Pontiac Repair: is the 98 3400 engine Interference or non interference, head gasket repair, cam bearings

Question
I just bought a 1998 Pontiac Montana with a 3400 engine. the valves are not moving when it is cranked over with the starter. I believe the timing chain broke, could I put a timing chain on it or are the valves bent, the van has 104,000 miles on it.

Answer
Hey Tom:
Bad news it bent valves especially if it was running and suddenly quit. You could possably get lucky if it broke trying to start the van but I doubt it. It's unusual for a timing chain to break in one of these engines. I have seen cam shafts break more often the timing chains on thses engines especially if it recently had engine work done to it or it had been leaking coolant into the engine. On this engine if it had a head gasket repair or a lower intake manifold reapir and dirt and debris made it into the engine it wiped out the cam bearings and then the cam more then likely broke in 2.