Timing Chain Question

Check with the manufacturer's recommendation. You may be able to hear the clapping of broken links before it gives out entirely. On the other hand it may fail with no warning.

The 2.4L is a distructive engine. Meaning if the timing chain fails it will take out the valves and damage the cylinders. So the frequency of failure will increase with time even though it may be initially low. However the critically of the event is huge.

Daughter has a '90 22RE I told her last year at around 140k to have the timing chain replaced --- it went a week before Christmas with 167k. It didn't break but it did eat a big slot in the aluminum timing belt housing letting coolant mix with the oil. So $100 in parts became $300! Its a long tedious job to replace!

I think it cost me about $1300 to replace.