cam belt

[Allan Ram]

what damag hapens when the cam belr on a 1994 vauxhall corsa snaps

[furrycheeky]

The pistons will smash into any open valves inside the engine damaging both.
Any affected valves will be bent and need replacing. The pistons may just need a top polish to remove scratches but might need replacing too. All all this work is inside the engine so is labour intensive. Expensive.

[mbamg190]

i owned a Caddilac Catera (basicly a Corsa with lefthand drive and Caddy badging) and had a similar problem all that I experienced was the engine misfiring wickedly and i needed to fix the timing

[Narolines]

Can't speak for a Corsa, but years ago I had one break on a Cortina and no damage was done at all - just a case of fitting a new belt & setting up the timing. People tell me I was lucky - I guess it's just a case of where all the reciprocating bits are in their cycle at the split second when the belt lets go, and in my case there was nothing in a position to make unintended contact.  On the other hand I haver heard of cases where, as furrycheeky says, extensive damage was done to the valves & piston-heads........just luck, I suppose.

[jake-the-peg]

I also lost a cambelt with no damage on a 1984 Cavellier. Some of the older cars had "safe" engines where the pistons and valves would not touch if the belt snapped.

More modern cars tend to have higher compression engines and so are not safe in this way. It's just possible a 94 corsa could fall into this category but I'd be very doubtful.

Chances are it'll need a top end rebuild (as described by furrycheeky) this is likely to be unecconomic on an eleven-year old corsa.

Sorry  

[stretchyskin]

just refit a new cambelt the engine is the same as the vauxhall cavalier the gap between pistons and valves is great they wont get damaged

so just put on a new belt

good luck