The cambelt on my wife's car has just snapped.

It is a 2003 Ford Focus 1.6 petrol. It has done about 80,000 miles.

Does anyone know if this is an 'interference' or 'non-interference' engine?

Any advice appreciated. I'm feeling a bit sad thinking about the bill...

Nothing modern is non interference. There is always the chance that the cams stop in a good position to prevent the valves getting smashed though

Thanks, I was afraid that would be the answer.

Update - it is the tensioner that failed, not the cambelt. If that makes any difference.

unfortunately probably not :-(

There is a old nursery rhyme that is quite applicable, Tinkle Tinkle Little valves, how I wonder if its more than 5 that are bent.

Much cheaper to get a second hand engine than even paying to have the damage inspected.

quote:

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Originally posted by sdh2903
Much cheaper to get a second hand engine than even paying to have the damage inspected.

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If the engine was previously oil and water tight and the clutch was OK it is worrth checking for piston and bore damage if nothing major a head swap would be a good option, less heavy work than swapping out the engine.
With modern engines always read the manual before stripping, even if the engine is blown up.

Just wandering if its had a belt change previously and they haven't bothered changing the tensioner ?

Sorry, not much use to you but just a thought ?

Think I'd pop the head off it first and see how bad it is. Worse case scenario you won't then have to lift the whole lot out if you do need to then change the engine.

Its almost certainly bent valves
When the engine stops the natural thing to do is try and restart it so if they werent before they would be then
You could probably get a complete head from a breaker for £50,thats probably the easiest way
Pop the cam cover off and see if any cam followers are not sitting against the cam lobes
Better still remove the cams and see if theyre level
Any low ones are bent ones

Aye, head off and check for leaks, you'll be very lucky if none of the valves are bent or the guides broken...

Happened to me on my K series, new head and stretch bolts etc..

Plenty of second hand engines in the scrappy's for a lot less than a new head..

I had a 2002 Focus with a 1.6 Zetec SE and my cambelt snapped

I put a new engine in mine - it was only £300 for the engine plus a few bits n pieces (cambelt etc...) and a weekends work. It got me about very nicely for another year (circa 16k miles) and then I sold it and it's still going

Hi i know this isnt what you will want to hear but, we have one in our workshop now, 2003 focus 1.6 petrol. Cam belt has failed it has broken one piston, ruined the bore on that cylinder, smashed the end off 2 valves and mashed the head with the broken bits.
On the plus side we have just got the customer a full engine for £90.