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When should a timing chain be replaced? - READ ONLY

22 messages,  Last post on Apr 08, 2002 at 3:32 PM

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Messages Page 3 of 3

#13 of 22 1991 Stanza by paul29

Feb 27, 2002 (2:22 pm)

2.4 liter had a timing _chain. S/Dad wins .

#14 of 22 Andre and Paul by spokane

Feb 27, 2002 (9:56 pm)

Yes, but I have an idea how the '91 Stanza timing belt story may have come about. The 2.0 Liter engines used in some of those cars did have timing belts.

#15 of 22 timing chain by vidtech

Mar 13, 2002 (7:01 pm)

i check for chain slack by rocking the crank and observing the distibutor shaft.usually after 100k miles there is about 4-5 degrees of slop.any more than that performance starts to suffer.much more than that the chain is loose enough to slip a tooth or two.this usually happens when you turn off the engine.

#16 of 22 How do u know when the chain's going bad? by anon70

Mar 23, 2002 (9:28 pm)

I have a '93 Sentra w/194k miles. I'm hearing pinging noises when i accerate now. Is that chain?
 
or do i need to just goto a higher octane? Oh, the pinging gets worst when the oil light pops up, and decreases after i have an oil change. WHY?
 
THX

#17 of 22 jgmilberg by swschrad

Mar 24, 2002 (1:33 am)

I got 135,000 on the nylon GM gears a couple of vehicles ago, and one very cold, snowy, Saturday night in the middle of bloody nowhere the chain finally skipped three gear teeth and stranded me.
 
I still have the bald gear as a keepsake, reminding me every so often that you can be too dripping clever for your own good.

#18 of 22 anon 70 by swschrad

Mar 24, 2002 (1:33 am)

bad sign indeed. if you get noise/changes in noise when an oil light comes on, it is time to get out the long green and spend some money, because you truly do NOT have oil pressure, and you are hearing damage slowly accumulating.
 
you are way overdue for an oil pump and pickup screen, and the noise may mean your overhead cam is or is getting blasted.
 
get thee to a reputable mechanic anon.

#19 of 22 anon70 by vidtech

Mar 24, 2002 (6:59 am)

with 194k on that sentra it could be more than an oil pump.main and rod bearings get pretty loose after that kind of mileage.i bet the sound he is hearing is not detonation but bearing slap.

#20 of 22 TIME TO TRADE OR KEEP by smrenna

Apr 05, 2002 (10:44 am)

I have a 1991 Olds Ciera Cruise wagon with 3.3LV6 engine with 140000 miles. I love the car but concerned about reliability on 500 mile trips.
I recently had complete tune up etc and the car is running great. I have replaced the water pump and belt, starter, alternator, catalytic converter and muffler, and radiator. I am the original owner. How many more reliable miles can I get on the car?. Would appreciate your opinion.

#21 of 22 well, by britton2

Apr 05, 2002 (6:56 pm)

I think you should keep it - it sounds like you are the type of person who maintains their car very well - I kept my '86 Honda for 14 1/2 years - it took care of me and I took care of it - however, your '91 car is probably lacking in some safety features as was my old Honda (like airbags) and therefore I would be a little concerned about that - tough decision - just weigh the pros and cons of getting rid of it and go with that - good luck

#22 of 22 Timing gear by mdey

Apr 08, 2002 (3:32 pm)

I once owned a 76 Mercury Capri with the 2.8L V6 and a 4-speed manual. Fun car to drive. The engine had one of those lovely sprockets with nylon teeth bonded to a steel wheel (a quieter design so I was told).
 
One day that little nylon gear disintigrated (the car had 130,000 miles on it) and left me stranded. They had to pull the engine to fix it, so I sprung for a new water pump and oil pump while they had it apart. $500 to a college kid in 1983 was pretty painful, but the car was well maintained and I had no warning it was about to break.
 
Sometimes cars just break without warning. I've owned lots of cars, most went well over 100,000 miles, and that is the only time I lost a timing chain/gear/belt. Don't waste money chasing down problems that don't exist, but don't wait to fix an apparent problem. And don't skimp on maintenance. Aside from that, accept that cars break sometimes, and if you drive them long enough it will happen to you.
 
You could change that timing chain, and something else horrible can happen the next day. That same car of mine destroyed a pilot bearing just weeks later and took out the synchros for 1st and 2nd gears. I grew to hate that car.

Messages Page 3 of 3

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