| What people often learn the hard way is that belts and hoses age,
and what happens when they fail. The coolant leaks out and the
engine overheats. Most belts and hoses fail from the inside out.
The rubber deteriorate with age and exposure to heat. The
material can become hard and brittle. Tiny cracks develop which
eventually cause leaks, blisters or splits. But what happens if
you never replace your belts or hoses? Hopefully nothing because
nobody can predict when a belt or hose will actually fail. But if
a failure does occur, the consequences can often be far more serious and
expensive than a breakdown and a tow. Overheating is the biggest
danger. Depending on how hot an engine gets, the consequences my
include a blown head gasket, a cracked or warped cylinder head and/or a
broken or frozen overhead camshaft. |
