ASTRA TIMING BELT SNAPPED!

SCOOP 64

HI, My timing belt snapped while i was driving along,no bad engine noise before hand ,it was just like i turn ignition off,so pulled over to side of road,tried to start,just starter turning ,engine not turning over,thought worst and was right timing belt snapped.:mad:
just need advice what action to take next
1.will the valves and pistons definitely be damage?
2.do i put new belt on and hope the best or would i be wasting my money.
3.have head taken off and check damage first.
cars a 1998 opel astra 1.4 nct ran out in septemter,not sure if i should put more money in it,(have no money for either option to be honest)obviously be happy if got away with belt change but whats the chances of this?
thks

Nonoperational

Depends on the engine design. Most likely it won't be worth fixing. Putting on a belt andhoping for the best is a complete non runner.

Tom Slick

You may have dodged a bullet here. Think that engine is a "non-interference" design (or just about).

martinr5232

Absolutely no chance of getting away with just putting a belt on it im afraid and the cost to repair it would be more than the car is worth.

martinr5232

Tom Slick wrote: »

You may have dodged a bullet here. Think that engine is a "non-interference" design (or just about).

A 1998 astra has a 1.4 eco tec engine and I can guarentee they are interferance engines ive repaired hundreds of them as the OP was driving at the time all sixteen valves will more than likely be bent.

Tom Slick

Tom Slick wrote: »

You may have dodged a bullet here. Think that engine is a "non-interference" design (or just about).

I don't think they are, loads of them snapped belts years back so Opel pulled the change interval for the belts back to 40K miles to address it. Defo bent valves I would think. Best thing to do is to replace the car I reckon, beyond economical repair me thinks.

SCOOP 64

Trying to avoid the inevitable,what made it worst was the insurance breakdown service,i broke down in myshall co carlow ,i live in enniscorthy co wexford 20miles away,he said i will tow to opel in co carlow,i said but i live in co wexford other direction,also don't want opel looking at cost me a fortune!
he said thats the service we offer the nearest garage and we can call a cab from there to take you home!
what a crappy service!!!

gerrycollins

nig1 wrote: »

Trying to avoid the inevitable,what made it worst was the insurance breakdown service,i broke down in myshall co carlow ,i live in enniscorthy co wexford 20miles away,he said i will tow to opel in co carlow,i said but i live in co wexford other direction,also don't want opel looking at cost me a fortune!
he said thats the service we offer the nearest garage and we can call a cab from there to take you home!
what a crappy service!!!

this would not be out of the ordinary

SCOOP 64

gerrycollins wrote: »

this would not be out of the ordinary

I rang the insurance company while the tow driver was with to see if he was right and the girl said will only take car to a local garage and ring a cab for me from there. not impressed,so my cars still in myshall, towed it back to my friends house 1mile down rd,told him opel carlow no good to me,so still have to get car back to enniscorthy some how!

martinr5232

Depending on what your doing with the car if you are going to scrap it stick an ad on adverts.ie for salvage value or ring a few breakers in the locality see will they take it.

danjo

Is a timing belt replacement an expensive job?

robtri

danjo wrote: »

Is a timing belt replacement an expensive job?

a local indy - €300 - €400 for an astra

delaership around €700

questionmark?

danjo wrote: »

Is a timing belt replacement an expensive job?

TB and water pump kit for the astra is circa €150 and then you have to consider the labour costs which push it up, depending on the garage, to 300 to 400 yoyo's but thats just a standard change. More than likely when it snapped it did some serious damage inside defiantly sounds like its beyond economical repair. Best to try and sell it off for parts.

robtri

robtri wrote: »

a local indy - €300 - €400 for an astra

delaership around €700

Main VW dealer in Cork City are doing 1.9TDi belts and pumps for €490 iirc and petrol models for €400 ish. Looks not bad value at all, figures not spot on but there are there abouts.

Crazy Taxi

martinr5232 wrote: »

Depending on what your doing with the car if you are going to scrap it stick an ad on adverts.ie for salvage value or ring a few breakers in the locality see will they take it.

Why not turn that argument on its head and ring around a few breakers for a replacement engine, I'd try Traynors in the north too, they deliver 3 days a week to the south.

martinr5232

Crazy Taxi wrote: »

Why not turn that argument on its head and ring around a few breakers for a replacement engine, I'd try Traynors in the north too, they deliver 3 days a week to the south.

Second hand engines are not cheap neither is labour to fit it plus a service and timing belt on the second hand engine.

It would probably work out cheaper to recon the one the OP has but a 98 astra it would be uneconomical to spend €1000+ euro on it.

What is a 98 Astra worth ????

Answer feck all im afraid.

robtri

RoverJames wrote: »

Main VW dealer in Cork City are doing 1.9TDi belts and pumps for €490 iirc and petrol models for €400 ish. Looks not bad value at all, figures not spot on but there are there abouts.

thats a good price for a dealership...

was quoted 700 for a zafira 1.6 a few months ago by a main opel dealership....

TheBunk1

I got my timing belt changed in Cork city (a&a motors) recently, €350 including pump. It was a replacement, thankfully it hadn't snapped. I've a 03 astra, 1.4L petrol btw

bryaner

Used to fix 5+ heads on these per week, generally around €200 sorts the head out (normally 10-12 valves bent with no guide damage). Head set about €80, don't know how much a timing belt kit is, and whatever your mechanic chargers for his labour.

Edit: pistons or conrods never damaged so no worries there..

SCOOP 64

bryaner wrote: »

Used to fix 5+ heads on these per week, generally around €200 sorts the head out (normally 10-12 valves bent with no guide damage). Head set about €80, don't know how much a timing belt kit is, and whatever your mechanic chargers for his labour.

irishautoparts.ie timing belt kit plus water pump E129 plus E7.50 del
E280 for head fix plus labour not bad,know a mate who might do it for me.

shamwari

On those Opels:

1.4 8V is a non-interferenace engine
1.4 16V is an interference engine.

OP, before you go assuming the worst, get someone to look at the car and check to see exactly whats wrong.

SCOOP 64

shamwari wrote: »

On those Opels:

1.4 8V is a non-interferenace engine
1.4 16V is an interference engine.

OP, before you go assuming the worst, get someone to look at the car and check to see exactly whats wrong.

Well mys the 1.4 16v:(.,i know the timing belt is definitely snapped,its how much unseen damage.
thanks for the infor.

bryaner

nig1 wrote: »

Well mys the 1.4 16v:(.,i know the timing belt is definitely snapped,its how much unseen damage.
thanks for the infor.

As I said earlier 10 valves min, obviously 16 max but they are cheap and 2 hours normally sorts the labour on the head.

I'd have a guess at around €700 to get that motor back on the road.