QuestionMy belt broke while I was driving, but it cut off right then. Could my valves be warped? This is a question we can't find the answer to.....PLEASE help!!
AnswerIt is likely that your valves are now damaged. There's no way to know for certain without checking. Here's some things you can do:
1. Remove the spark plugs. If any of the spark plugs have physical damage to the portion that's in the engine (indicating that one or more valves have actually broken), you probably need an entire cylinder head or an entire engine. No damage, however does not indicate that everything is okay.
2. Remove the valve cover and check to see if any valve springs stay compressed when not compressed by the camshaft. If they do, you have bent or broken valves. But once again, just because everything looks normal here doesn't mean that there is no damage.
3. Install a new timing belt (correctly timing the camshaft) and start the engine. If the engine runs normally and doesn't make any abnormal noises, there is no damage. If the engine makes ticking or knocking noises that weren't present prior to the failure, your valves are damaged.
4. Remove the camshafts and inject compressed air into the cylinders. If air escapes through either the intake or exhaust, you have damaged valves. If no air escapes through the intake or exhaust, you have no damage.
