98 escort wont start but engine turn over

[Metallicat51]

Ok guys, I have turned the engine over with the timing belt cover off and I can see the water pump pulley turning and my belt is not! So I called a local auto parts store for prices on the water pump, timing belt and tensioner & accessory belt and the lady at Pep Boys is trying to tell me that my engine is NOT a non-interfrearnce engine. I was under the impression that it was.
So my question is.... does it matter? If I drove the car from point A to point B, the my car never started after that then either way I should be fine right??? No valve damage to worry about?? Hhhmmm??? Because my plan is to install a new water pump, tensioner, timing belt & accessory belt and be done (after setting my timing marks). Advice guys, Thanks...

[mightymoose_22]

You have a non-interference engine. for a number of reasons, I avoid Pep Boys at all costs.

If your belt isn't turning then your water pump pulley shouldn't be either... I'm thinking you are looking at a different pulley. If you have the cover off it should be easy to determine if the belt is broken or stripped... did you figure out why it isn't turning?

You have a good game plan... save your money and stick to it... and find a better store to do business with.

[Intuit]

Starter attaches to the flywheel and drives the crank right ? So he probably meant that he saw the damper/crank pulley turning and the belt not. That's the lowest pulley in the line-up. The waterpump and tensioner will be the 2nd from the bottom and the camshaft pulley at the top.