DEAR CAR TALK: You recently wrote about a guy whose timing belt broke, and who tried to restart his car but whose valves survived only through sheer good luck. In 1957, I had a new Ford six-cylinder, ...

An interference engine is one in which the valves and the pistons operate within the same space inside the cylinder. The timing belt or chain regulates the movement of these internal engine parts so ...

Q: If the timing belt breaks in an interference engine, it will self-destruct. What advantage is gained by this design that outweighs the risk of engine damage if or when the belt fails? — R. Fischer ...

The timing belt or chain sits at the center of an engine’s rhythm, quietly keeping pistons and valves in sync. When it fails, the damage can jump from a simple no-start to a destroyed engine in a ...

Timing belts themselves are relatively inexpensive but can easily cause thousands of dollars of damage if they break while the engine is running. Engines come in two configurations: Interference and ...

JOHNSTON — Everyone knows — or ought to know — that a broken timing belt is a serious no-no. “Every time (we have) a broken timing belt, nine times out of 10 it results in engine damage,” said Anthony ...

Many modern passenger cars have either a timing belt or a timing chain. Generally speaking, timing belts have the advantage of being quieter and cheaper to produce and replace, while timing chains ...

For years, small diesel engine manufacturers have been using overhead cam designs as a way to get the most out of a limited-displacement platform. Unfortunately, many small overhead cam mills utilize ...

I've never heard of a non interference diesel engine so yes, there is likely to be further damage due to valves hitting pistons. To check the combustion chambers without dismantling, you could remove ...