spitfires
[Top] [All Lists]

Scary problem with timing chain

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Scary problem with timing chain
From: Douglas Braun & Nadia Papakonstantinou <doug@dougbraun.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2001 19:50:59 -0400
Hello,

A couple of months ago I dropped my oil pan to check the
crank thrust washers.  While cleaning the pan, I found 
a funny little bit of metal about 1/8" in size, that looked
like a fragment of a hollow cylinder originally the size of a pencil
eraser.  I had no idea what it was doing there.

Today, it suddenly dawned on me what it was:  it was a fragment of
one of the little rollers of the timing chain.

I quickly pulled the chain out (1/2 hour total work) and indeed
found that one link was missing its little roller.  

I installed this chain (a generic aftermarket model) about 10 years ago,
and 14000 miles ago.  I have no idea how long ago the link actually broke,
but I had the chain off about a year ago when I changed the cam, and I
think I would have noticed it then.

Does any one have any well-founded opinion on the merits of aftermarket vs.
OEM chains, or maybe a double-row setup?

Doug Braun
'72 Spit

///  spitfires@autox.team.net mailing list
///  or try  http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • Scary problem with timing chain, Douglas Braun & Nadia Papakonstantinou <=