Cambelt / Cambelt Tensioner Broken...what To Do Next?

[andyb63]

The dreaded bang occured on Saturday. Belt still attached but well worn and it would appear to be the cambelt tensioner that has given up. I'm guessing the result is the same as camblet failure. It's an IS200 sport with c. 140k on it. It's in good condition and I've just had new discs/ pads all round, front wheel bearings just been done and figures it would last me another year. Given that the car's worth £1500 at best do I just wave it goodbye or look to get it fixed? Are new top ends easy to come by, rather than have it stripped and rebuilt?

Any suggestions / advice welecome.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Is the tensioner just chewing the belt and you've caught it before it broke or did the belt come off the tensioner but is still in one piece? What happened exactly? Did the car become un driveable.

If the cambelt failed or came off then yeah you've probably bent valves. I've got 2 friends who have suffered cambelt failures...It's generally regarded easier to change the whole engine rather than rebuild the head or get a new head as a full engine can be bought in good condition with low miles for about £300 and swapping like for like is straight forward. One mate even did it on his driveway hiring an engine crane for the day.

[andyb63]

Thanks. Just had it confirmed that the head will need rebuilding so I think it could be worth dropping in a new engine.