Possable Timing chain issues?

Grizzly

Hi all.

This may just be me being paranoid but i have been having problems with 2004 Vectra 2.2, my engine warning light came on, it has a miss fire and dodgy idle (more ovious when cold) and it is bad on fuel/down on power. So i have had it in Vauxhall three times and they have replaced the Cam sensor twice but has not fixed the miss (but the light has gone out).

I got my car back yesterday from them and have just gone to start it and there was a rattling noise coming from the engine (was for aprox 5 seconds) its not done this before and with the car now having 85k on it i'm worried that could have been the cam chain.

I have just rang them up and asked about this and they have told me its because i have parked it on an incline and the oil has drained back to the sump, this means it needs a few seconds to build up oil pressure.....

The million dollar question is could the cam chain be cause my symptoms or am i just being jumpy because of the reputation of this engine in the Vectra B?

vocky

could be the cam chain, to be honest at 85k it's not a bad idea to replace it

but also might be worth checking the exhaust manifold isn't cracked

Grizzly

I have just had the strangest conversation with my local vauxhall main dealer, the guy was telling me there is no way my cam chain would be bad at 85k, but when i said i didn't want to take the risk he went into a Tantrum saying he's en experianced mechanic of twenty ody years etc etc?? i came of the phone quite confused as all i wanted to do was book it in for a cam chain?? Very odd.

Anyway i have done a compression test which was evenly between 119 and 121 between the four pistons (cold with no plugs in) i also took the cam cover off just to see if the chain was loose or not, the tension seems to be ok (not flopping about) but the links seem to be loose (i made a video just to show what i mean)

Click on pic (uploaded it in the wrong place)

I am going to get the chains changed but would you say the play is excessive and could be causing the timing to be out enough to cause a miss fire and bad mpg etc or do you think Vauxhall where right and there is another fault that hasn't shown its self yet?

vocky

vauxhall quote the lifespan as 100k miles, but really there should also be a maximum age as the guides will eventually go brittle.

I would advise owners to replace at 80k miles or 6 years, just like a cambelt would be changed at 40k miles or 4 years.

as for the vauxhall dealer, thats a very odd response notsure.gif

Grizzly

Well i booked it in some where else to have the cam chain fitted but just out of intrest i set the crank to the Timing mark and had a look to see where the Cam pointers pointed, i will take a picture of it tomorow as the cams seem to be too far back (anticlockwise, the exhaust seems too low and the inlet too high), i don't know if its possable but i'd say the chain may have slipped one tooth on the chain at some point? or maybe its just stretched half a link or some thing like that (the links are very loose)

But anyway with a bit of luck it should drive like a new one after the new chains have been done (Fingures crossed)

vocky

I changed a chain the other month and the old chain was one tooth out, car ran fine :silent:

but the owner did report an increase in performance 😃

Grizzly

I borrowed a timing tool and tried it today and both pins won't go in the cam pulleys (between 1/3 and 1/2 a hole out on both cams) not sure if thats allot out but it must be 1/2 a link out, i just hope its that causing its dodgy running.

vocky

if the chain has jumped a tooth then the tensioner should be replaced and the guides checked

Grizzly

Went in today to have a full timing kit fitted 🙂 with a bit of luck it should be all happy again by weekend when i go and pick it up :thumbup:

Grizzly

Out of intrest, have Vauxhall changed the design of the main tensioner in there kits? its just the garage thats doing my cam chain have been messing me about saying Vauxhall have sent the kit with the wrong tensioner so they are waiting for parts? when i went to see them they showed me the old and new one and there not the same (the old one has a flat top and 1/2 plunger, the new/wrong one has a domed top and seems to be longer with a 3/8 plunger) i said to them is there any chance its a revised part and they said not likly more chance of a wrong part??

Not having much luck with this 🙁

colin002

the new tensioner with the matching guide will fit ... i just fitted a z22yh chain kit to my z22se engine ..
people told me couldnt be done get the right parts ,, its the same kit . with one different sprocket ,,

any good mechanic would of lined up all the old stuff to the new stuff and seen for them selfs

Grizzly

"any good mechanic would of lined up all the old stuff to the new stuff and seen for them selfs"

This is what worries me. I'm not having much joy with my local garages, i'm sure Vauxhall are going to tell them its a Modified part but i supose if they wernt sure i feel a bit better they checked back with Vauxhall.

colin002

how did you get on .. did they manage to get your chain kit installed with new tensioner