I understand that diagnosing a loose timing chain can be done by turning the engine by hand and watching how quick the distributor is to respond.

My question is:
What could one expect to be the symptoms they would experience in regards to vehicle performance if a timing chain was becoming significantly loose?

THANKS!!

-Matt

A worn timing chain and gears will retard the cam timing so the engine will loose "off-idle" and low RPM performance.
DD

If it's really sadly worn, like on my wife's Dart, it leaks oil through the timing chain cover where the chain was so sloppy it wore a hole in the steel cover!!! (Yes, I changed the chain and cover.)

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"Louise", a 1976 Dart Custom project, (now sadly reverted to being just an "organ donor" to our other project Darts.)

im shure the same principals apply - but I had a pontiac motor that stretched its timing chain so badly I couldnt believe it was still running when I pulled the motor out.


it would seem verry erratic with the ignition curve / meaning taking off from a dead stop was usualy met with some frustration and power loss and the biggest give away was de celeration - during deceleration the engine will develop a nasty back fire - since the stretched timing chain will allow the cam to advance it self during this - and retard it self during acceleration.

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1972 Plymouth Valiant / slant 6 auto