Timing Chain

[ghockey216]

when should the timing chain be replaced on a 99 sl2

[Cat Fuzz]

Never, if the car has been maintained properly. If it's been neglected, it's a crap shoot.

[dirtymazda]

Originally Posted by Cat Fuzz

Never, if the car has been maintained properly. If it's been neglected, it's a crap shoot.

i cant say much, but the local saturn dealers (there were 2 of them within a 30 mile radius of me) told me that they should be replaced every 80,000 miles for a DOHC engine. but there again when i replaced mine at 112,000 the tensionor was a little over half way out. if you do decide to pull it out the eastiest way to get at it would be to pull the motor. just my opinion. i had to put a rear main oil seal in mine shortly after i picked it up. hence me pulling the motor.

[J-Ri]

Originally Posted by dirtymazda

i cant say much, but the local saturn dealers (there were 2 of them within a 30 mile radius of me) told me that they should be replaced every 80,000 miles for a DOHC engine. but there again when i replaced mine at 112,000 the tensionor was a little over half way out. if you do decide to pull it out the eastiest way to get at it would be to pull the motor. just my opinion. i had to put a rear main oil seal in mine shortly after i picked it up. hence me pulling the motor.

80k for a timing belt, maybe, but not a timing chain. In general they should go 200k miles or better even if the engine has been somewhat neglected. Never seen inside a 1.9L, but I'll assume it has the plastic tensioner surface that wears out like the 2.4 has. I think 250k would be a safe guess, because of tensioner wear, and you may as well do the chain if you're that far into it. I had one that made it to 19xk miles that was worn maybe 2/3 of the way through, and that car was in bad shape when i got it.