RE: UR-Q Timing belt BROKE (was: '85 UR-Q Won't Start)

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

Oh man, I know your pain!  I had a fairly new timing belt go on my 5kTQ.
You are looking at pulling the head ... no if's, and's or but's ... however,
chances are all that is wrong is a few bent valves.  

I don't know how you feel about doing your own work ... I'm thinking that
the dealer's estimate is in the ballpark for having the work done, but if
you're willing to do your own work you should be able to cut that figure
down ... perhaps even less than half.  If you want to think about it from a
more positive side, it does give you an opportunity to take care of perhaps
the biggest unknown of your new car.  I actually got myself into a similar
situation shortly after I bought my car in '86.  I thought I was just going
to replace a turbo that had a leaky seal, but ended up having to pull the
head to get out a broken EM stud.  It was actually the first time ever I had
embarked upon such a project on my own ... and even without the q-list at my
side ... and when I was done I had a car that gave me many years of trouble
free service.  I'd say that the first thing to do is to find out the real
scoop regarding the availability of reasonably priced factory reman'ed heads
here in the USA ... You should also plan on having the exhaust manifold
resurfaced (or replaced if it is cracked).  Don't be afraid of doing it
yourself (provided that you can do without the car for a little while) ...
if you've got some experience with working on cars doing a head R&R really
isn't that difficult.  

The danger here is creeping expenses ... if I were in your shoes (as I was
with the 5k) I would tend to do what I could to freshen up everything to
improve the chances that the car would be a long term runner when everything
is done.  On the 5kT I started with hoses, then spark plug wires, injectors
and a wastegate diaphragm.  For an urQ the added temptation would be that
for upgrades ... WC turbos, 2-piece EMs, etc.  

Boy, reading your tale made me happy that I decided that now is the time to
do the timing belt on my QTC.  It doesn't have that many miles on it,
perhaps 50K ... but it has been a few years.  

Good luck with your car!
Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)


> -----Original Message-----
> 
> Well I found out that the rotor did not rotate when I tried 
> to start the
> engine,  then I noticed the cam did not rotate either.  Then 
> I looked for
> the timing belt in the window by the timing belt cover... IT 
> WAS GONE...
> 
> I'm going to cry...
> 
> Any Suggestions?  What might have been damaged since this is the case?
> Worst of all how much do you think this will cost... The 
> dealer over here
> said $2500+