DEAR CAR TALK: You recently wrote about a guy whose timing belt broke, and who tried to restart his car but whose valves survived only through sheer good luck. In 1957, I had a new Ford six-cylinder, ...

QUESTION: I want to find out how I can identify if a car’s engine is interference or noninterference from a layman’s point of view; that is, some signs or writings on the vehicle. Home delivery and ...

Q: If the timing belt breaks in an interference engine, it will self-destruct. What advantage is gained by this design that outweighs the risk of engine damage if or when the belt fails? — R. Fischer ...

Not every timing belt failure results in catastrophic engine damage, but it will bring your trip to a sudden halt and cause a major hassle you'd probably rather avoid - as well as the expense of a tow ...