Belts / Hoses
We’ve already explained timing belts and drive belts on other pages but the topic bears repeating. Vehicle belts and hoses are the muscle and arteries that keep you on the road. Neglect them for too long, and you won’t be on the road at all (unless you’re beside it, calling for a tow truck) until they’re replaced.

Belts drive many aspects of your engine; hoses transport the fluids your engine needs to flush, lubricate, heat and cool it: oil, water, transmission, brakes, windshield washer, oxygen, you name it.

The good news is that belts and hoses don’t usually cost a lot to replace. Timing belt replacement runs significantly more than other belts and hoses, but that’s because when we get down that far into an engine, it just makes sense to replace the water pump and other bits and pieces that begin to become problematic at the same time a timing belt can break and wreak costly havoc on your engine. These are the times when we highly recommend ‘preventive maintenance’—when we’re so deeply into an engine that the labor costs to go back in again become a pain in the neck to our customers. It’s best to take care of everything in the same hard-to-reach location so you don’t have to come back any time soon to access newly-malfunctioning parts.

So yeah, belts and hoses are crucial to the smooth, reliable operation of your vehicle. Listen for signs and symptoms of misbehaving belts and hoses: shrieking, screeching, dripping liquids, and more. An easy way to check the condition of your hoses is to squeeze them. If they’re worn out, you’ll notice they make a crunching sound (which you can also feel). At this point, the internal webbing of the hose that ensures its contour has worn down and is no longer supporting the shape of the hose. If this condition is ignored or neglected, the hose will bulge and eventually burst, causing your engine to lose all of its coolant immediately. (This is the person you see on the side of the road with steam coming from his engine.) It’s easy to avoid this kind of break down by simply having your radiator hoses checked and replaced as necessary. Another common hose problem: vacuum hoses on your engine can crack and break, causing a vacuum leak from the engine, resulting in a check engine light. Be sure to have these hoses checked periodically too. Check your owner’s manual to find out what the manufacturer suggests for replacement times and honor them.

When your belts and hoses need help, come to G&J Auto Center—we’ll take care of it and get you back in action as fast as we can. (541) 752-3445