Belts & Hoses
Description of 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.
Benefits of Belts & Hoses
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.
- Approximate Service Time: 60 minutes
- Price Range: Get Quote for Price
The Basics Behind Heater Hose Replacement Services at Total Roadside Services
Heater hoses play a crucial role in a vehicle’s heating system, which operates in conjunction with the cooling system. Running engines produce a tremendous amount of heat that will need to be transferred away from the engine in order to prevent overheating and subsequent breakdowns. Heater hoses are responsible for carrying coolant to prevent overheating. Coolant or antifreeze flows through the engine, absorbs the excess heat, and carries the heat away from the engine. More specifically, heater hoses are responsible for transferring coolant away from the engine to the heater core, where the warm air can be blown inside the compartment of your vehicle by engaging the adjacent fan. Heater fans blow through the heater core to heat the vehicle and cool the antifreeze inside of it. The hoses transfer the coolant back into the path of the cooling system at a lower temperature so the coolant can continue to regulate consistent temperatures inside the engine.
- Approximate Service Time: 60 minutes
- Price Range: Get Quote for Price
The Basics Behind Radiator Hose Replacement Services at Total Roadside Services
Your car or truck’s radiator hoses, which connect the engine to the radiator, are important components that maintain consistent internal engine temperatures. The upper hose connects to the top of the engine, while the lower hose connects to the bottom. Coolant flows through the engine to cool internal temperatures and works with the hoses. Radiator hoses carry hot coolant away from the engine and into the radiator, a large tank with small channels where the coolant flows to dissipate heat. Radiator fans, which are located behind the radiator, help cool the antifreeze or coolant once it enters. The radiator hoses also carry the coolant back into the engine to absorb the heat created during the combustion process. Once the engine reaches operating temperatures, the hot coolant cycles back to the radiator where it is cooled again. Because the engine can reach extreme temperatures, the coolant is often extremely hot. Over time, hot coolant can cause radiator hoses to deteriorate from the inside out.
- Approximate Service Time: 60 minutes
- Price Range: Get Quote for Price
The Basics Behind Serpentine Belt Replacement Services at Total Roadside Services
As the timing belt synchronizes engine processes, the serpentine belt powers peripheral processes in the engine compartment, like the power steering pump, water pump, cooling fan, air conditioner, and alternator. The serpentine belt receives its name from the snake-like path it takes through the various steering and electrical components it powers. Belt tension also plays an important role in serpentine belt maintenance. A properly tensioned belt helps promote long belt life while ensuring that all components are not overloaded or strained during operation. Serpentine belts are tough, built to sustain years of continued and heavy use, but they do have a natural life projected by every manufacturer. Periodic inspections of your serpentine belt will help prevent breakdowns, though replacing your serpentine belt is a natural part of overall car maintenance. If you suspect trouble with your serpentine belt, please give us a call or contact us for assistance.
- Approximate Service Time: 180 minutes
- Price Range: Get Quote for Price
The Basics Behind Timing Belt Replacement Services at Total Roadside Services
The timing belt, or timing chain in some vehicles, is a drive belt that synchronizes the rotation of the engine’s crankshaft and camshaft with the opening and closing of your engine’s valves. Depending on the vehicle, it may also rotate the water pump. When the crankshaft turns, the timing belt turns the camshaft, which opens and closes the engine valves to allow the pistons to move up and down. Your vehicle’s engine operates in four phases: intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. During the intake phase, intake valves open and exhaust valves close as fuel and air enter the cylinders. As the air and fuel is mixed, compressed, and ignited by spark plugs during the compression and combustion phases, the valves close. The remaining air and fuel is pushed out of the exhaust valve during the exhaust phase. The timing belt is responsible for synchronizing this process and for opening and closing valves during normal engine operation.
