When my old Volvo stalled a week ago, I had it towed home so I could do the nasty but cheap do it self things first... (Slowly, as I am enjoying the excuse to stay home and clean things up for once.. and have a borrowed truck once in awhile...) I've finally changed the fuel filter, seen and heard that my fuel pumps are working and thanks to the Brickboard that wasn't so hard ....but that fuel filter and pump is in such a Rust Zone and needed a lot of tweeking to get them out under the car.

I know I probably should bite the bullet and have it towed for either another car or a high mechanic's bill... but I am suspecting the long overdue timing belt change is what's needed If I only knew the symptoms.

For one thing, the car stalled but would get gas but not enough to power it and I was able to gently use the engine to tugg it off the street unto a parking spot (and in my yard to the ideal fix it place. ) After new fuel filter and checking pumps and lines... I got the engine to cough into rotating on it's on but this time it started with a commution of clanging.. (valve rods???... I thought the timing belt would just make the Engine go dead...but am wondering as a mechanic neighbor who's got me on his waiting list said definitly it's time for a new belt as he said the front bearing is leaking a bit and probably getting on the belt....(and he said I needed a new oil cap seal too.... which thankfully I finally put on ..)

If the engine turns over, how can it be the riming belt... but maybe I don't know the symptoms. What is it like when the timing belt goes????


(also, have gotten wildly varied prices on mechanics estimates of time....a Volvo specialist expert can do it in 2 hours (or three) but other mechanics have said 4 to 6 hours... )

I did my own waterpump, alternator and gasline fixes in the last year...but I am not sure if I'm up for a timing belt job.

Again, what are the symptoms of a bad timing belt (or broken one>>0 )

I will mention that the stall happened after a quick stop and idle and then a quick start up and then the STALL. Like something happened quick and after a startup? (more and more, like a timing belt...?)