Chevrolet Repair: Timing Belt Broken, chevrolet optra, crank shaft

Question
QUESTION: Hello sir,
I was taking a slow u-turn in my chevrolet optra manual car when it turned off..I tried to start but it didnt. I came to know that timing belt is broken. I was not aware of the technicals so i tried several times to start the car..but it did not..then I put in first gear and tried to start to give it a push to park it 3 meters from the incident spot...When I reached home I googled and came to know that it damages engine if tried to start the car. I would like to know how much damage I have done to engine this way? I left my car in parking and came back home. I will goto mechanic tomorrow

ANSWER: HI WASEEM, WELL YOU HAVE A 50-50 SHOT THAT YOUR ENG WILL BE OK..YOU SEE WHEN THE TIMING BELT BREAKS IF THE VALVES ARE IN THE OPEN POSITION WHEN THE PISTON COMES UP IT WILL BEND THE VALVE OR VALVES..AS FAR AS YOU CRANKING THE ENGINE OVER IF THE DAMAGE HAPPENED WHEN IT BROKE YOU DID NOT CAUSE ANY MORE DAMAGE..BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN THIS BELT GOES BAD THE CAM STOPS TURNING INSTANTLY UNLESS THERE ARE A FEW TEETH ON THE BELT LEFT CAUSING IT TO GRAB THE CAM AND TURN THE CAM OVER MORE..BUT AGAIN YOU WILL NOT KNOW ANYTHING UNTILL THEY PUT THE BELT BACK ON THE ENG AND SEE IF IT WILL START,OR THEY COULD DO A CYLINDER LEAK DOWN TEST PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE NEW BELT. THIS WAY YOU WOULD KNOW IF ANY OF THE VALVES BENT..THINK POSITIVE AND I HOPE ALL GOES WELL FOR YOU..GOOD LUCK,,,,TOM..

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your prompt response. I would like to ask that If the car was in speed then the crank shaft continues to rotate because of inertia but when i was driving, my speed was may be even less than 10km/h..so it would have like done very less damage. But I cannot understand when it was completely off, after that I tried to start it in gear and gave a jerk...Why that movement took place? If the belt was already gone and there was no movement in camshaft or crankshaft then how come the car moved even in reverse gear for parking. Although i just moved the car 2-3meters but it did move...

Answer
GOOD MORNING WASEEM,IF THE CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION THE FLYWHEEL WILL KEEP THE ENG ROTATING LONGER THEN IF IT HAS A AUTO TRANS. YOU ARE CORRECT ON WHAT YOU SAID..THE REASON WHY YOU GOT THIS CAR TO MOVE JUST LITTLE IS BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THE TEETH WENT BAD ON THE TIMING BELT SO THE ENGINE IS WAY OUT OF TIMING BUT JUST ENOUGH TO RUN IT FOR A SHORT WHILE..THE TEETH THAT WERE LEFT ON THE BELT WA ENOUGH TO TURN THE CRANK AND CAM JUST ENOUGH TO FIRE THE ENG. BUT NOT VERY LONG...I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU AND LET ME KNOW THE OUTCOME...GOOD LUCK TO YOU,,,TOM..