Because you are from New York (private joke) I'll cut you some slack.

An interference motor is a motor in which the vales can impact on the piston if the crank and cam are not in time. This means that when the belt or chain between the crankshaft and camshaft breaks the valves that are still in the open position will be impacted by the piston.

The motor won't fire because the camshaft is no longer moving. The camshaft moves the valves for intake and exhaust open and closed because via that belt/chain it is in time with the crankshaft that has the piston rods and pistons attached to it. When the belt breaks, you are no longer getting fuel or exhaust and some valves are left open.

When that belt broke, if you have an interference motor... pistons hit the valves that were still open. There is no way around it. The motor doesn't immediately stop...things like the crank and pistons keep moving for a bit.

A non interference motor is one in which the valves are spaced far enough up in the cylinder that the piston can not reach them whether the timing is off or not.

Yeah, I just don't know the answer.

I never really troubled myself to learn anything about the neon. I don't do anything more on it then change the plugs and oil. If you've ever looked in the engine bay of one of these things you'd understand why. It isn't anything nearly as comfortable as the bonneville.

I guess when we get the "call" later today, I'll let you knows what happened.

Seems to me the better answer here would have been "I don't know".

Honestly Morty..I'd rather you admitted not knowing things than posting something that might mislead another member later on. If any of the other Neon owners rely on what you said above and find out differently the expensive way.....let's say... I doubt they'd be happy or respect you.

I'm not sure and I don't know go a long way in life. Please be willing to admit lack of knowledge, as we have seen....this is not the first time.

When you asked me yesterday, I looked up on the net whether or not a 1996 dodge neon had an interference motor. The answer was yes. Do I understand what it is? No.

So the mechanic said the valves were ok? If so maybe he needs a lesson in interference engines too.

Good article for Neon owners. Information about everything.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2004/us60426.htm

O these engines you do have enough room with the head design that you shouldnot impact a valve.... But thats not to say that it will never happen...

Too bad its not really a chrysler engine in the first place

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All I know is that if it's DOHC 16v like my scirocco was it's not a good thing to blow a timing belt.....did on mine and got lucky.....only had minor leakage from #3 and #4 cylinders....didn't even really notice the difference when I got it fixed!! On the other hand if in fact " 'Ol one eye" has a DOHC engine......it may not have been so lucky....sounds like u may need a second opinion from another mechanic!!

He'll know in a hurry if he has a bent valve or several...

Morty How many miles did the car have on it? When was the last time the timming belt was changed?

These engines have a 60k timming belt interval, if they are not replaced you are on borrowed time...

So for any of you that have a Mitsubishi 4 Cylinder, yes we all know its really a Mitsu motor... Replace that timming belt at 60K unless you want to pay a lot more later

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There are some diffrent designs, on some of the mitsu 4 cylinders the heads are like a hemi head in a way, and in some there is enough room to avoid punching a valve.... But I'll say it again I have seen a couple do some damage.... There were other Mitsu engines that were big time interference engines and it took nothing to crush valves and have them imbedded in the pistons / head...

But yes most 16 valve engines are interference....

I believe that Morty pretty much has the same 2.0 in his neon as I have in the Mitsubishi Galant

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