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Just curious, which new cars still use a timing chain?

ibex333

ibex333

Diamond Member
So I found out that my 2004 Lexus RX 330 has a timing belt, and not a timing chain. Aside from the insane price it costs to replace, this is a huge annoyance, because if the belt pops, the engine will go with it, and there is no cheap or easy way to bring it back to life. I cant believe most motorists don't consider this a big flaw.

I did read up on why belts are used instead of chains, but I always place reliability above performance, and had I known about the belt in my car prior to purchase, I would have never gotten it.


Anyway, I am curious if any car manufacturers still make cars with a timing chain instead of a belt these days.


Let me know if you know of any.
 
Most manufacturers use chains.

Note that while most people aren't aware, technically chains are a wear item too. They just have a longer service interval. Personally I prefer belts as the system is simpler overall with far less components to potentially fail.
 
ibex333 said:
So I found out that my 2004 Lexus RX 330 has a timing belt, and not a timing chain. Aside from the insane price it costs to replace, this is a huge annoyance, because if the belt pops, the engine will go with it, and there is no cheap or easy way to bring it back to life. I cant believe most motorists don't consider this a big flaw.
Click to expand...

You realize timing chains can fail, right? Most motorists don't consider it a big flaw because the timing belt generally outlasts the water pump and it's right there, so if you replace the water pump you might as well replace the timing belt too.
 
Im with the OP on this one, i trust a piece of metal more than rubber when it comes down to if it breaks it grenades the whole engine.
 
I've had both belts and chains. Never had an issue with the belted cars as long as you replace it within the interval. Timing a belted car is a bit tricky, especially holding all the cams in the right location, but I did it a few times when changing belts.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new, belted car though. I do prefer non-interference engines (where if the belt broke you don't grenade your engine) but you can't always get what you want. Also note that if the belt does break, more than likely all you're doing is replacing the valves, which while labor intensive, isn't particularly expensive parts wise.
 
Toyota got smart and went back to chains. I had a Camry whose belt broke, but as a 'non-interference' engine, it was no problem.
 
Rifter said:
Im with the OP on this one, i trust a piece of metal more than rubber when it comes down to if it breaks it grenades the whole engine.
Click to expand...

Look up timing chain guide failure.

A timing belt / water pump service every 90k miles isn't the end of the world.
 
I think the takeaway is this:

A well designed timing chain system will provide decades of trouble-free performance. A properly-maintained timing belt will do the same. There are many more variables that go into designing and implementing a robust timing chain system. By design a timing belt system is far simpler and, dare I say easier, to design and build.
 
Which all have timing chains 😉

And here's the LT5 from the 90's...
WAqcPUP.png
 
NutBucket said:
Which all have timing chains 😉

And here's the LT5 from the 90's...
WAqcPUP.png
Click to expand...

TRUE. but not like they are talking in the thread. can also be replaced by gears.

oh come on.... how many lt5 motors were even built... 4500?🙄
 
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Never had a timing chain fail. But did have a belt fail on an Escort with only about 60k miles. Fortunately did not trash the valves. I look at it this way. A belt is a guaranteed several hundred dollar repair every 100k. Either could fail due to a defect, so that is a wash. Advantage to chain, all else being equal. Too bad all manufacturers dont make non-interference engines too. In that case, I would view a belt much less negatively.

Edit: in response to the original question, I bought a Altima a few years ago, and it has a chain.
 
belts aren't a big deal, budget $500-$1000 every 100k miles

why did they go from non-interference to interference? better compression? i think there are still a few non interference engines being made
 
frozentundra123456 said:
Never had a timing chain fail. But did have a belt fail on an Escort with only about 60k miles. Fortunately did not trash the valves. I look at it this way. A belt is a guaranteed several hundred dollar repair every 100k. Either could fail due to a defect, so that is a wash. Advantage to chain, all else being equal. Too bad all manufacturers dont make non-interference engines too. In that case, I would view a belt much less negatively.

Edit: in response to the original question, I bought a Altima a few years ago, and it has a chain.
Click to expand...


Huh? Where are you getting your belt changed? Most belt change doesn't even involve jacking up the car.
 
dave_the_nerd said:
Pretty sure the 4-cylinder 2.4L in some new(er) Honda/Acuras uses a chain.
Click to expand...

Honda switched over to chains in all of their 4 cylinders around 2000. Their V6's continued to use belts for a while. Maybe they still have belts?

Anyhow timing chain failures in Hondas are exceedingly rare. I know of plenty of examples of 400k+ mile Honda engines with perfectly functioning timing chains.
 
Rifter said:
Im with the OP on this one, i trust a piece of metal more than rubber when it comes down to if it breaks it grenades the whole engine.
Click to expand...

How many engines that use timing belts are interference engines? I suspect very few. So unless you have an interference engine and don’t bother with pesky things like routine maintenance then you have nothing to worry about.

I don’t get the movement against engines with timing belts. So you spend a few hundred dollars every 100k miles to replace a timing belt. Big deal.

I ride a motorcycle with timing belts and it is an interference engine and I don’t give it a second thought and replacing the timing belts on my bike is called for every 2 years or 15,000 miles.
 
herm0016 said:
or avoid it all together and and get a small block chevy.
Click to expand...

Still has a timing chain in it.

One of the reasons I went with a ford focus is because it uses a timing chain. I've changed a few timing belts and I don't like it. Only changed one timing chain and that was on a 67 ford 390 and I didn't like that either lol but it lasted a lot longer. Two of my three current cars are belts bleh.
 
JulesMaximus said:
How many engines that use timing belts are interference engines? I suspect very few. So unless you have an interference engine and don’t bother with pesky things like routine maintenance then you have nothing to worry about.

I don’t get the movement against engines with timing belts. So you spend a few hundred dollars every 100k miles to replace a timing belt. Big deal.

I ride a motorcycle with timing belts and it is an interference engine and I don’t give it a second thought and replacing the timing belts on my bike is called for every 2 years or 15,000 miles.
Click to expand...
I think the list of interference engines is much longer than non.

The takeaway is, both systems are fine and should have zero influence on car choice.
 
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