Top 4 Car Myths – True or Untrue?

You hear the craziest things about how to maintain your car. And let’s admit it: most of us DO crazy things – or worse, we do things to our cars based on rumors and myths rather than concrete mechanical knowledge. In an age when most of us get 90% of our car knowledge from movies like “Gone in Sixty Seconds”, we could probably all use a little maintenance myth-busting that helps us know which mythical advice to follow and which to throw out the window.

1) Always keep your gas tank full. This is a major point of contention between my husband and me. Seeing how far I can get the needle to go below the big red E is like a sport for me – if worst comes to worst, I can always swerve to get the last remaining dregs into the combustion chamber. My husband is far more practical and points out the safety of having a full gas tank.

As it turns out, keeping a full gas tank not only means that you can jump in the car for trips to the emergency room without stopping for gas, but it also prevents water from getting in the tank. Particularly during cold winter months, condensed water forms on the inside of an empty tank, causing improper flow and, at times, stalling. I’ve had this happen numerous times; my poor little Focus even conked out on the freeway once when I’d been running it on fumes. Turns out, it just wanted a full tank to push the water out.

2) Premium gas will mean better mileage and fewer repairs. My penny-pinching side is happy to report that this is relatively bogus. With today’s fuel standards, even low and mid grades of gasoline have detergents and other additives that keep everything running smooth. Additionally, the mileage you’ll gain with premium isn’t nearly big enough to justify the cost. Unless you have a supercharged engine or a Hemi, premium doesn’t make much of a difference.

3) Always warm up your car. As unpleasant as it is to slosh through powder in your pajamas, this one is actually an excellent idea, as it benefits both driver and the car. Particularly on those nostril-freezing winter mornings Michigan is so famous for, giving your car a few minutes to warm allows it to move oil and other fluids to where they need to go. The difference in car function can be tantamount to the safety difference between a driver stepping into a warm interior and gazing out of a clear windshield and a driver gripping an icy steering wheel and asthmatically jerking from the cold.

4) Wait a while before going through a car wash after repairs. I was shocked to see in our analytics report that someone had searched the term “how long after repairs can I go through the carwash”, but hey – I’ve believed crazier myths. Let’s let Rob tackle this question: “I am surprised how frequently this question comes up and have found that most of the questioners have had body repairs done to their vehicles where the body man recommended waiting a certain period before washing the car. In the mechanical repair field, there are very few situations where the vehicle cannot be washed or driven right away. If such an occasion arises, typically, the vehicle is kept for follow-up and road testing to ensure a complete repair.”

Safe driving!

What is a Timing Belt and When Should it Be Replaced?

We all do the best we can to protect our vehicles and we all make sure to keep them maintained against all possible threats and dangers. However, it should not be surprising to learn that one of the greatest dangers to high mileage cars is also one of the least well known. While we expect and try to prevent cases of engine or transmission failure, the death of many older or high mileage cars is nothing other than a failure of the timing belt. However, in order to understand what makes the timing belt so important and how we can prevent it from failing, we first need to learn a little bit about what it does and what we should expect from specific car models when it comes to life expectancy of the belt.

The timing belt serves a very important part when it comes to making your engine run. Namely, the timing belt is the belt that controls the camshafts in your engine and keeps the entire operation running smoothly. Note that timing belts are present in engines with overhead cams, and are essential to keep these cams turning at the right time in order to keep the engine running. Remember that a camshaft is the shaft that opens and loses the intake and exhaust valves in your engine, both letting air in to create combustion, and venting the exhaust that comes from those explosions. A timing belt must be properly calibrated in order to move in time with the motion of the pistons.

When it comes to engines, the two most important terms to remember when talking about timing belts are “interference” engines and “non-interference” engines. Interference engines have a very, very small amount of space between the valves and pistons, while non-interference engines tend to have a lot more room.

The different types of engines make a major difference when figuring out how bad a timing belt failure can be for your engine. In an interference engine, with little space between the valves and pistons, a slip or break in the belt can send a piston flying into an open valve. When this happens, it is similar to the engine self-destructing, as it will soon become nothing more than an unusable mess of metal. This is not to say, however, that a timing belt failure in a non-interference engine will not be damaging, as it can still cause a great deal of damage to many engine components. Generally speaking, however, a timing belt failure in a non-interference engine will not cripple the motor.

Regardless of what type of motor is present in your car, a failure in the timing belt will cause the engine to suddenly stop. This means that your car will suddenly stop running and you will not be able to get it started again. In all cases, this means calling a tow truck to come pick up your now non-running vehicle.

If all of this sounds like a nightmare, that’s because it can really urn out to be one. Luckily though, timing belt failure is somewhat easy to prevent, and although it may not be the cheapest or easiest operation in the world, it is definitely a better option that purchasing either a new car or a new engine.

Of course, checking to see when your timing belt was last changed is not always the easiest task either. If you have owned your car, and have ever had it replaced in the past, you should have the mileage written down as to when it was changed. If, though, you purchased your car used, there may be a sticker located under the hood of your car that gives the mileage of the last change. If you cannot find this sticker, than it may be better to have the belt changed, just to be on the safe side. If you have the owners manual for your vehicle, it should detail when the belt should be changed.

If you have trouble finding out when exactly the belt should be changed; you could consult either a local mechanic or contact a dealership for the exact number. A good general rule of thumb is that a timing belt should be changed every 60,000 to 75,000 miles, although some belts are designed to last up to 100,000 miles before requiring a change. Regardless though, it is best not to let a belt go more than 80,000 miles or so, even if the recommended change point is a lot higher. Changing your belt early is definitely a lot safer for your engine, and a little money out of pocket can save you a lot of money and a new car in the long run.

Remember, even though you may get your oil changed every 3,000 miles, and do all of your scheduled repair services, nothing can save you from a timing belt failure. Make sure to get your timing belt replaced regularly and by a certified mechanic. It can mean the different between a good running car and useless piece of metal.

Timing Belt Problems – How to Solve Them

Are you facing timing belt problems? Well, this is a rather serious matter because your engine is largely dependent on the smooth running of the timing belt. The timing belt connects the crankshaft, the walls, the camshaft and the Pistons all together. So if one is “out of caliber” there is a chance that you might find yourself having an engine seizing at odd moments. That is because the synchronization which is timed to run in a very well coordinated motion has been disturbed. That is why you need to know all about timing belt problems and how they need to be solved immediately so that your engine does not break down right in the middle of the road.

One of the most common of timing belt problems is not replacing it in time. Your timing belt is going to face the normal wear and tear of any hard worked car component and is going to give way during the passage of time. So it is necessary to get the professionals are expert or mechanic to check out your timing belt problems and replace them whenever necessary. He is going to replace any damaged, cracked or badly worn timing belt.

Diagram for timing marks for crank shaft and oil pump for 2004 hyundai sonata

Optional Information:
Year: 2004
Make: Hyundai
Model: sonata
Engine: 2.4

hyundai timing belt

Be aware the oil pump pulley drives a balance shaft, and due to the gear reduction in the oil pump the timing mark is only correct once every 720 degrees. Meaning if the oil pump sprocket has spun with the belt off the vehicle and you realign it to the timing mark you have a one in two chance of it being correct. To verify you have the correct position, there is a 14mm bolt in the left hand side of the block (right on the balance shaft ‘tunnel’. When this bolt is removed, you will be able to stick a screwdriver or othr metal object 2.5 inches into the block when it is in the correct position; the shaft also will not turn more than 15 degrees in either direction. When you are out of phase, you will only be able to go in about one inch.

Replacing Your Car’s Timing Belt

Knowing When To Change A Timing Belt

Changing a timing belt on your vehicle can be a very time consuming. This is due to the fact that there are a lot of components under your hood that must be removed before you can even get to your vehicle’s timing belt. This is why it is best to change a timing belt at the same time that you are planning on doing other repairs and maintenance practices to your vehicle such as putting on a replacement water pump or changing belts like the serpentine, air conditioner or water pump belt.
Timing belts tend to begin breaking down at around 60,000 miles. You will notice the power to your vehicle begin to slow down, the fuel efficiency of your vehicle can be affected as well as your vehicle showing signs of working harder.
How To Change A Timing Belt or Timing Chain
Different vehicles have different patterns for changing a timing belt or timing chain. The best thing to do when you want to change the timing belt is to look over your owner’s manual that is specific for your make and model vehicle. You can also purchase an automobile repair manual that is designed specifically for the needs of your automobile at any automotive repair shop in your local area.
The basics to changing a timing belt on the vehicle however are pretty much uniform. The steps to do this are as follows:
Step 1. Before you can replace the timing belt on any vehicle it is a good idea to let the vehicle sit overnight so that the engine is completely cool and there is a reduced chance of experiencing serious burns from the engine.
Step 2. As it is with most vehicle repairs you must first disconnect any power supply to the vehicle. This means that the battery cables must be removed from the battery terminal and tied back so that there is no risk of them touching the posts or other parts of the vehicle while working.
Step 3. Place blocks in front and behind the wheels of your vehicle so that there is not chance of the vehicle rolling and accidentally causing injuries to you or others who may be around.
You will now need to remove any obstructions that may be in the way of getting to your timing belt. This includes:
Step 4. Make sure that the air intake assembly to your vehicle is completely removed.
Step 5. Locate the pulley that powers the supply to your water pump if this is in the way on your vehicle. You will need to loosen the bolt holding this pulley in place.
Step 6. For some vehicles it may be necessary to do the same for other equipment such as the power steering pump. This will require you to loosen the bolt and remove the belt that is around the pulley. You can then unbolt the power steering pump and move it out of your way.
Step 7. Line up the mark on your crankshaft pulley to the O that is on the timing scale with a large wrench. You can find the timing scale molded on your vehicle engine block.
Step 8. Using the right sized socket you will have to removed the bolts that are holding the timing belt cover on. When you have the bolts removed you can then pull off the timing belt cover.
Step 9. Inspect the timing belt tensioned bearings for any looseness or noise. If these problems exist you will need to replace the timing belt tensioned bearings as well.
Step 10. Locate your camshaft and check to makes sure there are no leaks in the crankshaft or camshaft seals. If you do notice leaking this could be an early sign that there will be premature failure for your new timing belt. It is best to replace these seals now instead of waiting for bigger problems and the chance of having to do all of this work again.
Step 11. For most vehicle makes and models you should now be able to locate the timing belt. Make sure that all timing marks on your belt are properly lined up. Loosen the timing belt tensioned and you will then be able to remove the timing belt very easily. Make sure that the camshaft and crankshaft for your vehicle’s engine are secured and that they do not move while your timing belt is off of your vehicle.
Step 12. Place your new timing belt on the same way that you removed it. Make any tension adjustments to the timing belt as necessary. Inspect the new belt to make sure that it is fitting over the teeth for the timing sprockets correctly. Makes sure that you do not over tighten the belt.
Step 13. When replacing the timing belt cover install a new gasket to seal the cover correctly. Do not use an old gasket as this will not seal properly.
Step 14. If you had to remove any pumps at the beginning of this project you will now have to hook them back up again. This includes the water pump, power steering pump as well as any other accessories that may have gotten in the way at the beginning of this project.
Step 15. Visually inspect all timing marks to make sure that they are still aligned correctly.
Step 16. Reinstall your vehicle’s air intake assembly that was removed in the beginning.
Step 17. Reconnect your vehicle’s battery. Make sure that there is no corrosion around the posts or the battery cables while you are at this step.
Step 18. Turn on your vehicle and look for any problem areas such as leaks that there may be prior to driving your vehicle. Do not hesitate or postpone any repairs that may be needed.