99 Forester S- timing belt blow out on interstate. Sell or fix?

[mikemc233]

My 99 Forester S with 147k blew a timing belt at speed on I5 in a small town with no decent Subaru shop. Paid $3600 for it but trying to weigh options to sell of fix. Cost to tow back to Seattle is $630, with repairs and other maintenance items estimated around 3400$ from All Wheel (great shop). Anyone sell one broken and for how much? Cosmetically not perfect (it's a 99) but clean inside and otherwise in good condition.

[lmdew]

Not running, $500 - $1000 depending on condition.

 

Most likely you bent valves at a minimum.

Sell if you can, unless you can do the work yourself.

[mikemc233]

Condition otherwise is great. I can't do that work- I'm guessing at least a few bent valves bc of speed, though it blew and stopped immediately with no overheating or severe fluid loss. I might have gotten lucky but not sure if it's worth the chance or investment.

[bust7015]

if you cannot do the work yourself, It won't be worth it.  More than likely, bent valves... soooo this means, pull engine, pull heads, new valves, grind valve seats, resurface heads, timing component set, head gasket set, assemble and reinstall engine.  chaa ching. Cheapest shop I know that will do it in my area gets $1600 plus tax.  Most get 2K  If you have a friend into Subaru, he could throw an old timing belt on and do a compression test to see if you bent valves.

Edited December 30, 2014 by bust7015

[mikemc233]

My local shop will do that and I trust them. We shall see. Thanks for the response.

[keith3267]

You don't need a timing belt to check the valves.  Just have the engine at least 30 degrees away from TDC for all cylinders, that is somewhere mid stroke.  You can turn the cams to close all the valves, cylinder by cylinder and do a leak down test.  Its faster than a compression test.  Be careful when turning the valves that you don't cause the intake valves to hit the exhaust valves.  A knowledgeable mechanic should know the procedure.

[Turbone]

Wheres the car? 

I'm south of Oly about 20mi if that would help

[Gloyale]

You don't need a timing belt to check the valves.  Just have the engine at least 30 degrees away from TDC for all cylinders, that is somewhere mid stroke.  You can turn the cams to close all the valves, cylinder by cylinder and do a leak down test.  Its faster than a compression test.  Be careful when turning the valves that you don't cause the intake valves to hit the exhaust valves.  A knowledgeable mechanic should know the procedure.

 

Cannot move exhaust and intake vavles independant of eachother on the SOHC motor.

 

If the car is Automatic there is a chance it could be fine still.  This is becuase when the engine stops running the hydraulic pressure drops away and unlocks the Torque Converter and the car just rolls doesn't try to turn the engine.  Manual will be toasted valves for sure.