140K Stock Timing Chain?

[Nick Micale]

This chain I just removed today from a 140K mile is way beyond trashed and the worst ever for me.

This GN has NO mods, as all the factory parts are completely unchanged under the hood and elsewhere.

The basic entry level V-6 economy engine uses the same factory chain/nylon gear as a 245 HP turbo engine and not to change it out at frequent intervals or any HP mods is insane in my opinion no matter how the car is driven.

Years ago modded GN's were killing these cam gears at 50K miles.

I suspect aging 30 years on a nylon gear takes its toll , maybe just like that time span has worked on me!

Notice the pile of plastic and metal gear remains from the pan.

 

[bison]

I've seen them like that. Usually the engine is trash because the pickup is blocked by all the broken pieces


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[earlbrown]

I lost my original at 150,000. But it had 10 years less age on it too.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

mine had cracks in the teeth at 38K, still intact but was just a matter of time. Went with the TA billet set.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

Mine was close to that @ 170k miles

 

[BEATAV8]

I've got one here with 170K on it that hasn't been apart yet. Ran mid 11's with it last summer. Planning to take it apart for the first time here in 2015...... something to look forward to.

 

[earlbrown]

It should look pretty gnarly. At this point I think the miles mean less than the age.

 

[greeneyegi]

This chain I just removed today from a 140K mile is way beyond trashed and the worst ever for me.

This GN has NO mods, as all the factory parts are completely unchanged under the hood and elsewhere.

The basic entry level V-6 economy engine uses the same factory chain/nylon gear as a 245 HP turbo engine and not to change it out at frequent intervals or any HP mods is insane in my opinion no matter how the car is driven.

Years ago modded GN's were killing these cam gears at 50K miles.

I suspect aging 30 years on a nylon gear takes its toll , maybe just like that time span has worked on me!

Notice the pile of plastic and metal gear remains from the pan.

View attachment 250442 View attachment 250443

it wasnt running,correct?

 

[87GNSteve]

I can imagine what modern cars will wind up like 30 years from now, with plastic intakes, valve covers, and all the other misc internals trusted to plastic.

 

[dirtymax731]

The plastic drives me nuts on the new cars, I was pretty surprised that my 3/4 truck has plastic valve covers

 

[Shawn N]

For the amount of abuse those suckers take it's miracle they last as long as they do.

 

[gsgnnut]

GM really dropped the ball when they went to the plastic intake gaskets. What a major brain cramp. I've have to replace them in 3 of my own cars and was damn lucky the engine didn't grenade. When they fail, and they ALL will, its usually at highway speed and the cylinders rapidly fill with coolant and hydrolock and detonate. My sister-inlaws 3800 grenaded that way on the highway, I got lucky as I keep an eye on the coolant and when it starts disappearing you know its going by the intake gaskets into the engine. My daily beater with a 3100 started idling odd one day and when I checked the crank case it had a gallon of coolant in it. In all my years I never seen a metal gasket do that. Again major brain cramp GM-someone needs to be fired for that one. What person does not understand about heat and plastic degregation!!!!

 

[TexasT]

Suggestion for a good replacement on a stock car like that?

 

[earlbrown]

I'm a fan of the stock plastic coated chain for a flat tappet stock engine. Replacing it every 100,000 or 20 years isn't that big of a deal to me.

I'll take that over having an afro on my magnetic drain plug every oil change.

 

[TexasT]

I guess I was under the impression the stock plastic wasn't available any more. I will look into one. Does it need to be gm or are other brands suitable?

 

[tbone87]

My first car had 123k win it took a clunk at the stop sign.. Just like I turned a switch.

 

[turbofrank]

I had a stocker 230k took a dump at stoplite 1am in the morning

 

[20psiofevil]

The plastic drives me nuts on the new cars, I was pretty surprised that my 3/4 truck has plastic valve covers

Actually it is a composite material that is woven with glass. The material comes in pre died sheets or chunks of material then placed into a press where it is heated and cooked around 400* and compressed at over 2000psi (actually cant even remember the psi). I worked at a place where they did this type of work (just to get me through while in between jobs) and they made a lot of stuff for the navy and air force.

A nylon gear is ridiculous though. I've really never heard of that before.

 

[Shawn N]

I'm a fan of the stock plastic coated chain for a flat tappet stock engine. Replacing it every 100,000 or 20 years isn't that big of a deal to me.

I'll take that over having an afro on my magnetic drain plug every oil change.

And it's less likely to shrapnel and damage other parts. Real pain the ass to clean up though.

 

[earlbrown]

^Yep. The reason I wrote that oil pump article years ago is because my non-nylon timing set took out my old timing cover with debris.