Hi im new to the forum and after a little help basicly I fear my cam belt has snapped and was wondering if anyone would now the extent of the damage likely to be caused if it snaps while still and normal idle speed about 900 rmp thanks.

Nath

 

Totally depends on the engine. What car/engine is it?

 

its an escort si 1.8 zetec 1997

 

I would expect it to bend valves on a 16v petrol engine.

 

ok thanks so all 16 normaly bend?

 

Hi bud , what engine is it? . Usually when the belt snaps your valves will impact your piston's in one form or another and sadly this usually results in bent vavles and the least . Worst case damaged pistons ,vavles,guides,head,ect ect . obviously in this case the top end is effectivley scrap . On a mass produced engine it's usually easlier and cheaper to replace the whole engine .Cheers Al .
ps If your feeling lucky replace the belt ,take the plugs out and turn it over by hand . se if theres any compression .

 

You'd be really unlucky to get all 16 bent, hard to guess really!

 

thanks for your help like i say i fear it has snapped i dont quite now untill i go to work tomorrow basicly what happened car started fine everything was fine pulled up to a red light put hand brake on lights changed tried to pull off but had hand brake on still so it stalled before i could get clutch down tried to started it and got nothing i could here the starter going at first was pulsing sound but after a few seconds it would spin normaly but every now and agian in would fire up but die straight away sorry for the going on it just really bugging me and hoping to get as much info as i can thanks

 

With the plugs out there would be no compression.

 

Yeah i ment to edit that hoped no one would pick up on it . U kinda know where im goin with it though

 

Your going to have bent valves, not alot I shoulden't have thought, trouble is it woulden't have helped turning it over, do not turn it over again, unless you do so by hand else you risk doing more damage.

Martin

 

well the belt aint snapped if it was firing up and cutting out.

 

It might just be a bit of the belt that has snapped!

 

i know what you are saying, had a cliteron c3 recentley that was trying to fire it had stripped 8 teeth of the belt!

the guy saying above about changing the comlete engine is wrong imo, the cost of a new second hand engine plus fitting would well outway the cost of repairing yours if you or a mate are half decent at wielding spanners you could sort it diy, zetecs usually bend at least 2 valves ive personally not known one bend more than 5 rough prices would be
pressure test and skim on head £50 (may not even be neccesary due to just being a snap not headgasket failure but i myself would do anyway while valves are out)
new top end gasket set £30-50
new valves (5 or so) £30
cambelt kit £50-60
oil plugs etc £30
so roughly £220 worst case
these are a really easy engine to work on so armed with a haynes manual you cant go far wrong mate

 

Ok thanks for that where is a good cheap ish place to get these parts I live in Walsall west brom area of the west midlands