On 10/27/2017 11:56 AM, dsi1 wrote:
> On Friday, October 27, 2017 at 6:20:38 AM UTC-10, Casa de los peregrinos wrote:
>>
>> I'm very surprised to hear this. A good timing chain should have close
>> to double the life of a belt, or a minimum of 100,000 miles.
>>
>> It seems implausible that the technology would have gone backwards here
>> that recently.
>
> Well, me too. That's something my mechanic told me. He's like a philosopher mechanic. It might have something to do with chains stretching and the drive parts wearing. OTOH, the chain won't break. My guess is that people with a lot of miles on their engines will just live with retarded valve timing and chain noise - because they can.

I totally agree that chain stretch is the one key factor.

But honestly with double the mileage service intervals it's hardly a
critical failing.

Methinks your mechanic is pulling your pinky on this one.


>>
>>> I don't recall changing the water pump with the timing belt but I might have. When my water pump sprung a leak on the VW, I changed out the belt too since it had to come off anyway. They should hang the water pump off to the side of the engine since they tend to leak.
>>>
>>
>> 100% agree here, water pumps seem to have been placed as much for
>> convenience as the high cost of replacement.
>