Hi, can your car engine really be ruined if the 'timing belt' broke?

Question

What's good maintenance for a car in hot locations like Florida?
Car isalways under the sun, should I run the engine a certain nunber of times a week?
Thank you very much.

Thanks everyone!

Answer 1

yes,because you have igintion timing,controlled by your cars' computer and then you have mechanical timing.the timing that controls your valves opening and closing.you have intake valves and you have exhaust valves.intake valves open to let your fuel in,exhaust valves open to let your ignited (burnt fuel out).the timing belt controls the opening and closing of these valves.if the belt brokes when the valve is down(open) and the piston is up they will make contact and the piston will bend your valve. as far as good maintenance.i would make sure you have a good coat of wax on your car and leave the windows open a crack.yes start your car once a week and let it run for lets say 5 minutes. rev it up a few times so the alternator will put a charge back into your battery.thank you!

Answer 2

This should be covered by the warranty. You may want to carefully read the fine print of your warranty. The Bumper to Bumper factory warranty is usually 3 years or 36,000 miles which ever comes first. This warranty is transferred when ownership changes. Many times a certified used car will extend this warranty an additional 12 months, 12,000 miles. You most likely broke a serpentine belt. A timing belt is usually well hidden behind covers. The clicking sound was the belt hitting things as it was coming apart. Reason it may not be covered by warranty: When the serpentine belt broke all sorts of warning lights should have come on. If you ignored the warning lights and continued to drive the vehicle, then you would be the person responsible for the engine damage. One important item the serpentine belt does is drive the water pump. If you drive the vehicle even a short distance without the water pump the engine can overheat to the point where it literally starts to melt down. If this is what you did, continuing to drive the vehicle after the belt broke and warning lights were on, you were the person who caused the real damage to the engine. Replacing a serpentine belt is relatively inexpensive. But replacing a cooked engine is very expensive, several thousand dollars.

Answer 3

The timing belt provides the data to the engine computer so the computer can tell the plugs when to fire. Proper timing of the plug firing results in smooth operation and high efficiency. Improper timing results in excess noise, inefficient operation, and if the timing is way off it can work against the engine's motion, cause excess wear and vibration and even cause parts breaks. Depending upon what and how it broke and what other damage it did after breaking, the engine repair cost could well exceed replacement. Usually the engine fails to run after timing belt failure.

Good maintenance is compliance with the engine manual for the weather conditions you have in your area. It is very important to have proper oil changes, proper air and oil filter changes, and all levels checked as a minimum. In additon the tires and tire pressure and all lights should be checked monthly. Tire rotation at 10,000 mile intervals are also prudent as are tire balancing at 30,000 mile intervals.

Engines not run for prolonged times have problems starting and with initial lubrication so firing it up at least weekly is a good idea.

Answer 4

Yes, it can seriously damage the engine. Make sure to have it changed at the recommended interval.

Follow the manufacturers' recommended service and you should be fine. The most likely things to be bothered by air temperature heat are the battery and the interior of the car. With regular maintenance of the engine it will suffer no damage.

Answer 5

If your engine is an interference engine meaning the valves hit the pistons you will at the least bend the intake valves medium repair cost, if the engine is running very fast it could poke a hole in a piston major repair cost. That is why it pays to do a little preventative maintenance. Most manufacturers recommend replacement around 60-70,000 miles if in doubt replace it. this is a much cheaper way .

Answer 6

In some cars, if the timing belt breaks, you might have piston and valve damage if the distance between the open valve and raised piston overlaps.

In others, the car will just stop, and until a new belt is installed correctly, there no way it will start.

Answer 7

Yes...... On many engines the vales can be damaged.
Sunny weather care? Buy a window shield to keep out the sun. Consider window tint, Check the oil & coolant regularly. Replace old hoses and belts that weaken by age & heat.

Answer 8

Timing belt broke.....you get a real messed up engine.

Drive the car, don't just turn the engine over......that will do tiny damage each time.