98civicEX

The timing belt on my buddy's 89 CRX Si broke... The tow truck driver mentioned that on 88 civics and up, the valves don't go into the block and that the head is designed not to bend valves in case the timing belt breaks... I heard this about early 80's Accords too... Does anybody knows the facts? I hate rumors...Please HELP

juanb

well i dont know if the tow truckers theory is correct, which i doubt but i broke my timing belt on a dohc zc and no bent valves.. what happened when it broke, usually when u are in higher rpms, it tends to be worst but my advise it replace the belt and compression test.

johnzm

thasa joke most are classified as "interference" but it seems alot of people get out lucky with the a6 and sohc's

the dohc cam crowd seems to bend a valve whenever u sneeze at it

Starscream

My timing belt broke too on my A6, and it didn't bent any valves. I had a mechanic come over and he explained that these cars doesn't seem to bend valves, but honestly, I don't remember his explanation.

Oh, and it broke down while the car was idling, so that could've been a deciding factor. Have it broken in the upper RPM zone, then I don't think I could've got out so lucky...

89dxhunchback

I got lucky too. My crank pulley came off, then the belt ( don't ask, it was my fault ). BUT the 88+ if an interfence engine, so it is possible.

Just do a compression test.

TiggsCRX

I've read somewhere here on the boards that there's just too much clearance between piston to valves that, unless the head was milled etc, the valves will never hit the piston therefore they shouldn't bend at all. I've had my timing off in every which direction before, had my cam gear break loose from it's adjusting bolts and go full 30 degrees advanced, and retard, had the cam 180 degrees off, no damage at all and that's after the head was milled .040 and with a y8 head gasket so a total difference of .051 from stock. You should be safe, but just in case, do an oil change, cut up your filter and make sure there's no metal there. A compression test will help in making sure too and a tester is only like $30 at autozone and simple to use.

98civicEX

I'm going to just try to put a new belt toorrow, I'll let you know how that goes... Ih not, He's got a complete D16A6 spare ... We are just looking to save time and $$$. I'll let you all now how everything went

Jaker

I had the timing belt on my 89 Si break while whipping down an on-ramp in 3rd gear at about 6,000 rpm. When I straightened out the wheel and floored the gas, the engine fell on its face.

I towed the car home, put in a new belt, and was back on the road 90 minutes later. No damage whatsoever, except to my pocket book for the tow

89dxhunchback

Yea, we should be able to buy head gaskets in bulk, $30 a shot starts to suck. I can get another head for $25, but the gasket is $5 more... Not to meantion the intake gasket.