wemay
Site Donor 2023
This topic actually concerns me more than the often argued engine wear thick v thin.
ILSAC GF6 Chain Wear Test
- Thread starter Snagglefoot
- Start date
How far back do you want to go? The timing chains of yesteryear before belts became the norm were smaller but wide. Today they are elongated and narrow.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,558
Earliest I remember is the early 80s when I started driving. I never heard any talk of timing chain failure until fairly recently on here. I always remember hearing people say that timing belts would break if not changed,and that chains lasted forever.
That train of thought was the norm. Then again those old motors really didn’t have the horsepower that today’s motors do. Timing belts usually got changed every 60k. Some went a bit longer.
Now we are back to chains but they are these glorified bicycle chains installed in smaller 4 and 6 cylinder motors with a lot more power, especially with turbos. I don’t think we can make a straight across comparison.
I'm curious about that too. We will never know.
What's glorious about smaller links? Bicycle chains have ½" [12.7 mm] pitch.
wemay
Site Donor 2023
Yes, me too. But i'm referring to Main and Journal Bearings plus Piston Walls more often cited here. But you're right, like this thread proves, chain wear has been brought up at times.
Thinning Benefit - Lubes'N'Greases
How can low-viscosity oils balance conflicting demands in modern engines? While lowering engine oil viscosities has been a valuable part of meeting government-mandated fuel economy and emissions targets for automakers, thinner oils can increase wear as well as friction under certain conditions...
www.lubesngreases.com
Ah yes, they referenced a Ford EcoTech engine.Thinning Benefit - Lubes'N'Greases
How can low-viscosity oils balance conflicting demands in modern engines? While lowering engine oil viscosities has been a valuable part of meeting government-mandated fuel economy and emissions targets for automakers, thinner oils can increase wear as well as friction under certain conditions...
wemay
Site Donor 2023
Good read, thanks for sharing.
The article affirms that the sole benefit of low viscosity oil is improved fuel economy. It also shows that in order to compensate for the deficiencies in those oils sophisticated additive chemistry is required. Mechanical protection is no longer based upon an inherent property of the base stock.
I'd say at 240K the chains did their job.
To me 240k isn't that great. It was almost all highway driving. Especially when it's not a reasonably priced repair like doing timing chain and gears on my Oldsmobile V8 or even my gm 4.8. The 4.8 is at 200k and 8700 hours and I'm hoping to never have to do the timing chain.
Engines quite often go over 300k miles these day.
Thinning Benefit - Lubes'N'Greases
How can low-viscosity oils balance conflicting demands in modern engines? While lowering engine oil viscosities has been a valuable part of meeting government-mandated fuel economy and emissions targets for automakers, thinner oils can increase wear as well as friction under certain conditions...
Thanks for sharing.
And you saw that data where in the article? Did you read the whole thing carefully?
Regarding the chains, the wear seems to be mainly with the tensioners and guides. Once the motor is taken apart to replace those parts the chain usually gets replaced as well. Some motors have long chains with all kinds of turns and multiple guides and such.
The new SP oils are definitely a step in the right direction.
The new SP oils are definitely a step in the right direction.
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