The 5 general questions to change engine timing belt So, time is up for my personal transport to have it's engine timing belt changed after my car had clocked more than 90,000 kilometers through these 9 years period. It is mandatory to replace the timing belt of the car engine IF you have this system running while the other timing chain system is maintenance free until you change your car. Else, the risk to totally damage the engine will getting higher each time we drive our car and we are often advised not prolong the time to get it replace until it snapped by itself. One of my friend have to complete overhaul his top engine portion after the timing belt was snapped during uphill climb whereby he go full throttle due to his engine did not generate enough power to push the car to climb. Mind you that he did not maintain his car at all and the next moment he need to pay a hefty price to change the timing belt and all broken valve with major service on the cylind