Customers should be informed by workshops
• Mileage not the only factor
• Aging damages material
• Correct, up-to-date maintenance information essential
The correct time to change a timing belt depends not only on the mileage of the car, but also on the age of the belt, Workshops should inform their customers of this, advises ContiTech. "Long periods of non-use place just as much strain on a belt as regular operation does. Aging damages the material – no matter how much you drive," explains Helmut Engel, Head of Automotive Aftermarket at the ContiTech Power Transmission Group.
Replacing a timing belt at the proper time prevents costly engine damage. Decisive for the replacement, however, is not only the number of kilometers driven but also the age of the belt.
Many drivers don't realize that the mileage on the clock isn't the only reason to make regular trips to the repair workshop. Most second cars, city cars and convertibles are unlikely to reach the replacement intervals specified by the manufacturer, even after many years of driving. In Germany, over ten million cars are driven as second cars – just under a quarter of the cars licensed with the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrtbundesamt).
"In the last few years, some manufacturers have already started to change replacemnt intervals to take age into account, especially for timing belts. However, these changes are not indicated in the service manual,” explains Kai-Uwe Suppé, technical trainer at ContiTech. In order to perform maintenance in accordance with the inspection guidelines, repair workshops should therefore always refer to up-to-date information, otherwise they could be liable to pay compensation in case of damage. "Automobile businesses can obtain all the important information on diagnosis, repairs and maintenance via providers such as Autodata. The information available via such services is updated regularly based on the original manufacturer specifications. That way, the workshop is on the safe side," explains Suppé.
If the manufacturer has not provided suitable specifications, ContiTech advises that timing belts be replaced after six years at the latest.
When changing belts, it is also highly recommended to replace all the relevant belt drive components at the same time. This provides greater safety for the engine. With OEM-quality kits containing perfectly matched drive components, ContiTech offers the right products for this task. The advantages for workshops are clear: there is no need to order individual parts, you can always be certain that the parts match the vehicle and type and administration for incoming goods and processing becomes a lot simpler. This saves time and reduces process costs. Using kits also provides mechanics with the best possible means of protecting themselves from possible warranty claims. Workshops can find the ContiTech kits in the online catalog at
www.contitech.de/aam. They are also listed in TecDoc, the digital information system that supplies the vehicle replacement parts market and workshops with comprehensive data for purchasing purposes.
. Good luck ...........
