Re: Help! Dealer woes . . .

["Dan Bocek" <dan@di.com>]

> Interesting...my mechanic says the UrQ's definitely will *NOT* suffer
> any damage from broken timing belt - he's done a couple that way (and
> he really knows the UrQ's internals). 

Well, here's my cut on Ur-Q piston interference.  As many of you already
know, I had both the inner and the outer valve spring shatter on my
number 4 intake valve recently on my Ur-Q.  I was driving it around like
this for at least 20 miles (long story).  When the head got pulled
off, NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND on either that piston or valve.  So, based
on that experience, I'd have to say that at least on the Ur-Q (7 to 1
compression ratio), they don't interfere.

> Given the dish in those pistons (makes a good breakfast-cereal bowl! I've
> got three nice -- and two not-so-nice -- ones on my table), it's hard to
> see how anything could hit them!

On the other hand, when I showed the head to John Bekius at Sport Wheels,
he couldn't believe that no damage was incurred.  He said that even with
the dish in these pistons, the outer perimiter of the intake valves is
big enough to hit the area skirting piston dish.  I guess maybee I'm
just really lucky!  Oh, I was running a high lift, long duration
cam.  Baffling, huh?
-- 



                                                    Dan Bocek
                                                    dan@di.com