Is 4 cylinder 2007 camry engine interference or non-interference ?

interference

Sorry, but I have to ask about a 4 cyl, 1995 LE 4-door.

The 95 5SFE is a non-interference engine. The Gates pdf catalog file on timing component kits (Gates makes excellent belts and hoses) will detail which engines are interference or non-interference. Look it up on

Stubby wrote:

My understanding is that an "interference" engine will damage itself if the timing chain breaks. So if you have a chain, you must change it on schedule or prepare to have your car towed. If your car has a belt, it might break but it won't damage the engine.

Michael Gallo wrote:

I think it was Stubby who stated:

Close.

If you have a belt OR a chain, you must change it on schedule or prepare to have your car towed when it breaks, because the engine will stop running when it does.

But if you have an "interference" engine, the engine will damage itself when the timing thing breaks, regardless of which it is, a belt or a chain.

What happens is that the valves and the pistons interfere with each other when the timing is off because of a broken belt or chain. The interference causes damage because the pistons and the valves smash against each other, destroying both and possibly (probably) bashing the head that the valves ride in and the cylinder that the pistons ride in.

It ain't a pretty sight, and it IS an expensive one when an interference engine breaks a belt or a chain . . . .

-Don

-- Pooder approved this post . . . .

Chain is heavier and noisier but lasts longer. Belt is quieter and lighter but needs to be changed more often. Generally interference engines can be higher performance because the valves come closer to the pistons during operation, so the valve lift can be higher - that means they can open wider. Non interference means that even if the valves are opening randomly when the belt breaks, valves stop moving and the piston keeps moving from intertial force, the valves will not hit the piston. This is the theory. It may be possible that a car with a lot of city miles has accumulated enough carbon that the valves can still be bent. As a practical matter, it doesn't make a lot of difference. You just keep up on the recommended maintenance and you never have a problem. Toyota sets the belt replacement guidelines conservatively with a wide safety margin for most drivers.