With a broken timing belt, your engine will still crank but is not likely to run. Interference engines have a tendency to bend valves if the belt breaks with the engine running at driving rpm. There are a couple of ways for your mechanic to determine if there are bent valves, but honestly it is almost without fails easier and cheaper for the technician to install the new belt and do a partial reassembly and start the vehicle with the new belt on to verify the integrity of the valve train. So basically you could be out the cost of a timing belt replacement and still have a major repair. If the belt breaks at start up then you more often than not can get away with just the timing belt replacement.
Hope this is helpful.
Hope this is helpful.
