Timing for Timing Chain Replacement

[Renski]

Hi there,

I have looked in the timing chain thread but the links dont work.

The engine fault message for timing chain appeared a few weeks ago on my 2009 Calais and wondering how long I have before an incident happen if I don't address this immediately. 3000 dollars is a big budget and I need to go places, I have to travel 1200Kms round trip next weekend and trying to avoid having to hire a vehicle.

Let me know how does that sound if you do

Cheers!

 

[DAJOKER]

timing chain alert isn’t there for a pretty light man.

It means it’s already stretched or out of sync.

Anyway it’s not so much the chain that will snap, it’s more so everything else will bend because it’s all out of sync, and that can happen at anytime from now on. And if that happens, it’s not generally a $3000 fix, it’s new engine time.

 

[redvxr8clubby]

Hi there,

I have looked in the timing chain thread but the links dont work.

The engine fault message for timing chain appeared a few weeks ago on my 2009 Calais and wondering how long I have before an incident happen if I don't address this immediately. 3000 dollars is a big budget and I need to go places, I have to travel 1200Kms round trip next weekend and trying to avoid having to hire a vehicle.

Let me know how does that sound if you do

Cheers!

I don't know how far you're likely to get before big trouble, Holden do a program change that relaxes the tolerances before the errors show up, so if yours hasn't had that update you may get away with it for a little while - risky business though, especially with a 1200km trip coming up.
Are you aware RevHigh do the chains around the $1000 mark? By all accounts do a good job also cleaning engine internals as well. I think if I was in Melbourne and had a V6 with that problem I'd go and see them.

 

[VTS5]

If you handy with tools you can do it yourself and save a bundle.Parts cost bout $400(from RevHigh)

 

[ChRiDDa]

As others have said, I wouldn’t be waiting - you’ve effectively been given your warning now - don’t wait for the engine to Chernobyl itself before deciding to take action

 

[Renski]

timing chain alert isn’t there for a pretty light man.

It means it’s already stretched or out of sync.

Anyway it’s not so much the chain that will snap, it’s more so everything else will bend because it’s all out of sync, and that can happen at anytime from now on. And if that happens, it’s not generally a $3000 fix, it’s new engine time.

Sensors don't work that way to my understanding. The fault was cleared and mechanically speaking, the sync is fine so far. The sensor would have picked up something but now it is not. Fault notification systems are usually setup in a conservative manner in most modern systems, usually leaving the operator a confortable amount of work before anything happens. My mechanic, Holden specialist, advised that the engine just wont start if the chain stretches beyond the tolerance assigned by the engineers.. Thanks for your response mate but I think you are over reacting a bit!! Let's see what others have to say.

 

[Renski]

I don't know how far you're likely to get before big trouble, Holden do a program change that relaxes the tolerances before the errors show up, so if yours hasn't had that update you may get away with it for a little while - risky business though, especially with a 1200km trip coming up.
Are you aware RevHigh do the chains around the $1000 mark? By all accounts do a good job also cleaning engine internals as well. I think if I was in Melbourne and had a V6 with that problem I'd go and see them.

So you mean that the software itself ignores the sensor for a period? Do you have more info on that or do you know of anywhere I can grab it from. I'm not going to bother a Holden dealer with that question as I sense that they probably won't know. Are you talking about a software update? Or and update by the software.

I will not risk the 1200Km trip that would be too stressful.

$1000 sounds great, I will give them a call. Does that includes just the labour or also parts.

Cheers mate!!

 

[Renski]

If you handy with tools you can do it yourself and save a bundle.Parts cost bout $400(from RevHigh)

Yep. I'm not bad at all if I keep the beers away. Also have the perfect space for the job at the moment.

Do you have any reliable procedural information that I can access? Youtube video (I have looked there already and did not find anything convincing) Or a page with detailed written information with nice photos step by step, or maybe a manual I can buy... Did you DIY your own timing chain on a VE Calais?

 

[Renski]

As others have said, I wouldn’t be waiting - you’ve effectively been given your warning now - don’t wait for the engine to Chernobyl itself before deciding to take action

Cheers

 

[stick3]