Why does Honda insist on using timing belts instead of chains?

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I used to hate the idea of timing belts. Then I owned a Chevy Traverse, with the 3.6 that was known to have timing chain issues. To be fair, it made it to 170,000 before the dreaded cam position error codes came up, but I couldn't justify the $3000+ to drop the whole front end to get the engine out to replace all 3 timing chains and the sprockets. Obviously way beyond home repair. The timing belt in my Pilot doesn't seem so bad after all, at least that's within my ability, and it can be done with the engine in the car.
 
I prefer chains over belts but it comes with a HUGE qualifier. Quality chains! IIRC there was a series of GM engines that had issues with chains. Issues traced back to inferior quality chains used. I'm sure GM was not the only one but it is the manufacturer I remember.
Yep....Pontiac V8 engines of the 60's and 70's had nylon covered gears, were known for timing chains.....also 1st gen EcoTec 4 cylinders.....tensioners shot crap, and chains did shortly thereafter.
 
Thats my expirence with other people.. with car owners here in germany. 90% of them prefer the chepaest oil and do the longest possible OCIs.
if you dont like what i am posting or dont belive it, thats O.K.
*shrug*
Its true, I know a lot of Germans that insist on using cheap oil, they cannot be convinced that synthetic is so much better and cheaper in the long run.
 
One key difference: chains are covered under warranty esp. extended warranties where belts are generally a maintenance/wear item.

Not really. It's not like tires where the driver's driving style can make a difference. It's a different kind of maintenance item since the warranty is typically shorter than the replacement interval. If it fails during the warranty period, a timing belt and any damage that results is going to be covered by warranty. For my wife's 2002 Civic, the replacement interval was 110K miles or 7 years. The warranty was 3 years or 36K miles.
 
I certainly prefer a chain if its a good setup, many are not, Nissan 3.5, Ford tritons, Ford Ecoboost, 3.6 Gms, the Ford 4.0 Sohc with the jackshaft that runs to the back of the engine and has a failure prone chain guides sitting on the back of the engine. Oh there are so many problematic timing chain setups its hard to remember them all. Many good ones as well.
 
I certainly prefer a chain if its a good setup, many are not, Nissan 3.5, Ford tritons, Ford Ecoboost, 3.6 Gms, the Ford 4.0 Sohc with the jackshaft that runs to the back of the engine and has a failure prone chain guides sitting on the back of the engine. Oh there are so many problematic timing chain setups its hard to remember them all. Many good ones as well.
The Ford 3.5/3.7 also has issues, not specifically with the chain itself but the water pump that is driven off it, and has no external weephole, so when the water pump leaks/fails it floods your sump with coolant and destroys the bearings. A shame since those are otherwise excellent engines.
 
This was fixed in other/newer versions, it was just the LLT I believe that suffered from this, they went from 3 timing chains to 2 in the later revisions and as far as I know those don't have the same issues.
I meant the “is DOHC in a V really worth it? I think not” part, I’m all for them, I loved my Pentastar.
 
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The Ford 3.5/3.7 also has issues, not specifically with the chain itself but the water pump that is driven off it, and has no external weephole, so when the water pump leaks/fails it floods your sump with coolant and destroys the bearings. A shame since those are otherwise excellent engines.

They do have a external weep hole. People like to ignore the leaking antifreeze or are just oblivious to it.
 
I'm constantly hearing about timing chain replacement. Not to mention the tensioners, and guides that go along with them. That always seem to get chewed up. I had a belt driven camshaft on my 1979 VW Diesel. It had 137,000 miles on it when I sold it, and it was never touched. And if it ever needed replacement, it was a snap.

Simply remove the sheet metal cover, insert 2 dowel pins to lock the cam and crank in position. Then apply some pressure with a breaker bar against the tensioner, and slip off the old one, and install the new one. It was as, if not easier than replacing a Serpentine Belt that most all cars have today that drive everything.

That is NOT the correct method for a timing belt service on an old VW diesel, IIRC. The cam pulley is not keyed to the camshaft and it is supposed to be re-timed when the timing belt is replaced.
 
I meant the “is DOHC in a V really worth it? I think not” part, I’m all for them, I loved my Pentastar.
A Dodge Charger with a 6'er was one going ride I rented in Florida a few years ago.
The specific unit I had ran perfect and had tonnes of power.
I even opened the hood one afternoon to see if that wasn't some hot small block V8 under there,
But GM could have done well with just SOHC in the truck and large sedan engine.
300 HP is just bragging rights but 265hp would plenty and they could boost the low/midrange torque
which is where you run 95% of the time

But The dual vvt may give them emissions advantages and allow engineers to jettison eternal EGR valve/ports
 
The GM LGX 310/ 271 is a really nice mill from a drivers perspective.

It feels like a modest small block

It's not as smooth as my belt driven Honda j35, but it pulls harder on the bottom and mid.
 
I meant the “is DOHC in a V really worth it? I think not” part, I’m all for them, I loved my Pentastar.
Here is the Pentastar; Much like two inline 3's joined at the hip with an oil pump and or
balancer shaft drive at the bottom. Almost a traditional chain arrangement with focus on guides
to manage whip and slap - with the exception of the idler driving the two cam banks.
Still the design employs four chains eight sprockets (!)
with the cam chains likely ~ 5 feet long when un-linked.

pentastar tchains.webp
 
I used to hate the idea of timing belts. Then I owned a Chevy Traverse, with the 3.6 that was known to have timing chain issues. To be fair, it made it to 170,000 before the dreaded cam position error codes came up, but I couldn't justify the $3000+ to drop the whole front end to get the engine out to replace all 3 timing chains and the sprockets. Obviously way beyond home repair. The timing belt in my Pilot doesn't seem so bad after all, at least that's within my ability, and it can be done with the engine in the car.
Pilot timing belt is a 2 hr job for most techs, maybe less. But dealer price for the timing belt pkg, plugs and valve adjust total about $2500 around here, so it isn't much less than the timing chain job.
 
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