Which timing drive is better? This question is one of the ten most philosophical automotive issues, together with left and right hand drive, petrol or diesel, manual or automatic transmission transmission Some car enthusiasts will vote for a belt drive, while others will give preference to a chain mechanism. The same applies to all the above issues. Let's try to figure out together which gas distribution mechanism is better, cheaper and what are the pros and cons of the two drive options camshaft.
It’s worth noting right away that today more and more automakers are switching to belt drives and abandoning the timing chain. But still, some drivers still have trouble trust to the “elastic” drive. A large number of car enthusiasts, especially the older generation, call the metal version almost eternal. Are they right?
Modern timing chain
Timing chains used to be a truly hassle-free element. The thing is that it was usually made from two, and sometimes from three links (rows). Breaking such a metal track was very problematic. They really “served” for hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Over time, the chain could stretch out and begin to ring unbearably, which led to jumping one or two teeth. But even in this case, breaks occurred much less frequently than with belts.
Compared to a belt, the chain is noisy and stretches, but the sound insulation of modern power units allows this drawback to be eliminated quickly and efficiently. In the cabin, the “rustle” of the chain is almost inaudible. It is worth noting that the old chain motors really more reliable than new ones. Modern units cannot boast of similar reliability. Why?
There are a number of reasons for this. Now engines have lost a lot of weight, become shorter and smaller in volume. This is due to the so-called “EURO standards” - the car needs to be lighter, more compact, consume little fuel and emit less harmful substances in atmosphere. These requirements were also reflected in the timing belt. Its drive is also greatly facilitated.
Also, now all automakers are trying to increase the volume of the interior by reducing the volume engine compartment. Therefore, it is very important that the power unit is as compact as possible. The chain drive was the first to suffer from such changes, so the chain was shortened and lightened as much as possible. Now it looks more like a bicycle. Due to this reduction, not only the block head was reduced, but also the block itself. Therefore, there was no need for a large oil bath (the classic chain constantly rotated in oil).
At first glance, everything is fine - the chain has been shortened, the volume and size have decreased, less oil is needed, the weight has decreased. Great right? But there is one important “BUT”... such a thin product began to tear.
True, before it completely fails, the chain begins to make more noise than usual. Many drivers do not pay attention to this, blame it on the weather, or simply may not hear it due to the good “noise” of the engine. All this leads to an open circuit and expensive repairs.
Thus, the timing chain has become the same consumable as most of the engine elements. Nowadays it is extremely difficult to find an engine in which the chain would be changed only when major renovation(as it was before). As a rule, it is changed like a belt - from 100,000 km. Plus, due to the complexity of the design, timing chain diagnostics are now very expensive. We can conclude that a modern chain mechanism is very close to a timing belt in terms of reliability and service life.
Do you have a car on a chain? Don't rush to get upset. Yes, there are really a lot of disadvantages, but there are also advantages:
- it rotates in a closed space, practically does not come into contact with air, which means there is no debris, dust or moisture that accelerates wear.
- She practically doesn't care about temperature. She is not afraid of either cold or heat, unlike the belt.
- adjustment accuracy. The chain has a more precise adjustment mechanism; it does not stretch as much.
- resistance to short-term overloads.
Timing belt
This is a completely different design, despite the identity of the functions performed. The belt looks like this - a rubberized tape (can be fabric-based or other wear-resistant material) inside which there are teeth. These teeth mesh with gears that are mounted on the camshaft.
Advantages of the belt mechanism:
- dry construction. That is, there is no oil here. It is located outside the power unit and rotates in the air, although it is covered with a special casing.
- The belt is elastic. It effectively dampens vibrations, which in multi-cylinder engines can affect the life of the shafts.
- There is practically no influence of temperature on the operation of the motor. If the oil is cold in winter, this does not affect the engine noise (the chain mechanism needs to warm up to effectively pump oil into the hydraulic tensioner).
- silence of work.
- ease of diagnosis and repair. There is no need to disassemble the motor, you don't even need to remove the head cover. Simply remove the protective cover.
- repair price. It is cheaper both to produce and to replace. Changing a belt along with mechanical tensioners costs several times less than replacing a chain.
- compactness of the part. A motor with belts is lighter, shorter and smaller in volume.
Negative points:
- pollution. Since the belt rotates in the air and is protected only by a guard, it can become exposed to dust, dirt, water and even oil. All this negatively affects its resource.
- aging and cracking. The belt changes not only by mileage, but also by year. For example, if the car has been sitting for a long time without use, and the mileage is only a few tens of kilometers, the belt still needs to be changed. Its material tends to age and over time it simply cracks.
- tendency to slip. During exceeding maximum load(during a sharp start from a standstill), the belt may slip. Sometimes even the teeth that engage are broken.
So, what is better: a belt or a chain? It is extremely difficult to give a definite answer. It is necessary to look at the specific engine model, as well as its operating conditions.
There is a category of potential car owners who are interested in a list of cars with a timing chain drive. Some people are interested in this before buying a car, others are interested simply out of curiosity. Long gone are the days when only a chain served as a transmission link for rotation from crankshaft to the distributor mechanism in the cylinder head.
After the advent of high-quality timing belts, they began to gradually forget about it. But there are still a huge number of cars with it running around highways different countries peace.
The list of cars with a timing chain drive will also be useful for those who categorically refuse to use such cars. Belt drives, like chain drives, have their own advantages and disadvantages, knowledge of which will help you decide on the final choice of timing drive. The article was not intended to advertise something, it is purely for informational purposes, so that car owners and everyone who is interested in it understands what it is.
About the features of using the chain
There are probably still drivers who do not quite understand the purpose of this link in the gas distribution mechanism. In order to make the purpose of the circuit in it more clear, let's remember the principle of operation car engines. Working cylinder after filling working mixture, is not yet ready to ignite it. Before this, the air-fuel mixture is compressed by the movement of the piston to the top dead center.
Compression ratio modern cars is 12 or more units, this means that the working volume of the cylinder decreases several times. After ignition, gases from the burnt air-fuel mixture push the piston to bottom dead center. In order for these gases to leave the volume of the working cylinder, the piston moves upward again. At this time, the exhaust valve opens to allow exhaust gases to pass into the system for removing them from the working cylinder. This entire cycle is possible thanks to the transmission of rotational motion from the crankshaft to the camshaft.
Chain drive vehicles
- And Opel Corsa except ;
- Mazda 6 produced before 2006 also successfully travels on the roads;
- Volkswagen Jetta 1.6 also belongs to such cars;
- Toyota Avensis with an engine displacement of 1.8 liters and a power of 129 hp, as well as all vvt-i motors, refused the belt;
- Nissan, where vg, gg, sr, gr engines are installed;
- Honda, her Fit models, Mobilio, Airwave ignore belt drive;
- Mercedes-Benz, whose engines have a volume of more than 1.8 liters;
- Audi, but only V6, belongs to this class of cars;
- BMW, with engines larger than 2.0 liters;
- Volga, Moskvich, the first VAZ models, except for the VAZ 2105, are heirs of the old drive, but continue to successfully serve their owners.
Advantages and disadvantages
Cars with such a mechanism are used among taxi drivers and drivers who want to save money on maintenance their cars. If we talk about the advantages of such a mechanism, the following facts should be noted:
- A long period of operation before replacement, for some models it is 300 thousand km or more. Special care other than
- it does not require tightening the chain;
- High reliability during operation;
- There is no need to seal the device from engine oil;
- High accuracy of valve timing setting.
The rather long period of chain propagation in the timing drive is facilitated by factors of its reliability and durability. It is less susceptible to stretching than a belt drive. The use of modern high-precision equipment and new technologies has made it the undisputed leader in step accuracy. It was possible to achieve a reduction in noise levels for “silent” circuits.
Such a transmission must constantly operate in contact with lubricant, which is supplied to its operating area through channels in the cylinder block and cylinder head. Malfunctions in the operation of the engine lubrication system significantly reduce the working life of such a timing drive.
Today, many world giants still continue to produce chain-driven machines. automotive industry. The list of cars with timing chain drive confirms this. Use of high quality materials and modern technologies, made it possible to increase the service life of the circuit equal to the service life of the power unit, but with the obligatory implementation of all recommendations of the manufacturer.
The timing chain, especially when buying a used car, evokes several emotions at the same time. On the one hand, the steel, flexible element fuels a feeling of confidence and reliability. While on the other hand, it causes distrust and anxiety to run into expensive repairs.
Automotive technology does not stand still. Requirements for the efficiency of engines and their power are rapidly growing. Entire systems and units are changing.
Not so popular before, timing drive, in the form timing belt, today is almost comparable in reliability to a chain one. Meanwhile, the “strong” chain is gradually losing ground.
The resource of the latter has been significantly reduced in the era of the advent of forced and turbo engines. Literally over the last 10-15 years, the concept of “half a million” for engines has become a thing of the past.
At the same time, the service life of the chain mechanism was reduced from 350 to 150 thousand kilometers, and for the belt mechanism, on the contrary, it increased to 120 (for some models up to 200 t.km.)
Rating of the most vulnerable models
SsangYong Actyon- G20 petrol engine, 2 liter displacement, 149 hp. Applicable this motor, just on Korean SUV 2nd generation.
Everyone knows the weak place-drive Timing belt The average life of the chain is about 70 thousand kilometers. approximate cost replacement costs about 20 thousand rubles, half of which are spare parts.
Skoda Octavia- we are talking about the second generation A5. Used 1.8 liter turbo engine with a power of 152 hp. and torque 250 N.m. Good traction performance and high efficiency resulted in low reliability of the chain element.
Most often, at 65,000 miles, car owners encounter this problem. The motor was also installed on Skoda Superb 2 generations and Yeti first version.
Suzuki Grand Vitara- compact Japanese crossover and without that, it is not particularly popular on Russian market. On top of that, the manufacturer clearly uses not modern technologies in the design of the car.
So the chain of a two-liter gasoline unit lasts approximately 120 thousand km. There are two of them in the drive itself, so the cost of repairs will be higher. Also, do not forget about the crankshaft oil seal. Its leakage on this run is not a rare occurrence.
Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI- gasoline engine with a mechanical supercharger and turbine, just a storehouse of power. Its dynamic performance delights, and its high efficiency warms the soul pleasantly.
The only question remains is whether a small motor, pumped up to 150 horsepower, can cope with such a load for a long time. Unfortunately no. Chain transmission it just “crumbles”, sometimes without even working 50 thousand kilometers. It’s not for nothing that Volkswagen abandoned this engine in the new generation of Tiguan.
Peugeot 308 (1st generation)- a whole range of engines built on the basis of a 1.6 liter engine with the EP-6 index. Most often, there is an atmospheric version and a turbo version, with a power of 120 and 150 hp. respectively.
All these related power plants, got a general illness. Low chain life. Basically, troubles occur at a mileage of 80-90 thousand km. The engine was also installed on Peugeot models 3008, Citroen C3 Picasso and Citroen C4.
Skoda Fabia- a small and nimble car, from a Czech concern. The range of motors is extensive. Among which, the family with a displacement of 1.2 liters stands out.
These power units, have three cylinders and are famous for their high efficiency. The disadvantage is the same as that of the above-mentioned cars. The operating limit of the chain is about 90 thousand.
UAZ Patriot- Russian full-fledged SUV with a supporting frame. Decent off-road potential and ease of repair are the main trump cards of the Ulyanovsk all-terrain vehicle.
Weak point in the timing drive, typical for all modifications gasoline engines ZMZ-409. The resource of the chain and tensioner is extremely small, about 35-50 thousand kilometers. Also installed on Hunter and Cargo pickup.
In custody
Manufacturers have stopped making eternal cars. Now they look more like disposable ones. As if after a certain mileage, you just need to throw it away and buy a new one.
Repairs also keep up with the times. Instead of replacing one part, we are often forced to purchase the entire assembly. Moreover, the design is such that the car owner has no choice.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that among motorists the question is that better belt The timing belt or chain is highly debated. Manufacturers now produce cars with both chain and belt drives of distribution mechanisms, and there are no clear and unambiguous signs that preference is given to any of these types of transmissions, and is not yet expected.
This somewhat complicates the already difficult problem of choice for motorists who are planning to get a new car. They have the opportunity to buy, by and large, cars with equivalent technical and other characteristics, both with chains and timing belts. Let's try to figure out which one is better?
Timing device (Gas distribution mechanism): 1 - camshaft gear; 2 - cams; 3 — camshaft; 4 - bearing; 5 - valves; 6 — springs; 7 — timing belt; 8 - crankshaft with flywheel; 9 — gas distribution gear;
In order to figure out which is better, a timing belt or a chain, you first need to at least general outline imagine what a timing belt is, what elements it consists of and why it is needed. It is a mechanism for controlling gas flows in the engine internal combustion a car that switches valve timing. In other words, it is the timing belt that opens and closes the intake and exhaust valves, which, accordingly, open access to the inside of the cylinders fuel mixture and access to exhaust gases outside.
The gas distribution mechanism of an internal combustion engine consists of the following main elements:
- Valves;
- Camshaft;
- Camshaft drive.
It is the last of them that timing chains and belts are most directly related to. It should be noted that in internal combustion engines with overhead valves (namely, almost all of them are distinguished by this arrangement) modern internal combustion engines) initially it was chain drives of camshafts that were used. Already in the twenties of the last century, the chains used in them were two- and even three-row (this significantly increased their reliability), the timing belts themselves had tensioners and dampers.
Chain drives camshafts of gas distribution mechanisms were used in almost all overhead valve internal combustion engines with which the automotive technology, until 1956. It was then that in the USA sports car Devin Sports Car has used a timing belt. It should be noted, however, that at first the belt drive in gas distribution mechanisms was used mainly in sports cars, since it provided (and still provides) a fairly significant increase in power and torque.
However, gradually, as internal combustion engines improved and the demands placed on them grew, belts first began to seriously squeeze the chains in these drives, and now they are already competing with them on equal terms. Suffice it to say that the vast majority of three- and four-cylinder engines currently installed on Cars, they have a belt drive of the gas distribution mechanism, and as for chain drives, they are most often equipped with powerful six- and eight-cylinder engines, which are equipped with equipment from several manufacturers (for example, Mitsubishi, Toyota, BMW). At the same time, many models of powerful “multi-cylinder” engines are equipped with timing belts.
Timing belt: pros and cons
Timing belt drive device
Timing belt drives used in car engines internal combustion, have whole line advantages, thanks to which they have become very widespread. First of all, it should be noted that they have a simple design; if necessary, replacing them is not difficult (and, by the way, in many cases it can be done independently, without the help of qualified specialists).
Timing belts have very little weight, since they are made of lightweight and at the same time durable materials (neoprene and fiberglass). The rollers and pulleys of the timing belt transmission are also lightweight, which can significantly reduce the overall weight of the engine.
The undoubted advantages of timing belts also include the fact that they make virtually no noise. As for the disadvantages, there is, perhaps, only one: the strength is significantly lower than that of chains. Despite the excellent quality of manufacturing materials, timing belts, as practice shows, can withstand no more than 50,000 kilometers. The figure, of course, is also far from small, but significantly less than that of timing chains.
In addition, belts have one rather unpleasant property: they sometimes break completely suddenly, which can lead (and sometimes does lead) to serious damage other parts of the engine, and, as a result, to expensive repairs of the power unit.
Timing chain: pros and cons
Timing chain drive device
Engine timing chains modern cars mobiles(and even single-row ones, not to mention two- and three-row ones) are different highest reliability and wear resistance, and this is precisely their main advantage. They are not at all afraid of temperature changes, and since all their elements are made of high-strength metal, they perfectly withstand any mechanical stress. Therefore, they are damaged (let alone torn) extremely rarely, perhaps only when the car owners completely ignore the need to replace them due to normal wear and tear(the life of the chain, by the way, ranges from 100,000 to 200,000 kilometers).
As for the disadvantages, timing chains also, of course, have them, and most of them, in fact, are a continuation of the advantages. Chain drives of gas distribution mechanisms have a fairly significant mass and a complex design. They are much noisier than belts. However, all these shortcomings, according to experts, are more than compensated for by their main advantage: strength and durability.
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