Timing chain replacement

[wst]

Well, my friend has a Corsa (yeah, I know, I've expressed my distaste of the thing to her many times. That said, I did drive it once and compared to mine it's tight as a drum) and she does 5k a year, and it's on about 60k. Anyway, she's complaining these days because apparently it 'needs the timing chain replaced' (according to her garage...).

Anyway, would I be totally right in thinking that she's definitely being ripped off massively here? Do timing chains even need replacing? I always thought they were designed to last the lifetime of the engine.

Hit me with some facts about timing chains! Should I just tell her to go to a different garage? Or is there a legitimate reason to replace the chain at such low mileage, instead of the tensioners or... car?

[cragswinter]

Mine (corsa combo 1.3cdti van) snapped at around 80k.

Very well known about with this engine

[Gixer]

My Mazda has a timing chain. 280,000 miles and still going......

[wst]

cragswinter said:

Mine (corsa combo 1.3cdti van) snapped at around 80k.

Very well known about with this engine

Car in question is the 1.2 non-twinport engine, for reference. I've got the same engine to 133k on the original chain so far... its a curious... thing. Still eager for other views on this.

[NHK244V]

Gixer said:

My Mazda has a timing chain. 280,000 miles and still going......

Oh goody, shame it has nothing to do with this thread but thanks for sharing that.

[cragswinter]

Different engine then, but believe me the 1.3cdti is a bit of a running joke when it comes to timing chains.

[ThrottleBod]

What year is the car? It's the tensioner that becomes noisey on these engines. It will rattle all the time when the car is running, most just rattle a little bit on start up.
In my experience they all need replacing at some point. The chain and tensioner come as part of a kit with guides and gaskets etc. Quite a involved job aswell.

[Gixer]

60k is low even for a belt. Most cars I've had with belts were at around 80k service intervals

[wst]

ThrottleBod said:

What year is the car? It's the tensioner that becomes noisey on these engines. It will rattle all the time when the car is running, most just rattle a little bit on start up.
In my experience they all need replacing at some point. The chain and tensioner come as part of a kit with guides and gaskets etc. Quite a involved job aswell.

It's a 51 plate. My 02 is a bit loud at startup, but once I get moving it quietens down.

She says it has 'that normal Corsa rattle' which strikes me as "well if it's normal, what the hell are you doing replacing it?!"

Edit: I just realised, she's a teenage girl... driving a Corsa... what garage isn't going to try to pull a fast one on her? God. I guess this thread is pretty moot now, I've just realised. Whoops!

Edited by wst on Wednesday 15th February 20:17

[Gixer]

NHK244V said:

Gixer said:

My Mazda has a timing chain. 280,000 miles and still going......

Oh goody, shame it has nothing to do with this thread but thanks for sharing that.

Oh sorry muppet, I'm pointing out that for a chain to be changed at that mileage is ridiculous .

But still thanks for you very constructive post, that really helps....

[maniac0796]

Whether or not it needs replacing is up to the ears of an experienced tech, but I will warn you that the chains and tensioners on these engines don't have a great track record in my experience.

And Vauxhall engines have a habit of loosing oil which exacerbates the problem a tad

[shovelheadrob]

Gixer said:

NHK244V said:

Gixer said:

My Mazda has a timing chain. 280,000 miles and still going......

Oh goody, shame it has nothing to do with this thread but thanks for sharing that.

Oh sorry muppet, I'm pointing out that for a chain to be changed at that mileage is ridiculous .

But still thanks for you very constructive post, that really helps....

My Mercedes van has done 170,000 on the original chain & is as quiet as a mouse. Totally irrelevant but hey!
The point being made is that generally a timing chain will be good for the life of the engine, Vauxhall (or whoever makes the Corsa engine) obviously got some thing wrong with this one.

[Classic Grad 98]

Bad servicing kills these chains in short order. The oil galleries which supply the hydraulic tensioner are very small and low oil level or dirty oil can starve the tensioner of the oil pressure it needs.

[ThrottleBod]

Have you heard the noise? It might not be the normal noise those engines make. Not all garages are out to rip of young women. They might be trying to help her out, as others have said those chains can snap if they are left too long.