Toyota camry 1999 4 cylinder 2.2 "Timing Belt Change"

Question

Hello Darrel,

   How are you? I guess you are fine! If you remember me, I brought my camry 1999 to you before traveling around the US. I am good so far, but my car stopped on the highway yesterday. I towed it to the nearest service center, and I was told that my car's timing belt on the motor broke down. Now, it needs to be replaced, and it is expensive around $1000-1200. I have some questions could you answer to them:

1) Is my engine damaged because of timing belt collapse?
2) If I replace timing belt, ist't it risky to travel with this car further or will it be reliable (I plan to travel 10000 more miles)?

Except all, I guess that timing belt went off because of the air conditioner because I felt something wrong once I turned on it (I have never used the air conditioner since I bought it last December).

best regards

Answer 1

Hi there,

if the timing belt broke on the car, then the engine is damaged internally. Replacing the belt will not solve the problem, the valve and pistons hit which usually results in the valve bending. So putting a belt on it, the car may run, but it will run rough