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Unlike cars with timing belts, a timing chain is a guarantee of cost savings and reliability for our vehicle. In this article, we’ll show you the pros and cons of this component. We also invite you to read the post on the advantages and disadvantages of the timing belt so you can draw your own conclusions.
Advantages of Having a Car with a Timing Chain
Reliability. How often does the timing chain need to be replaced?
The biggest advantage of chains over belts is their tremendous reliability. It’s actually very unlikely that your car’s timing chain will break from normal use, so you’ll avoid the risk of a major engine failure and costly repairs if you have a car with a timing chain. A timing chain has a service life of approximately 250,000 kilometers, although it sometimes lasts as long as the vehicle itself. Sometimes it is replaced when it develops significant slack as a preventive measure, but this isn’t the norm.
Low Maintenance Cost
The cost of maintenance for these vehicles is low or virtually nonexistent. Due to the high durability of the link chains, it’s rare that we’ll ever have to replace the chain. Therefore, we’ll save a significant amount of money over the years.
However, this doesn’t mean we don’t have to inspect our vehicle from time to time. In the cards below, you’ll learn everything about maintaining these cars—including how to drive the car to maximize its lifespan. How often to perform maintenance. And even how to detect a potential future timing chain failure.
Disadvantages of Owning a Car with a Timing Chain
It’s not all advantages. If you completely ignore maintenance, the timing chain can also cause breakdowns and engine problems.
Price
When it comes to new vehicles, as a general rule, cars that use timing chains are somewhat more expensive than comparable models that use timing belts. However, this trend is fading thanks to manufacturers like Toyota, which equip virtually all their model lines with timing chains without significantly increasing their price. This manufacturer, along with others, is driving a market in which it’s becoming increasingly common to see vehicles powered by chains, leaving behind the obsolete and costly-to-maintain timing belts. This shift is also driving the use of long-lasting timing belts, made from higher-quality materials than conventional ones.
Maintenance Remains Important
Finally, it’s important to be cautious and recognize that having a car with a timing chain is no guarantee against problems. It may be the case that poor maintenance could still cause a problem with our engine. It may also be the case that, due to bad luck, our car is equipped with a defective chain, which could end up causing the same problems we would face if our vehicle were equipped with a rubber belt.
A well-known example is that of BMW and its famous N47 engine. A design flaw in its tensioners caused excessive wear on the chain, which eventually broke and caused major problems for the entire engine. However, this is one case among thousands and is more of an exception than a widespread problem. If it were, vehicles with chains wouldn’t enjoy the great reputation they currently have.
No chain-driven timing system is entirely problem-free; therefore, we always recommend having your vehicle inspected regularly and keeping your maintenance log up to date to detect problems early and avoid four-figure repair bills.