Hey everyone,

so so for the past little while whenever I would drive my car for a while and it has warmed up, I start to hear the infamous ticking noise coming from the timing chain area of the engine. now although I’m not sure if it is, is there any type of reinforced timing chain guides that any aftermarkets have made?

 

All guides are almost the same. They usually don't fail. It is the chain that slacks and starts to hit on them. The upper one is almost always the first to go. Open up the valve cover and take a look.

 

I disagree with your statement. After measuring several chain lengths against new, the difference is negligible. My theory on what happens is that either the tensioner looses spring tension and or intake valves become clogged and cause rough starting. This then causes the chain to slap up and down which then starts the guides going fubar. In particular the top guide has most difficulty when slapped with a rough start or improper tensioner tension.

Although the guides change color quickly, they don't necessarily get brittle.



R56 new timing chin vs 80k mile chain.


It does not take long to pull the vale cover to confirm guide health.
Tensioners are not difficult to change.

 

If you read the question of the OP, he's asking about the guides and if there are reinforced after market guides. My answer was that all of them are the same, the guides that is and they all made of plastic. Then I added to draw his attention that usually the timing chain is the cause for failing guides. Your statement is probably correct in what causes the chain to fail, which I did not mention.

 

When you stated chain slacks I thought you were referring to chain stretch or lengthening. Which is not the reason for guide failure. Nor is the chain itself reason for failure. That is the portion I disagree with you on, or read to much into. I have yet to see a chain fail.

Tensioner (spring loaded)
Rough starts (numerous reasons)

Very high torque motor " slapping" a chain is root cause. Chain wear or "stretch", the latter being a misnomer are not root causes.

Guides, yes , are the same.