Jakerx

okay so today i took off my plastic belt cover...i looked inside to look for the broken timing belt and i also saw a broken balance shaft belt...my timing belt was stripped...but what happens when the balance shaft belt breaks? is it as bad as a timing belt break?

jake

Charlie

You're OK if the timing was not compromised. I would put a new timing
belt on along with the BS belt.

Jakerx

hey i just updated my first post to say that my timing belt was 75% stripped

swimmingly

Probably more vibration coming from the engine. No biggy, just don't let it touch the timing belt. I'm assuming that you've taken out the old balance shaft belt already. Wouldn't want it to get caught in with the timing belt.

Jakerx

haha u put that reply a second after mine...my engine doesn't run at all...the timing belt has been stripped...

User 41221

The problem with the balance shaft belt breaking is that it tends to take the timing belt with it, and the subsequent valve/piston interference damage that usually results. The balance shaft breaking itself inst a problem. Running without a balance shaft belt isn't a problem short term, you just get more vibration. Long term, you can damage the oil pickup tube, which leads to no oil pressure, another problem to be avoided.

Regards,

swimmingly

Hm, alright, then it's about time to go in there and change both. I'm assuming that you mean stripped as in no longer turning. Probably would wanna find out what stripped them. Do you know if there's any valve damage?

BruceWard

Jake, a broken balance belt is not an issue unless it gets caught up in the timing belt and causes it to fail.

Have your pistons and valves met? Sounds like they have. If so you can expect to replace some valves and probably have some head work done.

Micah

Because your balance shaft belt is broken and your timing belt stripped, my guess is that the balance shaft belt was the original culprit, breaking, interfering with the timing belt and stripping it.

Micah

Porsche-O-Phile

Replace all that stuff and determine what caused the failure - if it was old belts, you can expect them all to be about to go. At least you didn't get a free membership in the bent valve club!

Micah

I don't think he knows if his valves are bent yet or not. Personally, I wouldn't replace a thing until I verified that, and unfortunately there's a darn good chance of that at this point.

Micah

Jakerx

hey actually tomorrow night (wednesday) im taking off my head to look at it...today i couldn't get much work done because it was my mom and dad's 24th anniversary...had to go celebrate and stuff...but thanks everyone for your help so far...it's been really helpful...

pete944

If the vavles are bent ( and I can almost guarantee that they are) don't bother trying to find another head. The 2.7 head is extremely rare and is in great demand. If you find one it will be very expensive. It's used in 3.0L turbo conversions.
Take your head to a machine shop and have them check it over and replace the valves. Your head is probably ok, but check the pistons and cylinder bores for damage when you have the head off.
Good luck!

Jakerx

haha thanks pete im gonna need all the luck i can get...

Peckster

Why did you take the cover off? Did your engine stop running suddenly? That information will help us diagnose the probable condition of your motor.

A broken balance belt does nothing to your engine except make it run a little rougher, unless it takes out your timing belt.