Ouch, timing chain snapped on the motorway

[VectraMan]

The timing chain (yes chain) snapped on my "bullet proof" S2000. Bye bye engine.

It's something like 9 hours labour to change the chain too, which makes a precautionary change about half the cost of a second hand replacement engine. Bloody Honda.

[PAH]

If BMW won't do a deal out of goodwill he can probably get it rebuilt by a specialist for a lot less than 12k, depending on extent of damage and how much can be salvaged.

Failing that a reconditioned engine out of a write-off is another option.

Another option is to check on eBay for similar non-runners to see how much it may be worth selling on as is to someone willing to do the repairs themselves.

I once sold a banger with a seized engine this way to someone who had the same engine sat around, so easy for him to get it up and running again as a project to sell on.

[Troll]

stek,

yes it was the chain

Milan.

Fook that is worrying- I've heard of belts going but never chains <gulp>

My trusty 15 year old 4x4 has now done 240k miles on the original chain - the word on the street <owners forums> is that they last the life of the vehicle and never need replacing - moot point if the life of the vehicle is the life of the chain.

Mines a diesel and subjected to a rigorous oil change regime - could those cars with failures be petrol or neglected service intervals?

[Paddy]

Fook that is worrying- I've heard of belts going but never chains <gulp>

My trusty 15 year old 4x4 has now done 240k miles on the original chain - the word on the street <owners forums> is that they last the life of the vehicle and never need replacing - moot point if the life of the vehicle is the life of the chain.

Mines a diesel and subjected to a rigorous oil change regime - could those cars with failures be petrol or neglected service intervals?

Chains have about double the life of belts the slippers need changing every 30k. 160k would be at the end of life for a chain.

[Churchill]

Fook that is worrying- I've heard of belts going but never chains <gulp>

My trusty 15 year old 4x4 has now done 240k miles on the original chain - the word on the street <owners forums> is that they last the life of the vehicle and never need replacing - moot point if the life of the vehicle is the life of the chain.

Mines a diesel and subjected to a rigorous oil change regime - could those cars with failures be petrol or neglected service intervals?

My Ford Explorer had a cam chain. Every single time I had it serviced by Ford I mentioned the timing chain and every single time they said that there was no need to worry, the chain will last the lifetime of the engine.

I arrived at the conclusion that "Lasting the lifetime of the engine" means that when the chain does give up the ghost then your engine is well and truly f*cked!

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Chains have about double the life of belts the slippers need changing every 30k. 160k would be at the end of life for a chain.

Slippers?

Chains and the associated stuff vary hugely in desgin and durability. I had one in a Saab that was at 208,000 and still going strong, and that model had a reputation for wearing 'em out too.

The belt on my Jag (and Landie Discos, RRS etc) is scheduled for change every 106,000 - , there is no scheduled change for the petrol engines, not even for the "slippers" whatever they might be - did you mean tensioners?.

[Troll]

the slippers need changing every 30k. .

Do you mean tensioner?

[milanbenes]

Fook that is worrying- I've heard of belts going but never chains <gulp>

My trusty 15 year old 4x4 has now done 240k miles on the original chain - the word on the street <owners forums> is that they last the life of the vehicle and never need replacing - moot point if the life of the vehicle is the life of the chain.

Mines a diesel and subjected to a rigorous oil change regime - could those cars with failures be petrol or neglected service intervals?

Troll,

I neglected to mention, and you're reminded me, and I updated the original post in the fairness of representing the whole situation,

as far as I understand, he missed an oil change, this means he went twice as long on his oil as he was mean't to

oops

false economy eh

Milan.

[Paddy]

Do you mean tensioner?

On the Toyotas the tensioner was the sprung one and the slippers were the two passive ones.

[Sysman]

Ah Milan. rhe missed oil change is bad news.

Mines a diesel and subjected to a rigorous oil change regime - could those cars with failures be petrol or neglected service intervals?

When I got a new diesel a neighbouring truck driver told me to change the oil and filter twice as frequently as the manufacturer's recommendations (and do it myself to keep costs reasonable). He reckoned that by doing so the engine would probably outlast the car. There's a lot more friction in a diesel due to the high compression ratios.

I didn't keep the car long enough to find out, but it made sense to me. I later heard the same advice from taxi drivers, for petrol engines too.