FAI Timing / Balance Chains

chizo82

Hi All,
I'm looking to replace my Timing and Balance chains soon. I know i should really got for GM parts, but has anybody had any issues with the FAI kits available for purchase on here?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated...

Cheers

Matt

Only issue ever reported was bolts being stretched when fitting the guides on the balance chain. For the price, they are a decent bit of kit, and a good alternative to the GM kits for people on a budget.

pottsey

Ive bought a fai balance chain kit off here been on car nearly a year had no problems with it at all

evocarlos

ive lost count of the amount of FAI chains ive fitted no reported problem from my end 🙂 if your on a budget get the fai
i also say if you have the money get the gm main chain as its the most important and then the fai balancer chain as its just for the water pump and bal shafts so not so critical and only £67 🙂

the bolt stretching is down to oil in the thread as there's no stop at the bottom of the hole
with the oil they won't ever lock at 10nm i have recreated this issue even with gm bolts in a block with oil in the threads i have here as i wanted to see the out come 🙂

Graham2704

Hi I got a Genuine balance chain ( and got an FAI timing chain kit and fitted by the master himself evocarlos running sweet as a nut

Dave_Gilbert

FAI i beleive(got from @[deleted] on here)
bin on since oct with no complaints so far. fitted by a pro i know, hes quite good at fitting them i think he has done 1 or 2 now hahaha @[deleted]

IDI_AMIN

I've got an FAI timing chain and GM balance chain for the best price at the time i got them. done quite a few thousand miles in the 19 months they have been fitted and can say i have had no problems with either chain set
I would not hesitate to recommend FAI chains to anyone

matty0785

fai chains on mine and no issue's

corsaZ22se

ok if on a tight bugget or looking to out the car soon. if you ever intend on modifying the engine or already have done so then only use genuine gm parts.
the quality of most aftermarket parts is not there when compaired to genuine parts, the price reflects this. also many aftermarket kits don't come with all the parts you need.
FAI kit price is less than half that of a genuine gm kit.

evocarlos

but then the gm balancer kit don't come with all the parts 🙂 the fai kit reflects this and only supply 2 bolts in the balancer kit the same as the gm balancer kit 🙂
4nm with oil in the thread 🙂 10nm dry no problem 🙂

corsaZ22se

all 3 times ive ordered a gm kit it has come with all the bolts. 🙂

evocarlos

the 2 full gm kits i had did not 🙂
main gm kit missing one bolt for oil jet bnib sealed

gm balancer kit missing the 2 black guide rail bolts bnib and sealed 🙂

its a pretty common thing to have the 2 bolts short in the balancer kit i think they must of been packed at the factory at 3:55 on a friday lol

but then the reuse of the old bolts is fine 🙂

jetsmike73

I used an fairly kit for both chains The only thing I found with mine was it came with the old tensioner what failed 12 months later just replaced it for the new type

VRA79

Hey. Prompt, whether it is possible to put a set of FAI chains? Thank you

Dave_Gilbert

The money saved isnt worth it. Buy gm.

You can get a gm timing chain kit for £150 on ebay.

HarleyPete

At the very least, as advised by @[deleted] fit a GM main chain and maybe use a FAI blance chain. I chose to fit both GM ones as the cost was really not worth the possible hassle and I wanted it all to be right. As @[deleted] says, the money saved isn't worth it in the long run.

KevinH

You won't regret buying genuine GM chain kits however they do cost a bit more but they last longer.
Buy once and fit once then you'll have peace of mind. (y)