Avoid These Car Engines!

Interference Engines and Timing Belts



By: Ralph Hoffmann


If a rubber timing belt breaks by not being replaced soon enough, some of the valves stuck in their open position will collide with the top of the pistons, thereby breaking or irreversibly damaging one or the other or both. To make matters worse, it is not possible to measure the wear on such a rubber belt so that it could be replaced when there is some indication of imminent failure. Failure in these belts is catastrophic, without warning. This will require a whole new engine be installed. Woe to the owner. Finally, the rubber belt may have to be replaced long before 60,000 miles solely due to its age. This is really playing a bad poker hand. Interference engines are like a time bomb waiting to explode unless replacing the timing belt at the recommended interval...


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If you're not sure if you have an inteference engine find out. Also get your timing belt changed if you can't remember the last time it was changed. I'am dealing with a messed up engine now because my belt broke and my Chrysler engine is an inteference engine. I hear Toyota uses non-interference engines on most of their cars. That's what I may consider buying next.

 

Anything above a Chrysler will be a move up for you. Crappy cars from a crappy maker of cars.

You may very well see Chrysler fold in the future. Just like Plymouth, American Motors, etc.


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I thought that most cars used rubber timing belts? At least all the japenese ones that i've owned

 

I didn't know there were non-rubber timing belts =P

 

looks like nissan uses chains now (again, i guess they used them in the past too). I wonder if chains are that much more trustworthy? i guess so.

I saw some non Interference engines through google, theres some mazda, toyotas, and chevy's that i saw, i guess lots. Its funny if you search for "is this a non interference engine" on google you get a lot of desprate posts about snapped timing belts, ouch.

My cousin lost a 96' saturn to a broken belt 2 months ago.

 

^ I helped my brother replace one in a 96 Saturn!
it was the most pain in the ass thing I have ever done on a car.

 

Yea, even after you figure out how to get the belt to fit around all the crap (and which crap to put it around) you find that you marker is off the notch by like one groove, and have to do it all over again. I guess it beats paying someone else.

 

Not in my book. I payed about $200 for my last timing belt. way better than doind it yourself if you have the flow. Too big a pain in the ass.