Also called interference engines, non-interference engine
Draft: this page has not had its final check yet, so check the sources behind anything you rely on.
An engine whose open valves reach into the space the pistons move through, so a broken timing belt or chain can wreck it.
History: facts, each with the kind of source it rests on
In an interference engine, one or more open valves reach into the space the piston travels through. It lets designers raise the compression ratio as far as they can. In a non-interference engine the piston never reaches where the valves open. A published reference
Every generation on the site whose dossier or engine names it
Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.
Such engines risk major internal damage if a piston strikes a valve when the camshaft drive fails. The piston will likely bend the valves, and broken pieces can do more damage in the cylinder.
A published reference