The Importance of Belts & Hose Care

Your car’s belts and hoses ensure that your engine’s cooling, charging and air conditioning systems are working properly. If these parts have degraded from wear, temperature and damage, they can result in catastrophic damage to your engine. Regular maintenance and inspections are key to keeping your vehicle safe on the road.

Belt & Hose Repair & Replacement

Your engine is made up of multiple systems that work together. They interact with each other through a series of belts and hoses including:

Serpentine Belt

Also known as drive belts, serpentine belts provide power to your car’s air conditioning compressor, power-steering pump, cooling fan and other components. They are called serpentine belts because of the way they wind around different parts of the engine. Modern belts are made to be more elastic and durable, so they are less likely to stretch or slip than the ones found in older cars, but wear and extreme weather can still shorten the life of a serpentine belt. If your serpentine belt breaks, your engine is at risk of overheating because power is no longer being supplied to the water pump. Symptoms of a broken serpentine belt include overheating, difficulty steering and a poorly working air conditioner. You should plan on having the serpentine belt replaced every 50,000 miles.

Timing Belt

The timing belt is made of rubber and wraps around the outside of the engine. It allows the crankshaft to turn the camshaft, which opens and closes valves in time with the engine’s pistons. When a timing belt breaks, the engine stops working immediately. The pistons may cause severe damage because they are no longer operating in sync with the valves and can puncture engine parts. Timing belts need to be regularly inspected and replaced around 100,000 miles. 

Some cars have timing chains, which are made of metal and require no maintenance, but they eventually wear out, so regular inspections are still very important.

Hoses

Made of flexible rubber, hoses connect the radiator, heater, fuel lines, air conditioning, power steering and vacuum lines inside your engine. They are designed to help absorb vibrations and keep these important systems sealed against dust and debris that could cause damage. Extreme temperatures and time can cause hoses to dry out, crack or degrade. Once a hose has a crack or puncture, it can cause underperforming systems or a buildup of debris inside the systems. Hoses should be replaced every 50,000 miles or at the first sign of damage.

Trust Boyce Auto Repair for Your Belt and Hose Maintenance

At Boyce Auto Repair, we are committed to providing high-quality service at honest prices. Our goal is to keep your vehicle safe and operating at peak performance for the entirety of its lifespan. We provide the following services for belts and hoses:

• Comprehensive timing belt replacement
• Serpentine belt replacement
• Full radiator hose service and replacement packages

In addition, we visually inspect your belts and hoses when you bring your vehicle in for oil changes. If we notice that a belt or hose is in need of replacement or maintenance, we will let you know and guide you through next steps. Visit us today or give us a call to set up an appointment.