6 Symptoms of a Faulty Timing Chain
Nearly all vehicles with internal combustion engines use a timing chain or timing belt. These are critical components that can fail over the life of the vehicle. In this article, we’ll discuss the most common symptoms of a bad timing chain, what causes it to fail, and how much it costs to replace it.
What is a timing chain? The timing chain is central to the mechanical function of your car, truck, or SUV engine. The proper and efficient operation of your engine depends heavily on this vital part. If the chain breaks, you could find yourself stranded by the roadside.
Even worse, it could cause serious damage to the internal components of your engine. In this connection, please read our discussion of interference and non-interference engines on this site. Symptoms of a defective timing chain
Over the 120 years of automobiles, timing chain systems have become extremely durable. Because of this, timing chain errors are rare. Of course, age can also play a role.
Things just get older and wear out. Timing chain problems can be more common in vehicles with more than 150,000 miles of accumulated wear. Here are 6 symptoms of impending or actual timing chain failure:
1) The timing chain is overstretched
Over time, the timing chain will stretch due to wear. Proper valve timing will deteriorate. This will be noticeable by increased fuel consumption, reduced power at low engine speeds, and increased roughness.
An overstretched chain will cause noise and may even produce a rattling or clattering sound. This sound can be heard when the hood is open and will vary with engine speed.
2) Worn timing sprocket or tension pulley/pulley
This problem will have the same symptoms as a stretched chain. In addition, the tensioner rollers and/or tensioner bearings may wear out, causing a whistling noise while the engine is running. This noise gets louder as engine speeds increase.
3) Worn chain guide
This deterioration over time will cause the chain to rattle or rattle, especially at low engine speeds.
4) Timing chain has come off the idler pulley or tensioner
When the timing chain comes off the gears, the engine will suddenly stop. You may also hear a loud rattling noise just before the engine turns off.
5) An obviously broken timing chain
When the chain breaks, it will cause the same symptoms as if the timing chain had come off the gears. When both of these types of errors occur, it is very likely that serious damage will occur to the engine.
6) Check engine light
The check engine light may come on if the valve timing exceeds certain preset limits or if the exhaust emissions exceed specifications. The CEL warning should be checked immediately by a qualified service technician.
Ignoring this warning can cause serious damage to the engine and related systems. If there is a timing chain failure, this warning will appear on some car brands, but not all.