Why would a timing chain need replacing at approx. 50000km

JR79

Looking at a car in the next few days, the timing chain was replaced at 50000Km when car was around 6 years old. Whats your opinions on this this thanks.

RedXIV

Aren't they supposed to be replaced every 50,000km?

If it snaps it can do a lot of damage, as happened to my gf's car

Owen

Chain's don't snap. Belts do. Is it possible OP that the tensioner and not chain was replaced?

Anan1

You're sure it's a chain, and not a belt?

O.A.P

JR79 wrote: »

Looking at a car in the next few days, the timing chain was replaced at 50000Km when car was around 6 years old. Whats your opinions on this this thanks.

Its supposed to last for the life of the engine apart from that I dont know why it was replaced. Someone on here might have an idea but at least tell us what kind of car it is.

JR79

No idea really Owen,
I've heard of chains lasting a lifetime really & others going early, but i dont know the reason?
I am just wondering would it be down to poor maintenance?

JR79

Its an Opel Astra, 1.4l, new model.

Needler

Chains last forever and belts are just a scam to bring the dealers more money.

They don't make em how they used to...

Anan1

JR79 wrote: »

No idea really Owen,
I've heard of chains lasting a lifetime really & others going early, but i dont know the reason?
I am just wondering would it be down to poor maintenance?

How old is the car? Does it have FSH? What's the recorded mileage now?

L-M

Belt or chain 50,000 km was suspiciously early. I'd do a bit more digging!

Miles maybe, not kms

Needler

Needler wrote: »

Chains last forever ............

No they don't, VW VR6 engine to name but one

Anan1

Limerick man wrote: »

Belt or chain 50,000 km was suspiciously early. I'd do a bit more digging!

Miles maybe, not kms

If it's a belt then the change interval by time would most likely be 6 years or less, but it does sound very early by mileage for a chain.

L-M

Anan1 wrote: »

If it's a belt then the change interval by time would most likely be 6 years or less, but it does sound very early by mileage for a chain.

Crikey I forgot the "new model" was six years old!...

7 even, scarey, lol.

Mr Benevolent

Sounds like HG failure?

L-M

Confab wrote: »

Sounds like HG failure?

Bingo! Those engines are very well known for that!

Confab

Confab wrote: »

Sounds like HG failure?

Nope, they'd lash the same chain back on for HG failure.

Collibosher

A lad in work had the chain replaced early in his 2009 (I think) Astra when he lived in the UK, think there was a modified chain put in by the Vauxhall dealer.

I seem to recall him saying that it was to do with not using a specific oil as recommended.

Collibosher

Collibosher wrote: »

.........
I seem to recall him saying that it was to do with not using a specific oil as recommended.

They stretch a bit apparently if the oil isn't spot on in many cars, the Accord diesel springs to mind.

JR79

I kinda think its the wrong oil myself

Nissan doctor

On the Opels its usually poor quality oil or infrequent servicing/checking oil leval that causes the tensioners to fail.

Bigus

I have heard a lot of them opels rattling their chains off at traffic lights, German cars me arse!

Nissan doctor

Bigus wrote: »

I have heard a lot of them opels rattling their chains off at traffic lights, German cars me arse!

The opel name is german...not much else.

Bigus

Nissan doctor wrote: »

The opel name is german...not much else.

That's why those Vier Lieben Autos adverts should be banned

Nissan doctor

Bigus wrote: »

That's why those Vier Lieben Autos adverts should be banned

Very true, I will always tip my hat to the german marketing people who have kept the puplic impression of german cars being over engineered going 20 years after is stopped being the case!:P

Anan1

Bigus wrote: »

That's why those Vier Lieben Autos adverts should be banned

You mean Wir leben Autos? Would you stop Land Rover from advertising in English too?:)

Joe 90

I wonder though if we tend to think in terms of a chain being good for the life of an engine because in the days before belts engines simply did not last for anywhere near the sort of mileage we take for granted today.

Fey!

Maybe the previous owner brought it to an unscrupulous garage who told him that it was due to be changed, and the previous owner just didn't know any better than to question it?

Alternatively, maybe the previous owner had never heard of a timing chain and brought it for a service asking for the timing belt to be changed as 50,000 miles seemed to be the right time for it according to his previous experience with other cars.

BostonB

I'm not a mechanic. But I've always though chains should last the life time of an engine, but like anything, may need to changed if it gets noisy or stretched or jump a tooth. Tensioners etc might need to changed too. Everything wears eventually.

puppetmaster

Limerick man wrote: »

Bingo! Those engines are very well known for that!

They Certaily are, but they'd Give you back the same belt/chain.

What those Eco Tech's are definatley Renound for is the need to change their timing belts around 40k miles. or even less sometimes as ive seen personally with a vectra. But if i was buying a 6 year old astra with 50k id probably be happy to see the Timing belt changed. I just did mine on a laguna @ 50k as my brothers failed @ 58k miles. Bye bye to 12 out of the 16 valves and a piston head.

Most the Eco tech 1.4/1.6's ive seen are Belts rather than chains.

VolvoMan

Limerick man wrote: »

Crikey I forgot the "new model" was six years old!...

The new model is the old model now, with it having been replaced about 18 months ago.