I have just been recovered from the motorway, whilst doing 65mph, I suddenly saw the red oil light come on the dash I pulled over & stopped removed the upper timing cover & saw the belt broken. After getting it home I stripped the floor & took the rocker cover off, I found the camshaft broken into 4 pcs. I think that the pistons would have hit the valves at the speed I was doing, but what would have cause this to happen? The crank is free as well as the oil pump & injector pump.

- (#10059) Arshad Mahmood, 12 Apr 04 13:14

Broken belt causes valves and pistons to collide, often this can result in a broken camshaft...
Remember that the oil pump is driven by the cambelt, so that's why the oil light came on.

Bad luck. You'll need a head, but if you're lucky the pistons may have survived. Might be worth checking protrusions tho, just in case of bent conrods.

- (#10059) David Miller, 12 Apr 04 15:44

>>what would have cause this to happen?<<
Sorry to hear about that Arshad. Looks like everything will need inspecting - bent valves will be added to the new cam and the pistons will have some damage - though an inspection will show how much.
Once the belt snaps the cam stops moving. Some valves will be extended into the combustion chamber and be hit by the pistons. The valves will bend out of shape but the cam will be more brittle. The pistons will suffer impact damage. Guess the damage is relative to rpm but the high compression stroke on a deisel will add some oomph to the impact.
I would 'guess' the oil light came on because the engine had ceased turn.
I have read of non original cam belts snapping at very low mileages, so would go for original toyota belt, with some attention to getting the tension right....

- (#10059) chris turner, 12 Apr 04 15:48

if the cams bust the valves have def made contact with the pistons...pob has bend even the conrods..I would not recomend using the pistons either even though they may appear ok this is false ecomomy .. the only way is to have everything crack tested..cheaper to look for another engine ....sorry

- (#10059) richard, 14 Apr 04 18:37