>What does interference engine mean???? >thanks,Sharyl In an engine cylinder, the valves open up by thrusting down into the cylinder to open the holes that either let air in or air out, depending on which side is opening. In interference engines, the valves thrust far enough down into the cylinder that they are going into the same space that is occupied by the piston. However, the timing chain or belt keeps the pistons and valves in sync; the valves only open when the piston is out of the way, down at the bottom of the cylinder, and they are closed by the time the piston gets to the top.
What happens, however, is that if the timing chain/belt breaks, there's nothing regulating the pistons and valves anymore, keeping them out of the way of each other. So you might have the valves still open when the piston comes rushing up....WHAM! They hit, usually bending the valves and causing lots and lots of damage. Unfortunately, these are almost always really expensive repairs as you have to take the engine almost completely apart to fix it. Nathan ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give the gift of life to a sick child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/5iY7fA/6WnJAA/Y3ZIAA/46t0lB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Web: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid> Subscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Unsubscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Moderator: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
