Posted on 4/27/2022
Timing belts and serpentine belts are both vital in keeping a car running. Both are driven by your engine's crankshaft but both belts serve completely different functions and are not the same in any way. The serpentine belt is a friction drive belt, and the timing belt is a direct drive belt. Failure of either the timing belt or the serpentine belt will cause your vehicle to not run. Serpentine Belt Named serpentine belt because of the way it winds, like a snake, around several pulleys which help power your car's accessories like your air conditioning, alternator, power steering, and water pump. The serpentine belt is made of a stretchy rubber compound and has grooves cut into it that match up with the grooves which are on your accessory pulleys. These are all external to the engine and can easily be seen. If your serpentine belt breaks, your car may run for a short time but will eventually overheat. Avoiding situations like this is easy by replacing the belt every 7 to 9 yea ... read more