Hi, dont know if anyone could give me some advice.

My cambelt is over due by a hell of a lot of miles and i was gonna get it done this month. But driving home last night i stopped in a petrol station to get some !Removed! and my friend who was with me thoiught i'd stalled the car....(i didnt think i did but oh well). When i got back to the car to start it up it wouldnt start and it wasn't even ticking over......all the electrics worked tho. We towed it home and i've left the battery on charge over night and even got some more petrol to put in but it still wont start. How would i know if its the cambelt thats gone and if so where would be a good place to buy a new kit and any idea's on price? Thanks anyone.

If your cam belts gone then its not just the case of buying a new kit and fitting it as you may be in the need of an engine rebuild! It all depends if ford engines suffer damage when the cam belt snaps, with some engines due to the positioning of the pistons etc there is no damage caused but most engines will be affected by it.

you will have to take the covers off the cambelt to check, if it has gone check for further damage before sticking a new belt kit on.

Does the engine turn over when you try to start the car?

Hi,

With ignition off, feel around cam belt covers, you may well find the belt is somewhat slacker, better still remove the cover to view the belt and tensioner wheel. If the plastic moulding around the outside of the tensioner wheel has torn away then the tension on the belt will have been lost, allowing the belt to jump a tooth or two. Otherwise the belt could have suffered damage (Wear and tear) and jumped on its own accord allowing the valves to be bent by the pistons.

If you have tried turning the engine over on the starter motor you may have heard the engine turning over like a fast sewing machine, if so you have lost your compression as a result of a number of bent valves - probably 8 exhausts (From my personal experience, 2.0 Petrol!)

My damage was 8 new exhaust valves (guides remained in-tacked and with no cracks - very luckily!) grind in valves and assemble then reset the valve tappet shim clearances (subject to your year/cc/fuel) This could have cost more but it still cost enough with gasket set, head bolts cambelt kit and labour, etc.

I strongly suggest you contact the local engine reconditioning shop just outside Oxford, the long established one, see yellow pages. They will help with the head repairs and spares.

Good Luck!