Timing Belt Stripped Out

Q: My car has over 100,000 miles on it when it stopped running. I suspected the timing belt. So I pulled the timing belt cover off but the belt was not broken. However, when I turned over the engine the belt did not move. What could be the problem?

A: The timing belt generally loses it rubber teeth, becoming stripped out. That is why it still appeared intact, but it is worn out. You will need to reset the timing marks and replace with a new timing belt. If you have an interference engine, the valves could also be bent. After you install the new timing belt do a compression test.