Timing chain

[Baz2004 0]

Anyone know the agv mileage in replacing these? I've know of a few that have snapped on corrado's (VST being the latest casualty) It tends to be on cars over 12-15yrs or +200k. Im half thinking of replacing my one now to be sure to be sure, since I've put a bit of work/money into the rebuild.

 

Is it a case where these can at any stage or is age/mileage a big factor? once fitted do they need tightening down the line?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

They rarely snap but you can hear a loose chain on the valver really easily. Sounds like a rythmic chattering at idle on the right of the rocker cover. You can use a screwdriver as a stethoscope to be sure.

 

I always used to change the chain whenever I did tappets, which was about every 60K for me. They do last a lot longer than that but a £15 a time, seemed foolish not to do it at the same time.

[Guest]

It's not really the chain on these motor but guides. The guides are made of plastic and they wear out. If you wait too long you have extra play in the timing and if it gets bad enough you can have valve / piston contact. Here's a link with some pics & my ranting...

 

http://www.corrado-club.ca/ubb/ultimate ... 2;t=001122

 

Cheers, Dennis

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Dennis, Baz2004 has a 16V. They have one little chain spanning the two cams. The cambelt driven inlet cam drives the exhaust cam with said chain....

 

PS - good link. How many miles has that VR done? The engine oil staining is awful...

[Guest]

Got me on that one, when I see timing chains I always think about VR6's. In North America we didn't see many things and one was the 16V Corrado.

 

There are two different motors in that link, the one with the oil staining was a buddies with over 220,000 kms and the one with the clean looking parts is mine with just under 140,000 or so. Check this out, can you tell which pic is from which motor?

 

http://members.shaw.ca/vr6_corrado-3/VR6Tchain1.jpg

 

http://members.shaw.ca/vr6_corrado-2/T-Chain16.jpg

 

My car has the oil changed at a maximum of 6,000 kms and my buddy is lazy and does it when he thinks about it. For a while the car was leaking oil so he decided that it was having a perpetual oil change and didn't bother changing the oil. When I pulled the drain for the oil filter the oil was soo think that nothing came out, it was back and discusting.

 

So there you are, you can see the difference maintenance can make. I always make sure to correct everything before it becomes a problem. When I did his timing chain guides I did it in the car as shown and when I did them on my car I pulled the motor / transmission assembly right out of the car. I had done the headgasket in the thread above years ago when buddy first bought the car but mine was starting to leak so I decided to do the whole deal, timing chain guides and the head gasket. I also did some porting on the exhaust ports while the motor was apart and replaced the valve seals and lapped the valves. VR6 Headgasket. I picked up another head a while ago and this one I am going to port a bit more agrresively. I will also port match it and do some work on the intake. I want to design a basic flow bench though so I can match all of the ports VR6 Head Work.

 

Cheers, Dennis

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Sorry you've lost me on the pics, not sure which is from which! I'm guessing the stained chain is the 220K engine?

 

I change my oil when it goes brown, which equates to about 3000 miles. I never let it go black because the oil is past it's best by then imo. At 112K miles, the cams and head are as new clean. The previous owner obviously took the same care and attention as I have because when I changed the main water pump at 90 thou, the galleries were immaculate. Not a hint of rust anywhere.

 

As you say, regular maintanence is the key to long engine life :thumb right: