Timing belt
A timing belt, timing chain, or cambelt is a part of
an internal combustion engine that synchronizes the
rotation of the crankshaft and the camshaft(s) so that the
engine's valves open and close at the proper times during
each cylinder's intake and exhaust strokes. In
an interference engine the timing belt or chain is also
critical to preventing the piston from striking the valves. A
timing belt is usually a toothed belt—a drive belt with teeth
on the inside surface. A timing chain is a roller chain.
Many modern production automobile engines use a timing
belt to synchronize crankshaft and camshaft rotation;
some engines, particularly cam in block designs,
used gears to drive the camshaft, but this was rare
for OHC designs. The use of a timing belt or chain instead
of gear drive enables engine designers to place the
camshafts further from the crankshaft, and in engines with
multiple camshafts a timing belt or chain also enables the
camshafts to be placed further from each other. Timing
chains were common on production automobiles through
the 1970s and 1980s, when timing belts became the norm,
but timing chains have seen a resurgence in recent years.
Timing chains are generally more durable than timing belts
—though neither is as durable as gear drive—however,
timing belts are lighter, less expensive, and operate more
quietly.
Engine applications
In the internal combustion engine application the timing
belt or chain connects the crankshaft to the camshaft(s),
which in turn control the opening and closing of the
engine's valves. A four-stroke engine requires that the
valves open and close once every other revolution of the
crankshaft. The timing belt does this. It has teeth to turn
the camshaft(s) synchronised with the crankshaft, and is
specifically designed for a particular engine. In some
engine designs the timing belt may also be used to drive
other engine components such as the water pump and oil
pump.
History
The first known timing belt was used in 1945.In the
1950s, Bill Devin built a Panhard racing special with a
highly modified engine using Norton Manx cylinders and
heads and a toothed rubber belt driving the overhead
camshaft on each Norton cylinder head. Devin's Panhard
special won the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)
National Championship in 1956.
The 1962 Glas 1004 was the first mass-produced vehicle
to use an overhead camshaft engine with a timing
belt. Fiat's 124 twin cam engine developed in the early
1960s was the first mass production engine to have belt-
driven twin camshafts. In 1966, Vauxhall Motors started
production of the Slant Four single overhead cam four-
cylinder design which used a timing belt, a configuration
which became one of the most common.
TYPES
Gear or chain systems are also used to connect
the crankshaft to the camshaft at the correct timing.
However, gears and shafts constrain the relative location
of the crankshaft and camshafts. Even where the
crankshaft and camshaft(s) are very close together, as in
pushrod engines, most engine designers use a short chain
drive rather than a direct gear drive. This is because gear
drives suffer from frequent torque reversal as the cam
profiles "kick back" against the drive from the crank,
leading to excessive noise and wear. Fibre or nylon
covered gears, with more resilience, are often used
instead of steel gears where direct drive is used.
Commercial engines and aircraft engines use steel gears
only, as a fibre or nylon coated gear can fail suddenly and
without warning.
A belt or chain allows much more flexibility in the relative
locations of the crankshaft and camshafts.
While chains and gears may be more durable,
rubber composite belts are quieter in their operation (in
most modern engines the noise difference is negligible),
are less expensive and more efficient, by dint of being
lighter, when compared with a gear or chain system. Also,
timing belts do not require lubrication, which is essential
with a timing chain or gears. A timing belt is a specific
application of a synchronous belt used to transmit
rotational power synchronously.
Timing belts are typically covered by metal or polymer
timing belt covers which require removal for inspection or
replacement. Engine manufacturers recommend
replacement at specific intervals.The manufacturer may
also recommend the replacement of other parts, such as
the water pump, when the timing belt is replaced because
the additional cost to replace the water pump is negligible
compared to the cost of accessing the timing belt. In an
interference engine, or one whose valves extend into the
path of the piston, failure of the timing belt (or timing
chain) invariably results in costly and, in some cases,
irreparable engine damage, as some valves will be held
open when they should not be and thus will be struck by
the pistons.
Indicators that the timing chain may need to be replaced
include a rattling noise from the front of the engine.
SOURCE OF INFORMATION
SR.NO. Name Of Resource Specifications Qty.
1. The Car Handbook -Robert Ireson 1
2. Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org 1
3. Maruti 800 Service MB300
manual
4.
