Timing chain maintenance.

[THERMAL]

Are honda timing chain

Topic

[dreamer2355]

Chains stretch with age and fatigue.

You can measure timing chain deflection if you know the specifications. Or if you have a distributor, you can rotate the engine by hand watching the ignition rotor then for a brief moment, turn the engine the opposite direction. The ignition rotor should move right away and have no delay in most cases.

[Matt]

I’m stretching my memory here, but I think I remember Eric saying to set your engine at TDC @ no. 1 cylinder. Then rotate the engine backwards (by hand) and if the crank rotates more than 7 degrees before you see the dizzy move, you are outside the limits on the timing chain, and it needs replacing.

[college man]

Standing room only here. Great posts guys.C8-)

[dreamer2355]

I like Beefy’s post better, its more technical C8-)

[johnzcarz]

Quoted From Beefy:

I’m stretching my memory here, but I think I remember Eric saying to set your engine at TDC @ no. 1 cylinder. Then rotate the engine backwards (by hand) and if the crank rotates more than 7 degrees before you see the dizzy move, you are outside the limits on the timing chain, and it needs replacing.

I remember watching that method demonstrated too – not sure who actually did the video of it though.

[EricTheCarGuy]

First, chains don’t ‘stretch’ they wear. A chain is made up of many small parts that work together, as these parts wear the clearances between these parts increase and the chain gets ‘longer’ sometimes to the point where the chain can jump time. As for the K series engines the chain is a lifetime part however if you let that engine run low on oil for any length of time it will increase the wear on the chain and might cause it to jump time at some point. The moral of the story is to check your oil regularly and make sure it’s at the proper level and you should never have a problem with it.

[Author]

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