Timing Belt

[mgs2006]

A few days ago the timing belt went out on our 00 escort with the 2.0L SPI engine. The dick at the shope the car got towed to says their should be significant engine damage. I called ford and they said that the engine should not be damaged that it has a engine that wont break or somethin. so whos lying to me, the guy at the shop or ford? the guy at the shop says that he will fix it but that i am throwing away the money. I dont understand how. has this ever happened to anyone before? and what happened to the engine? anything?

[jman63]

put on a new belt and you're good to go...it's known as a "non interferance" engine...the pistons and the valves don't hit each other when ya' bust a belt...don't get ripped off by some grease monkey....

[mgs2006]

thanks I told the mech. that ford said the engine will be fine and he still continued to argue with me saying "Sir im ASE certified and I have been for 30 years, I KNOW this engine WONT work when the belt goes on." what an ass!

[jman63]

hmm...30 years eh???....maybe that's the problem...

[GTP Dad]

Sorry guys but I have to agree with Mr. 30 years as an ASE mechanic. The 2.0 is an interference engine and probably did suffer some damage when the belt broke. The engine may run but I doubt it will run very well.

[jsinton]

Wow, how interesting!

[jman63]

gotta' respectfully disagree...gates.com lists the '97 to '00 2.0 (vin P) as a non interference engine...just like the 91 to 96 1.9...

[mgs2006]

i just got the car back today and it runs the exact same as it did before it went in there, if not better. so whoever said the car has some damage is an ass aswell as the technician who said that.

[GTP Dad]

Then you may want to call all Ford dealers the same as you did everyone else since they are the ones who put out the information on the 2.0 being an interference engine. I happen to have a 2.0 and was told if the belt broke that the engine would be damaged due to the interference between the valve train and pistons. No offense to Gates.com.

[mgs2006]

well then how can i know for sure if the engine has damage, it sure doesnt act like it does.

[GTP Dad]

There is a possibility with any interference engine that when the belt broke that the engine stopped quickly enough that the engine did not get damaged. It doesn't happen often but it can. It also depends on the rpm's of the engine when the belt broke, if you were turning several k rpm's when it broke then expect some serious damage. If you were only turning 1.5k or less the damaged may not have occured. The only way to tell if the valve train was damaged would be to do a compression check to see if you are losing compression on the engine. If everything is OK then I would consider myself lucky and keep on driving. Ford recommends changing the belt every 60k miles to insure they don't break but they can break anytime though so you just have to take your chances.

[mgs2006]

Oh alright thanks, I have no idea what the rpms were running and ill just assume its alright since it doesnt act any bit different, but if there is a problem then ill just junk the thing, too many miles to put a lot of money into it. (147,500)

[jman63]

mqs2006, your engine is fine...you stated that you already called ford and they told you it's a non interferance engine...i truly don't wanna' offend anyone or get into a pissing contest...but the notion that the 2.0 spi is an interferance engine is simply incorrect.

[mlw35405]

jman63 is very much correct. I have seen many of them break timing belts and not one has ever bent any valves, etc etc etc. I am a ford tech, and dang proud of it. If anything would have been "interfered" with, the engine would not run. The end.

[Jet-Lee]

I've read up specs all around about my car ('99 2.0L SPI) and it IS an interference engine. I, myself, have busted a timing belt with no damage, I have even had the cam 2 notches ahead of the crank (no start, but it turned over) with no damage, but IT IS an interference engine. Advance or retard your cam a little, and see if you don't hear the valves clickin against ur pistons. Hell, the clearance in the heads is so SMALL, the pistons actually lift OUT of the block INTO the head (or so I've read) that's why you can't just bolt up a Zetec head to the engine.