How common is the timing chain stretch?

[greenacc]

What do you mean by "chains gone?"

Chains gone = Chains buggered. Stretched and setting off the engine light because the cams are out of phase.

 

[Brettly-2008]

Chains gone = Chains buggered. Stretched and setting off the engine light because the cams are out of phase.

My question related to the fact that 2012 was not the era where these V6s had the problematic chains that were prone to stretching. I'm dubious about incidences of timing chain replacement due to 'stretch' happening in series 2 VEs in particular. Part of me thinks people (mechanics included) are a bit gun-shy with these engines and are doing chain replacements as a matter of course, possibly based on poor reputation of the early engines. A well-engineered timing chain set is a life-of-engine part after all... An engine code indicating mis-matched timing is a different story altogether, and that's what I was querying with BlackVE76.

 

[greenacc]

Yes agreed, but I think poor servicing or no services at all like you see far too often kills the timing chains on these super quickly. All those chain links running back and forward over all the gears and tensioners creates loads of friction and if the oil is full of sludge and **** it isn't up to the job of protecting the Chains. So it's not a manufacturing defect it's a case of bad mechanic /dealer pretending to change the oil or lazy owner not getting the services done.

 

[Whiteshark68]

From what i have seen and heard any of the alloytechs even the 3.0 litre are susceptible to the timing chain stretch even though holden issued statements saying it was only those between 06 and 07.
I looked at a my08 calaisV and a my8.5 statesman that both required the chains done.

 

[Fu Manchu]

The whole issue is a hangover of the VZ '04, '05, & '06 and the very first VE's. 15 fricken years ago! It was fixed, the buggered ones have mostly been fixed or are not on the road.

 

[Whiteshark68]

The whole issue is a hangover of the VZ '04, '05, & '06 and the very first VE's. 15 fricken years ago! It was fixed, the buggered ones have mostly been fixed or are not on the road.

Actually the 04 vz were fine as were some of the 05 vz the problem occurred after engine number H053340001 according to the holden service bulletin and there have been reports of this issue even in the sidi engines that holden have repaired under warranty so unless people are lying i'm gunna say it wasn't fixed even though the same service bulletin reports that it was fixed from engine number H071380576 build date 18/05/07

 

[blackve76]

What do you mean by "chains gone?"

Engine light on the stretched code up. I've heard of a few 3l VFS having issues

 

[Immortality]

All timing chains stretch and that is a fact of life. The old V6's had a short but reasonably heavy duty chain and they stretched but with the use of a tensioner (which do fail) were not considered a wearing item and therefore considered serviceable for the life of the motor. These modern overhead cammed motors use a lighter chain but much longer so therefore a small amount of wear/stretch over a much longer chain gives the impression the chain has stretched much more but in reality the wear/stretch per link is the same. Unfortunately with the overhead cam configuration cam chains are now a wearing item and one that will need replacement if you want to maintain good performance. This issue isn't reserved to GM.

 

[Daniel Souza]

All timing chains stretch and that is a fact of life. The old V6's had a short but reasonably heavy duty chain and they stretched but with the use of a tensioner (which do fail) were not considered a wearing item and therefore considered serviceable for the life of the motor. These modern overhead cammed motors use a lighter chain but much longer so therefore a small amount of wear/stretch over a much longer chain gives the impression the chain has stretched much more but in reality the wear/stretch per link is the same. Unfortunately with the overhead cam configuration cam chains are now a wearing item and one that will need replacement if you want to maintain good performance. This issue isn't reserved to GM.

For sure they all stretch. Look at this example from my work. This storage unit has around 2.5 meters and has 12 shelves (not shown) . The chain looks over kill for the application but it stretched and caused the shelf to hit the bottom. Each link is around 8cm long

 

[Murdoch]

All timing chains stretch and that is a fact of life. The old V6's had a short but reasonably heavy duty chain and they stretched but with the use of a tensioner (which do fail) were not considered a wearing item and therefore considered serviceable for the life of the motor. These modern overhead cammed motors use a lighter chain but much longer so therefore a small amount of wear/stretch over a much longer chain gives the impression the chain has stretched much more but in reality the wear/stretch per link is the same. Unfortunately with the overhead cam configuration cam chains are now a wearing item and one that will need replacement if you want to maintain good performance. This issue isn't reserved to GM.

ha ha yep.
I remember having to change them in my old VN! small but so much slack the tensioner was useless.
I also remember upgrading the tensioner to the larger series VN one too that came out in the late '89 model if memory serves me right.