There is no reason not to expect the timing chain to last the life of the motor
and the life of any motor made in the past 20 years or so will easily last
200,000+ miles if maintained properly. I know some folks have had premature
timing chain failure on their Dakotas but that's the exception not the rule. I
don't consider my 89 Dakota going to 256,000 miles on the orignal timing chain
as "Sheer and unadulterated luck", I expected it just like I expected every
other internal engine part to last that long.
In my 35 years of working on cars I have replaced plenty of timing chains most
of them closer to 35 years ago than now and primarily when GM was making the
cam gears out of diecast alumninum with nylon teeth. It's certainly something
that is one of the more common internal engine parts that will need to be
replaced but it's not something that should be associated with the mileage or
age of the vehicle. When it acts up you replace it otherwise it's not something
to worry about.
It's not even something I would associate with changing out the water pump when
discussing the 3.9/5.2/5.9's, there is considerably more work to remove the
timing cover than to replace the water pump and the timing cover can be removed
without breaking the gasket seal on the water pump so it's not trival step to
go from a water pump change to doing the timing set also.
Dave Clement
99 SLT+ CC 4x4
> B1LLYW@aol.com wrote:
>
> > In a message dated 2/21/2005 7:55:52 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> > david.clement@verizon.net writes:
> >
> >>My 89 3.9 had 256,000 miles on it on the orignal timing chain when I sold
> >>the
> >>truck.
> >
> >
> > Sheer and unadulterated luck.
> >
> > Bill White - KRC Performance
>
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