Cam belt snapped should i buy a new motor or get it repaired..?

You gave no indication of what model, make, or year vehicle you are referring to, so no accurate answer can be provided. It could be just the timing belt, or it could be a new engine.

The engine has a belt tensioner that swings up and you remove the belt but in your case you will just move it up in order to put on the new belt. There is a diagram on the radiator support that shows the routing of the belt. Tell the parts store you need a belt along with the year and engine size and if with air or no air and they should fix you up.
Does the belt have 6 ribs inside and is the Belt for the alternator or power steering unit. 29 inch seem small for a fan belt. Let me know.
If you go to dave78chieftain.com/chevyP30belts.html
It will show a diagram with the belts and below that the part numbers. One of the numbers is for NAPA parts. I did find one air cleaner number but not sure it will fit. The number is a Fram PRA3549. Good luck.

go to www.automecanico.com and translate the website with your browser from this amazing and fix it.
God bless you

best bet is to get a chiltons manuel somtimes library carries it and will give a belt diagram in there to look at should be able to buy one for 20 bucks or so at the auto parts store try that first

This problem is fixable without having to buy a new motor. Though it is a timely and costly repair, because a proper mechanic will make sure that nothing is bent in the valve-train. It can run anywhere from $500 , including parts and labor, if just the belt. To who knows what if something is bent in the valve-train.

if your going to keep the car,search online for a download (free). if not go to local auto parts and buy a repair manual as this will not be the only time it will come in use. some motors the cams dont align with crankshaft marks. some cams have alignment hole in the head that you put bolts in,some cams have slots that need a flat bar to align with the head surface,. does this car start or run? did belt tension allow belt to slip,does car misfire? get the $ 25 manual and check your concerns, if the cams are not properly timed then something caused this, tensioner,bad belt,bad idler pulleys,bad cam gear,possible bad key way on cam gear.do your checks and homework, try not to turn motor over untill you diagnose problem to ensure you do not cause any internal damage to the valves or cylinder heads, pistons.

Cost about the same, your going to have to replace the heads on the engine and most likely replace the piston that the valves were being hit by.
This would be a total engine tear down to repair, there are shops that say no and just run the damaged pistons which will work. But it's just a meter of time before a connecting rod or pin fail causing another engine tear down.
More economical to replace the whole engine with new internal parts. Thank you for using fixya and good luck, you can also upgrade your engine by using timing gears instead of the belt. But it will be loader, since you'll hear the gears whining.

If it's a 16v motor, you probably are going to have some bent valves. The 16v motor is an interference fit motor. I would check to see if the cams are seized up. If not, the belt just wore out and broke.

motor is more than likly shot far as bending valves and what not not a cheap fix

did you continue to crank it to start ?
did you hear anything other than usual starter noise ?

you may have gotten lucky if no clanking or clicking noise ---don't try to start it again though

and that is timing belt not camshaft

for future knowledge when considering a vehicle for purchase ---ASK or find out if it's what's called an interference motor or the non interference design ---if you snap the belt on an interference design
alot of twin cams are --but I see a trend from automakers to get away from this --which they should
then albeit some or even major damage can occur ---the 91's civics 1,6 Single over head cam is a non interfernce design --now 1989 or 1992 on well that's another matter
I love my wifes 1991 civic dx ---to date only things ever to fail was the distributor and the timing belt and tensioner ---ps --think about replacing the water pump --front crankshaft seal as well while
you are in there replacing the timing belt ---do a coolant leak down test too --= 5 minutes
to check intake gaskets etc and head gasket --opportune time for a replacement
Yoy can buy the entire engine gasket set generally cheaper that a few individual one and keep
the others for future or give them to a new owner Someday --good 1 st cars --they are capable of 250,000 + easy ---key to longevity ---add an oil cooler with cooling fan set at the right temp with
fan --even better if you live in the mtns like I do
HAWK