To All,

I have a 1985 Volvo 740 GLE Sedan (non-turbo) with approximately 228,000 miles. My son was driving it last weekend, going around 35 mph, when all of a sudden he lost power and the engine stopped. He did not notice any unusual or loud noise. He coasted into a parking lot. Later we took a look. The car made a high whiney sound when attempting to start it. There was no knocking or any sound of friction coming from the engine.

So we had it towed to a mechanic who informed us the timing belt broke. They will not be able to assess possible engine damage until they replace the timing belt. Now my questions:

(1) In your experience with Volvo's, particularly my model, what are the chances of significant engine damage resulting from a timing belt breaking while driving the car?

(2) Did attempting to start the car afterwards possibly cause damage?

(3) What kind of damage might you expect based on the symptoms described above?

Your help and responses will be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

DevoFan
Fargo, ND