Austin's Best Choice for Auto Repair

What is a timing chain? A timing chain, or in some motors a timing belt, is responsible for coordinating the opening and closing of valves within the internal combustion engine. This coordination is achieved by synchronizing the camshaft and crankshaft to open and close the valves while simultaneously preventing the pistons from hitting these valves. The timing chain consists of multiple links that run smoothly over gears, but with such a dynamic role in the motor, the timing chain is susceptible to wear and tear and may cause problems. Luckily, there are a few tell-tale symptoms to look out for. What are the symptoms of a bad timing chain? The engine misfires. Once a timing chain is stretched and has lost its integrity, the chain may skip a gear and lose the necessary coordination leading to an engine misfire. Repeated misfires could indicate a timing chain issue and should be investigated.   There is a rattling sound. A lax timing chain, or worse, a broken timing chain wi ... read more