Belts & Hoses
Lethbridge Belts & Hoses
Your vehicle’s belts and hoses are involved in processes within the cooling system, air conditioning system, charging system, and engine. These belts and hoses play crucial roles in functional operations inside your vehicle. The heater hose and radiator hose carry liquid coolant to and from the engine, radiator, and heater core. The timing belt is responsible for maintaining engine precision by synchronizing the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft, which move the engine’s valves and pistons. However, not all vehicles contain timing belts. In place of timing belts, some vehicles use timing chains. On the outside of the engine, the serpentine belt transmits power from the front of the engine to other systems in the vehicle, like the air conditioning system and charging system. Some factors that contribute to wear and tear on your belts and hoses include vehicle age, mileage, belt tension, hose clamp failure, electrochemical degradation, and oil contamination. In the long run, routine maintenance and replacements of your vehicle’s belts and hoses will prevent breakdowns and costly repairs.
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8:30 am – 5:00 pm
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
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Benefits of Belts & Hoses with DV8 Performance & Tires
When compared to other components in your car, belts and hoses have one of the shortest life spans. These items are constantly exposed to engine heat, vehicle vibrations, and harmful chemicals, which all have the potential to cause cracks and leaks. Some symptoms to be aware of for belts and hoses nearing failure include squeaking, screeching, or grinding noises that begin when starting your engine or appear during vehicle operation. It’s worth noting that grinding sounds near belts are usually associated with a bad pulley bearing rather than the belt itself, as the pulley bearing may freeze up and ultimately lead to a belt replacement. Other symptoms of a bad belt or hose include loss of power, leaking coolant or other fluids, illuminated dashboard lights, rising steam from the engine, and air conditioning failure. While routine maintenance of belts and hoses is always important, summertime is an especially important season to keep an eye under the hood due to increased temperatures, which will accelerate deterioration of the rubber components. Since belts and hoses can be difficult to inspect visually, be sure to follow your manufacturer’s recommendations for scheduled maintenance.
Belts & Hoses Services
Made of durable rubber, heater hoses are built to sustain the hot coolant that is carried from the engine to the heater core. Poor climate control is a sign of problems with your vehicle’s hoses. When your heater hoses near the end of their useful life, they will become hard and brittle or soft and mushy. If they crack, the coolant will leak and pool underneath your vehicle. When this happens, allow a member of our service staff to replace your heater hoses. A leaky hose means your heating system will not effectively heat your vehicle, and your cooling system will not have a proper supply of coolant. Leaky heater hoses can result in your engine overheating. As such, we encourage you to periodically inspect your heater hoses to determine the correct time to replace them.
Replacing your radiator hoses is one way to minimize the chance of engine failure and breakdowns. A visual inspection of your hoses can help you determine the proper time to replace them. Cracks, bulges, and hardened hoses are all signs that your radiator hoses are nearing the end of their useful life. Poor heating system performance also indicates a problem with your hoses. Heat, vibrations, and corrosion are all contributing factors to bad radiator hoses. A coolant leak in either green, red, or yellow liquid is another warning sign of a cracked or corroded radiator hose that should be replaced. Bad hoses can cause serious engine damage through an overheating engine or catastrophic failure. At the first sign of a bad radiator hose, be sure to contact our service staff to have your radiator hose replaced.
Because your serpentine belt powers varying processes in the front of your engine, failure of the belt will result in failure of the other processes. If the serpentine belt fails to power the water pump, an important part of the cooling system, your engine could overheat and break down. Steering would also be impossible without a fully functioning belt. Regular inspections can keep your serpentine belt operating as intended. Visual inspections are the best way to detect early signs of serpentine belt issues, like frays and cracks. Trouble turning or steering at low speeds is another sign of possible belt failure. A loose belt can result in overheating, engine noise, or a dead battery. Manufacturers advise adhering to specific maintenance intervals for scheduling a serpentine belt replacement. When it’s time to replace your serpentine belt, just give us a call or contact us online.
Avoiding a timing belt replacement can result in complete engine failure. A worn or stretched belt can disrupt the operating order of the valves and pistons, which can result in a piston hitting a valve and damaging the engine. Timing belt failure warning signs include rough idling or difficulty starting the engine. Cracks on the belt, which is made of reinforced rubber, are an indication that it may soon break. Replacement of your timing belt will help keep your engine performing as it should and ensure you avoid expensive future repairs. During our replacement service, your belt will be replaced and synchronized with the crankshaft and camshaft to restore proper operating precision and order. It is widely recommended that you have your water pump changed during a timing belt replacement service as well. If your water pump fails later, it can do great damage to your vehicle. Since the water pump is easy to change during a timing belt replacement, consider having a new one installed at this time. Referring to your owner’s manual will help determine the appropriate service intervals for timing belt maintenance.