When a timing chain breaks, the camshaft stops spinning and the piston can strike open valves. This bends the valves, leading to catastrophic engine failure. Regular maintenance of the timing chain and replacement when necessary prevents engine damage.Know More
A timing chain synchronizes the rotation of the engine's camshaft and crankshaft; a properly functioning timing chain ensures that the valves open and close at the correct times. Timing chains are moving parts that eventually wear out or break, but they are durable enough that manufacturers have no specific guidelines about when to replace them. Rattling in the engine or the check engine light signaling a problem are signs that the timing chain needs to be checked.
In cars manufactured after the 1980s, timing belts are more common than timing chains. Timing belts are cheaper to produce and run more quietly, but are less durable than chains. A timing belt must be replaced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles the car is driven, and due to its quieter operation does not give an auditory warning of imminent failure. Timing chains and timing belts perform the same function, but are not interchangeable; engines designed for timing belts cannot use timing chains and vice versa.Learn more about Transmission
When the transmission fails on a car, the car becomes practically useless because the transmission is responsible for changing the gears on the car, which in turn provides the power to the wheels to move it forward. Transmissions are, therefore, essential to a car's basic functioning, whether or not the car operates on an automatic or manual method of gear shifting.Full Answer >
If a vehicle's transmission system runs out of fluid and it is not replaced, the moving parts within the transmission and engine can grind against each other and cause irreparable damage to the system. Transmission fluid should also be changed on a regular basis to ensure proper working conditions.Full Answer >
When transmission fluid is low, the transmission tends to jerk or slip when changing gears. The vehicle may also speed to high revolutions per minute while in neutral or without the vehicle speeding up or spontaneously slip out of gear. A burning smell is another sign that transmission fluid may be low.Full Answer >
Overfilling an automatic transmission causes the fluid to foam, leading to erratic gear shifting, oil starvation and transmission damage. Overfilling a manual transmission causes the fluid to leak from the vent and the gear trains to slow down when the clutch is depressed, leading to gear shifting problems.Full Answer >