If you slam your pistons into your valves would all your belts still rotate?

Every engine can... it happens when you try and restart the car... when the engine is running and the timing belt breaks everything is moving so it doesn't usually damage anything... when everything is stopped your piston slams into the valves and bends them. He'll of a big job

belt has to be replaced any way
compression test on the cylinders.. tells you straight away
zero or low compression numbers ..valves bent

in an interference engine OHC or DOHC belt breaks
the cams stop dead and pistons continue to move up and down

non interference there is a gap between pistons and valves

The valves are hitting the pistons!!!!

Try replacing your belt, dont listen to the shops. No way to know for sure but to try it. The piston cant hit the valves, but some of the valves can hit each other if the timing belt breaks. But you may or may not have damaged the valves.

But I would replace the timing belt and try it before I tried anything else. Change the belt and give it a try. I mean if you can do it yourself. If you get a Chiltons manual from Oreillys it will tell you exactly how to chage it. DONT GET THE HAYNES MANUAL FROM AUTOZONE, CHILTONS MANUALS ARE MUCH SUPERIOR.

TDC is an acronym for Top Dead Center. It is when the piston has reached the very top of its travel and there is nowhere for the piston to go but down. If you align the timing marks on the engine, the piston will be at TDC with the valves on #1 closed.

To position your crankshaft and cam to the correct position, it should be done BEFORE removing the belt if possible. If the belt has already been removed and/or the belt was broken, the same principles apply, but you will have to go about it completely different.

Turn the engine clockwise to align the "O" on the crankshaft pulley with the "O" on the outer timing belt cover.
Remove the plug in the outer timing belt cover and look through the hole. The timing marks on the camshaft pulley should align with the cover pointer. If they do not align, rotate the crankshaft one full revolution and align the "Os" again. They should now align. When every thing is lined up like this, your engine is timed to #1 at TDC and the valves on #1 cylinder will be closed.

Now if the belt has already been removed or if the belt was broken, You may have to temporarily put the outer cover back on. You may have to put it on and take it off several times until you get things lined up. Time the crankshaft "Os" first. It will not matter which rotation you are on if the belt is not installed. (TDC is TDC - the piston doesn't really care where the valves are - that's the camshaft's problem LOL)
After the crank shaft is lined up, turn the camshaft so the timing marks line up with the pointer. Then remove the front cover and install your belt.

After setting the timing belt tensioner, rotate the engine two full turns clockwise and recheck to make sure that all the timing marks still line up. If they do not - repeat the procedure.

Your engine is probably trashed. That old saying "Don't fix it if it ain't broken" does not apply to timing belts. When your timing belt breaks, the valves on the top of your engine stop moving but the pistons on the lower have of the engine keep moving. The pistons will slam into the valves that are still open and basically destroy your engine. This is a very expensive repair for an older car, so only fix it if you REALLY love your car and you just can't let it go. Otherwise, put it up for sale on craigslist and you will probably find some enthusiast that will buy it from you.

This engine has been identified as an interference engine in which the possibility of valve to piston damage in the event of timing belt failure is most likely to occur, when repairing I would also replace water pump, due to pump is timing belt driven. On an 2002 VW Jetta TDI 1.9L engine, VW recommends timing belt replacement every 80,000 miles.

ooow nasty? lots of it,,,the valve's get bent the cam shaft may get smashed,,the pistons can be bamaged,,,,
change the cam belt before it snaps,,,it soooo much cheaper!

Yes it is as bad as the belt snapping, if your lucky there will be cutaways in the pistons so the valves may not have touched, its a bit tricky to check until you replace the belt and can check valve clearances and cylnder compressions,
or remove the head and check.
If you replace the belt it is often recommented to replace any bearings and pulleys as well, as a tight bearing may be the initial cause.

yes...but hopefully not completely blown...these vehicles have what they call interference engines...where pistons and valves have little to no clearance...so when the timing belt fails...valves have a high risk of slamming into the pistons. Hopefully your mechanic has already ran a compression check on your cylinders...if not please ask him to....it makes a difference between a $3000 motor and a $400 timing belt install kit.....hope I helped!!!