pump or something else? Also, all of the windows stopped going up and down at the same time.
On my Honda, if this were to happen, I can easily open the oil fill cap, and look in as the engine is cranked. If the camshaft/ valves don't move, broken belt.
Yes you can, and I wish I would have put that info in the video. However this engine has a baffle under the oil cap preventing a clear view of the cams. Thanks for the comment.
Many years ago, I saw a bunch of guys in a parking lot trying to jump start a car. It was cranking fast like it shouldn't. I asked them what happened. The driver said the engine suddenly stopped and then wouldn't start again. I thought them they were going to get it started because the timing belt was broken. "No. We'll get it started." When I came out of the store about an hour later, they were STILL trying to get it started. It was still there two days late.
I personally think you get more bang for your buck with an Avalon, and I like a 6( hell I like an 8 cylinder car;) but I had a 98 Camry ( one of the ugliest cars I ever had, BUT it wouldn’t quit. 487000 miles. I am an old lady now and was sick and couldn’t change my own oil. Got a coupon to do it. They didn’t put the oil filter in;( Lost it and car on I-10 going 85 mph( heh I am old not dead;) You drive 85 where I live on I-10 or you die. Good work! Thanks so much
Am I missing something here? It seems logical that cranking an interference engine with a broken timing belt runs a risk of causing damage (if you were lucky and didn't suffer damage at the point the belt broke). Eric says it won't cause damage, because the cam can't turn. But when you crank, the pistons move. And if you've got moving pistons but non-moving valves (due to a non-moving cam), it's inevitable that some of the valves are going to be sitting in the space a piston needs to occupy (because it's an interference engine), so you're going to get piston/valve contact, which can cause additional damage. Or is there a flaw in my reasoning?
Yes, it could. Although on an interference engine, there's a chance that valve/piston damage occurs at pretty much the instant the belt breaks anyway. You can get lucky, there are cases of timing belts breaking on interference engines without bending valves.
If you crank the engine, the pistons are going to move. And if the valves aren't moving but the pistons are, there has to be a high possibility that at least a couple of valves are going to be sitting in the space that the piston needs to occupy, meaning there'll be piston/valve contact. In other words, the valves and pistons will interfere with each other (hence the name, interference engine).
Hey! An engine mount made by Facebook! 😂🤣😂 Just did this same job on our 27 year old Volvo 940. About as easy as it gets, right up in front. Belt and tensioner was still good, but I was 20k over the recommended change (which is very low at 50k miles). Didn't feel like having to tow my wife home when it snapped! :)
@@ericthecarguy - I agree, Eric. It gives me no grief, and just does what it's supposed to year after year, and also without rusting away like most of my other vehicles have. :)
Every video I watch about a car engine, the alternator sits right there at the top easier to reach than the wiper liquid bottle, while mine took 4 hours and 2 engine supports removed to be taken out...
You can easily tell on a Chevy Vega because the fan and water pump stops turning. Also, that is all that happens and you can put a new belt on with a new water pump gasket.
