Belts and Hoses: The Workhorses of Your Car’s Engine
Breakdowns are most commonly caused by worn belts and hoses. Neglecting them can leave you stranded.
To prevent an emergency or inconvenience, have your belts and hoses checked every time you have your oil changed. Although a belt can look healthy, the rubber used to make it could be dry and cracked due to age, heat, cold and normal wear and tear. In addition, engine vibration can cause belts to become loose.
Performance Relies on Strong Belts
Your car’s belts make more than 35 million revolutions each year, so don't ignore them. An important part of your car, the belts wrap around pulleys to power many of your car’s other components. Worn, defective or improperly adjusted belts contribute to accidents and breakdowns, costly repairs, battery failure and overheated engines.
Check your belts every six months. If they are too tight, they will stretch and break. If they are too loose, they won’t work efficiently. Regardless of how your belts look, you should replace them every four years.
Gemini Car Care location technicians will check your car’s belts for:
- Glazing and cracking
- Proper tensioning
- Proper alignment of drive pulleys
Hoses Keep Vital Fluids Circulating to Engine Parts
A visual inspection may not always help you locate a bad hose. A failed hose may not necessarily leak. To locate hoses that need replaced, you can pinch them to check for cracks, brittleness and mushiness.
Keep in mind that hoses wear on the inside, as well as the outside. Even though a hose may seem ok, internal deterioration could cause it to fail.