Broken Timing Belt

schigara »

I just can’t take it anymore. I have been a member of this forum for a while and everytime the topic of a timing belt comes up, the ususal suspects proclaim that a broken belt means the end of an engine or the head is “destroyed” and requires purchasing a new or rebuilt head.

While a broken timing belt is bad and costs a lot more money than it would have cost to maintain the belt, it is by no means, a catastrophe or the end of the engine.

The only thing that happens when a timing belt breaks is a few valves get bent. This is not that big a deal! The valves for this car are relatively cheap at $10-15 a piece. In 1992 I bought a 1987 Porsche 928S which was a 32 valve V8 that had a broken belt. The intake valves were $48 each and the exhaust valves were $76 each and the headgasket set was $315 per bank. Now that was a catastrophe! Only one intake valve was unbent. I had to buy the other 31 valves.

All that is required is a valve spring compressor and a piece of 1/2in pvc pipe with a slot cut out to reach into and get the valve locks out. Put in the new valves, re-lap the valves with a drill or a grinding stick with suction cup and fine grinding material.

For those who might think that there are special procedures or something different because this car is a Volvo, think again, there is nothing different or difficult. Because of the automatic tensioner, it is actually one of the easiest engines to put a belt on. The Porsche 928S-S4 , GTS and 944/944Turbo are the most difficult which requires the use of a special belt tensioning tool(p9201). The Porsche 928’s are so critical to have the timing belt at a particular tension that they are one of the only cars that have a timing belt tension light on the instrument cluster.

The Volvo engine is as simple as a Toyota or Nissan and is nothing to marvel at or be afraid of.

capecodbuilder » 

I am in a unique position to comment on this topic. I have a relatively new love affair going with the 850 turbo fam. After spinning a bearing in my girlfriends wagon a couple of months ago I started looking for a donor car on craigslist. I ended up finding three other black 850’s with motor probs. A bad head gasket here, a bent rod there, an oil line gushing everywhere…and my spun out wagon. Because, hey, I’m Irish. We solve problems with bigger problems!

Well I’ve done the head removal valve lapping. I’ve replaced an engine and been all through these cars. Being a home builder I have nothing but time on my hands. I am mechanically inclined and perhaps more importantly, in this case, had little to lose as these cars cost me jack.

I found a 2.4 for the wagon with 150k on it for $300 at a boneyard. The swap was a greasy long weekend. The wagon is cruising nicely. Overall pretty rewarding. Could do it again in a long day…I think.

I rebuilt the head off the 2.3 and while I truly *enjoyed* the process I don’t know many people who would have. The keepers on the valves and the tool I fabbed out of angle iron were enough to drive a “normal” human batty. It goes like a raped ape and this project was far more rewarding. This thing was apart for over a week with sending the head for a shave and all. It was probably more work than the engine swap but it was more cerebral and less gorilla.

Everyone has diff stories and realities to factor in. If you have the time and patience, bent valves are fixable. If your like the rest of the world and just want your car to run again an engine swap is probably for you. If your not doing the work yourself light it on fire and find another car. Or sell it to me. 

Read More…

Last Updated on March 23, 2022