K-cars

[maxhifi]

Originally Posted by MadMan

You might get lucky sometimes. I've been the own who's written off a lot of those cars. It's still a big expensive job, the head being at the machinist's is about $400 by itself, then all the R&R at a decent shop is another $600-$1000. So yeah, depends on the car's value.

Oh yes... much less relevant. Now more cars are using timing chains... riding on plastic guides that become brittle in the heat and oil of an engine by 100k miles and break and destroy the valves just like a broken timing belt. I've already dealt with several of those. In general, they're much more labor intensive. You're honestly better off with a rubber belt. You'll have to do the maintenance either way, and a belt is typically easier. I suppose the one advantage a chain design has is the absence of camshaft oil seals.

On occasion I've been able to do a chain job preventatively. It's hard to catch though, because it's not as easy as just peeking behind a plastic cover to look at the condition of a belt. :/ It's also not a 'recommended' maintenance, nor is it something the ordinary motorist (or indeed, mechanic) would even consider to be a maintenance item.

Any brands/engines specifically prone to failure? I've seen plenty last a lot longer than 100k, miles, but if that failure prone it sounds like gambling.

Sounds like a reasonable case for pushrods, that style of engine lasted great, no fancy cam drive system..

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by maxhifi

Any brands/engines specifically prone to failure? I've seen plenty last a lot longer than 100k, miles, but if that failure prone it sounds like gambling.

Sounds like a reasonable case for pushrods, that style of engine lasted great, no fancy cam drive system..

St

Has anyone mentioned the original timing chain fail when General Motors used nylon timing gears on their very-interfering small-block V8. Not to be outdone, they used the softened camshafts later in the 70's that rounded lobes by 60K miles.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

St

Has anyone mentioned the original timing chain fail when General Motors used nylon timing gears on their very-interfering small-block V8. Not to be outdone, they used the softened camshafts later in the 70's that rounded lobes by 60K miles.

I heard of a couple of owners that had major problems with their Garbage Motors engines with low miles on them and well cared for.
What did they do! Bought another GM product! Gluttons for Punishment!

[MadMan]

Originally Posted by maxhifi

Any brands/engines specifically prone to failure? I've seen plenty last a lot longer than 100k, miles, but if that failure prone it sounds like gambling.

Most are still a bit new for me to start pointing fingers. Of some of the older ones that I've personally seen... VW's 2.8 VR6 (doing one atm), Ford's 4.0 v6 (Explorers, mostly the older ones [enormous pain in the ass to do]), MINI's 1.8(?) (was able to catch that one early), GM's Ecotec 4 banger (saw one go at 60k, another at 100k [strangely I've only seen it in 2010+, design change, maybe?])... and that's all that's coming to mind atm.

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

Has anyone mentioned the original timing chain fail when General Motors used nylon timing gears on their very-interfering small-block V8. Not to be outdone, they used the softened camshafts later in the 70's that rounded lobes by 60K miles.

NICE!

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by MadMan

Most are still a bit new for me to start pointing fingers. Of some of the older ones that I've personally seen... VW's 2.8 VR6 (doing one atm), Ford's 4.0 v6 (Explorers, mostly the older ones [enormous pain in the ass to do]), MINI's 1.8(?) (was able to catch that one early), GM's Ecotec 4 banger (saw one go at 60k, another at 100k [strangely I've only seen it in 2010+, design change, maybe?])... and that's all that's coming to mind atm.



NICE!

I had a 2001 Ford Explorer that had the 4.0 V6. When it was started from cold, the engine would rumble until the oil pressure came up, but only for a few seconds. It seemed to run alright, but I traded it at 120K when it need front end work and tires. I thought if I did the rest of the work and the engine failed, it was a big expense.
I traded it on my 2005 diesel Jeep Liberty which was totaled in Dec. 2009 in a freak accident.