Timing Is this 1.8L engine an interferance engine or not? Blown timing belt, just wondering about the valves?

There is two types of engine when considering the matter of timing belts and chains...
Non-interference engines.
Interference engines.

Most petrol engines built in the last four decades are interference types and all diesel engines ditto.

An interference engine is where the pistons and valves share the same space making it very important that everything happens at exactly the right time - when the timing belt or chain breaks on an interference engine the best outcome is usually a couple of slightly bent valves because piston to valve contact is inevitable.
With some engines a broken belt or chain is a complete disaster, totally writing off an engine...

The periodic replacement of the timing belt is very important.

Less expensive to replace just the belt instead of a new cylinder head, gasket set, labour charges and a belt!

It can ,if it is a interference fix engine .
An interference engine is a type of 4-stroke internal combustion piston engine in which one or more valves in the fully open position extends into any area that the piston may travel into.
Timing Belts Interference Engines

You've either got the valve timing wrong .. or..

It may be that the pistons have hit the valves because of incorrect timing. Damaged valves will result in no compression.. This will happen on an interference engine - valves hit pistons. I don't think your car is an interference fit engine, so it may be -hopefuly - a case of incorrect timing.

The link below lists all interference engines:


Is there zero compression on 1 cylinder or all cylinders?


Interference Engines The Complete List Your Car Angel

toyota camry timing marks Google Search

I assume it's your timing belt, not a chain, which rarely, if ever snap. Depending on the make of the car and the engine you may, or may not, have serious engine damage.. DO NOT ATTEMPT to start the car, have it towed to your shop of choice. If there is no engine damage a timing belt replacement generally will run you 2 or 3 hundred bucks...if you did serious engine damage you may have to decide if the car if worth the money to have it repaired. What you need to know is whether your car has an "interference" or "non-interference" type engine.. In an interference type engine if the timing belt breaks the valves will "interfere" with the pistons as they travel up if the timing belt breaks, which results in generally catastrophic engine failure.. non-interference engines generally suffer little or no engine damage with a broken timing belt.. I broke a timing belt on my 1990 Toyota Supra going 70mph, but it was a non-interference engine and after having the belt replaced it was fine.. here is a good list someone put together on what type of engine is in your car.. you should find the engine type either marked on the engine or on a label under the hood, or the owners manual.. good luck. http://yourcarangel.com/2014/07/interference-engines-complete-list/

Your timing belt should be replaced every 50-70,000 miles. Carmakers have specified the replacement intervals for timing belts. In this database you will find these timing belt replacement intervals along with a little technical information regarding the valve configuration - interference or non-interference. In an interference engine, the valves and piston share the same air space. They never touch, unless your timing belt breaks or skips, and this is a catastrophic failure that requires removing the head and replacing bent valves. Non-interference engines do not risk this contact if the timing belt goes. Nonetheless, either can leave you stranded, so regular timing belt replacement is very important.

Most Ford vehicles from 1985 and up have enough valve clearence so the valves do not get hit when the timing belt snaps. Since I worked for ford for many years I have only seen one with valve damage and the youg man said he was driving his car really hard at high RPM's. I believe you will be okay on your engine as long as when the belt broke the engine was not at high rpm's. If know one has told you those engine recommend a timing belt replacement every 60k. I hpe this helped and I hope this fixes your problem. Good luck, Roger

Timing belts do not have any inbuilt indicators as to how "worn" they are, nor do they have any "health" indications as to how likely they are to break.

Timing belts can last for well beyond their quoted service life, however they also fail with no warning whatsoever. When they fail, the valves in the engine stop moving almost imeadiately, but the pistons keep moving. At least one piston will hit at least one valve and will do a lot of damage. Puting this sort of damage right to an engine in a car this old could easily cost more than the car's worth !

If it's more than 5 years since the belt was replaced, or you dont know when it was last repalced, I'd do it now. A small independant garage should do it for about £150 to 200 all in - if that seems a lot, rebuilding your engine, or buying a reconditioned one, would be at least £750.

Hallo Markmac945,

I've been a Volvo Service worker for about a year and seen lot of these Volvo's. It's true that if the timingsbelt snaps the engine wil be ruined. It would be wise (seen that the service history isn't there) to change the belt if your not sure it happend. I life in the Netherland and because we have cars with a KM-dile, i don't know if this is any help but; timings belts in Europe sould be changed at 120.000 KM. How manny miles that is, well I just don't know. The engine in your Volvo is an B21 or B23. Both timing belts have to be changed at 120.000KM. But for the price (being a easy timing belt change) I sure change the timing belt. Than you'll be sure that everything is in good order.

they set the timing WRONG and that is an interference motor so the valves hit the pistons