Belts

All of the parts under the hood of your Ford are there to perform different functions. The different kinds of belts that your car has are important for maintaining the other components and work to keep them operating smoothly. Most of the belts are there to transfer power and make things work in sync with one another, and they do this by generating friction with pulleys. If your belt becomes damaged, worn, or loose, there can be a lot of problems that come up in regard to engine performance. It's helpful to know the different kinds of belts, though, so you know what you're dealing with. They include:

- Timing belts. Timing belts are what help your car's crankshaft and camshaft turn in sync with one another. The rubber belt is what opens and closes valves in the engine in time with pistons. In older vehicles, this was referred to as a timing chain.

- Serpentine belts. Serpentine belts are what deliver power to all of the engine components under the hood. The serpentine is a replacement to the v-belts in older cars, making the process of powering your engine parts and components like the power steering pump a lot easier.

When your Ford's belts start to wear out, it's important to shop OEM replacements. Here at Ford Genuine Auto Parts, we have OEM belts that you can buy for your make and model.