Having a shop or mechanic work on a car this old with as many miles as
it has (262,000) would not be cost effective. I have done a number of
engine rebuilds so I am comfortable doing all but major machine work
(since I don't have the tools for that). Timing belts are easy to change
and pulling the head to have it's valves repaired/replaced is not a
problem. I was just curious as to whether I might also find broken
pistons or cracked block or head. Just trying to see what type of
experiences there are out there

Bill B. Johnson wrote:

>In article <3F768180.1050305@gte.net>, Mike <simmonsm@gte.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>>I have a 1985 Accord that the timing belt just failed on while driving
>>at freeway speed. Anyone have experience as to how severe the damage
>>might be inside once I get it apart. Should I just start looking for
>>another engine?
>>
>>
>
>There is no way to give you the exact correct answer. Some timing belts
>cause major damage when they break and other timing belts cause no damage
>when they break. The only thing you can do is to take off the cover and
>remove the old belt and all of the rubber that you see. Place a new belt
>on it and start it up and see what happens. If you have never before
>replaced a timing belt, have the Honda towed to your favorite mechanic or
>a Honda dealership and have them do the work for you.
>
>

 

> Mike wrote:

[snip]

> I was just curious as to whether I might also find broken pistons or cracked
> block or head. Just trying to see what type of experiences there are out there

It's usually not the case with a broken timing belt to find broken pistons or a
cracked block or head. The valves usually bend, but on some rare cases they do
not. When they do bend, they'll leave small dents in the top of the pistons but
I've never seen a broken piston due to a bent valve (I'm not saying that it's
not possible just that I've never seen this chain of events on a Honda).

You can easily check for bent valves by checking the valve clearances. Bent
valves will not seat and the clearances should be excessively large. I would
perform this check before you put a new belt on the motor. Just set the crank
such that the pistons are at the mid point of their stroke. This will allow you
to turn the camshaft without worrying about causing more damage.

Eric

 

> Mike wrote:

[snip]

> I was just curious as to whether I might also find broken pistons or cracked
> block or head. Just trying to see what type of experiences there are out there

It's usually not the case with a broken timing belt to find broken pistons or a
cracked block or head. The valves usually bend, but on some rare cases they do
not. When they do bend, they'll leave small dents in the top of the pistons but
I've never seen a broken piston due to a bent valve (I'm not saying that it's
not possible just that I've never seen this chain of events on a Honda).

You can easily check for bent valves by checking the valve clearances. Bent
valves will not seat and the clearances should be excessively large. I would
perform this check before you put a new belt on the motor. Just set the crank
such that the pistons are at the mid point of their stroke. This will allow you
to turn the camshaft without worrying about causing more damage.

Eric

 

> Mike wrote:

[snip]

> I was just curious as to whether I might also find broken pistons or cracked
> block or head. Just trying to see what type of experiences there are out there

It's usually not the case with a broken timing belt to find broken pistons or a
cracked block or head. The valves usually bend, but on some rare cases they do
not. When they do bend, they'll leave small dents in the top of the pistons but
I've never seen a broken piston due to a bent valve (I'm not saying that it's
not possible just that I've never seen this chain of events on a Honda).

You can easily check for bent valves by checking the valve clearances. Bent
valves will not seat and the clearances should be excessively large. I would
perform this check before you put a new belt on the motor. Just set the crank
such that the pistons are at the mid point of their stroke. This will allow you
to turn the camshaft without worrying about causing more damage.

Eric

 

If you suspect cracked heads etc. contact a shop to have a "leak
down" test done with compressed air. That'll tell you if everything else is
shipshape.


"Eric" <say.no@spam.now> wrote in message news:3F7A9F93.5851C4A1@spam.now...
> > Mike wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > I was just curious as to whether I might also find broken pistons or
cracked
> > block or head. Just trying to see what type of experiences there are out
there
>
> It's usually not the case with a broken timing belt to find broken pistons
or a
> cracked block or head. The valves usually bend, but on some rare cases
they do
> not. When they do bend, they'll leave small dents in the top of the
pistons but
> I've never seen a broken piston due to a bent valve (I'm not saying that
it's
> not possible just that I've never seen this chain of events on a Honda).
>
> You can easily check for bent valves by checking the valve clearances.
Bent
> valves will not seat and the clearances should be excessively large. I
would
> perform this check before you put a new belt on the motor. Just set the
crank
> such that the pistons are at the mid point of their stroke. This will
allow you
> to turn the camshaft without worrying about causing more damage.
>
> Eric

 

If you suspect cracked heads etc. contact a shop to have a "leak
down" test done with compressed air. That'll tell you if everything else is
shipshape.


"Eric" <say.no@spam.now> wrote in message news:3F7A9F93.5851C4A1@spam.now...
> > Mike wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > I was just curious as to whether I might also find broken pistons or
cracked
> > block or head. Just trying to see what type of experiences there are out
there
>
> It's usually not the case with a broken timing belt to find broken pistons
or a
> cracked block or head. The valves usually bend, but on some rare cases
they do
> not. When they do bend, they'll leave small dents in the top of the
pistons but
> I've never seen a broken piston due to a bent valve (I'm not saying that
it's
> not possible just that I've never seen this chain of events on a Honda).
>
> You can easily check for bent valves by checking the valve clearances.
Bent
> valves will not seat and the clearances should be excessively large. I
would
> perform this check before you put a new belt on the motor. Just set the
crank
> such that the pistons are at the mid point of their stroke. This will
allow you
> to turn the camshaft without worrying about causing more damage.
>
> Eric

 

If you suspect cracked heads etc. contact a shop to have a "leak
down" test done with compressed air. That'll tell you if everything else is
shipshape.


"Eric" <say.no@spam.now> wrote in message news:3F7A9F93.5851C4A1@spam.now...
> > Mike wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > I was just curious as to whether I might also find broken pistons or
cracked
> > block or head. Just trying to see what type of experiences there are out
there
>
> It's usually not the case with a broken timing belt to find broken pistons
or a
> cracked block or head. The valves usually bend, but on some rare cases
they do
> not. When they do bend, they'll leave small dents in the top of the
pistons but
> I've never seen a broken piston due to a bent valve (I'm not saying that
it's
> not possible just that I've never seen this chain of events on a Honda).
>
> You can easily check for bent valves by checking the valve clearances.
Bent
> valves will not seat and the clearances should be excessively large. I
would
> perform this check before you put a new belt on the motor. Just set the
crank
> such that the pistons are at the mid point of their stroke. This will
allow you
> to turn the camshaft without worrying about causing more damage.
>
> Eric