AvtoVAZ started production of engines with timing chain drive. Timing chain drive Which engine is better chain or belt

18.07.2019

The most reliable engines are presented to the attention of motorists passenger cars mobiles according to experts.

10. AWM

The AWM series of power units open the top ten most reliable motors for cars. They were first created in 1987 and still these motors enjoy unprecedented popularity on many cars. German made- Volkswagen, Audi and many others. AWM are durable, reliable and unpretentious. by the most powerful engines from the AWM series are APG and AWA motors. The first engine is eight-valve with Digifant injection. Its volume is 1.8 liters, the power is high - 160 hp. with a torque of 228 Nm / 3800 rpm. Most wide application this power unit found in cars Volkswagen Passat B5. The second motor is a much larger volume - 2.8l. At the same time, its power is 175 hp. at 240 Nm/4000 rpm

Mersedes M266 is one of the most reliable engines for passenger cars. 4-cylinder Gas engine is an evolution of the previous M166, known from first A-Class and Vaneo. The engine received a specific design, as it had to be placed at a large slope in a cramped engine compartment. The engineers relied on simplicity: only one timing chain and 8-valve gas distribution mechanism. Mechanical very reliable. Injector malfunctions are very rare.

Suzuki DOHC "M" engines are on the eighth line in the list of the most reliable engines. The power units of the "M" series include small-capacity motors 1.3, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.8. The latter is exclusively for the Australian market. On the European continent, the power unit is found in almost all small and medium Suzuki models that appeared at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, and in the Fiat Sedici 1.6, which is a copy of the Suzuki SX4. The mechanical part of the engine is very reliable and durable. Even the phase change system is not satisfactory VVT valve timing used by most engine modifications. It is not only in the 1.3-liter version, designed for Ignis and Jimny until 2005, and the old 1.5 modifications for the SX4. chain drive Timing belt is very reliable. Among the minor flaws, small oil leaks through the stuffing box can be noted. crankshaft. More serious malfunctions practically do not occur.

Honda D-series is ranked seventh in the top most reliable engines for passenger cars. Honda's D-series is, first of all, the legendary D15B and all their modifications. First of all, it is worth considering precisely these motors, which had greatest influence on the development of single-shaft engines in the world. The Honda D-series engine is an almost perfect design. Transversely installed in engine compartment inline four, rotating according to the “laws of Honda”, counterclockwise with a belt drive. Innings fuel mixture was carried out through a carburetor, through two carburetors (a unique development from Honda), through a single injection system (supply of atomized fuel to intake manifold), and injection feed. Moreover, all these options met simultaneously in one model. The reliability of this series has become the standard for simple single-shaft engines. They were produced from 1984 to 2005.

Mitsubishi 4G63 is one of the best and most reliable engines for a passenger car. The first modification 4G63 appeared back in 1981, and continues to be produced to this day with minor changes. Excellent specifications of this motor are combined with its excellent reliability. Engines of the 4G63 family are four-cylinder power units that have a volume of 2.0 liters and power from 109 to 144 Horse power. The 4g63 engine has cast iron block cylinders and an aluminum head, which allows for maximum resistance to overheating.

Toyota 3S-FE is one of the most reliable passenger car engines. Modification 3S FE was one of the first Toyota with a direct fuel injection system. The use of an injector made it possible to significantly improve the power characteristics of the new motor, its work on idling, also in comparison with the carburetor version of this engine, fuel consumption has been significantly reduced. Myself Toyota engine The 3S FE is actually an upgraded version of the 3S, so it retains its legendary reliability and relative simplicity of design. Feature of this power unit is the presence of two ignition coils, which improves the quality of flammability fuel-air mixture. The 3S engine works confidently on 92 and 95 gasoline. Depending on its version, the power indicator can range from 115 to 130 horsepower. The motor shows the maximum torque already from the very bottom, so the car owners did not experience a lack of traction.

Opel 20ne is one of the ten most reliable engines for passenger cars. This member of the GM Family II engine family became famous for often outliving the cars it was installed on. Simple design: 8 valves, belt drive camshaft And simple system multipoint injection are the secrets to longevity. Power different options ranges from 114 to 130 hp. Motors were produced from 1987 to 1999 and installed on models such as Kadett, Astra, Vectra, Omega, Frontera, Calibra, as well as Australian Holden and American Buick and Oldsmobile. In Brazil, they even produced a turbocharged version of the engine - Lt3 with a capacity of 165 hp.

The BMW M60 opens the top three most "indestructible" engines for a passenger car. The use of a nickel-silicon coating (Nikasil) makes the cylinders of such a motor virtually wear-free. By half a million kilometers, often the engine does not even need to be changed piston rings. simplicity of design, high power, a good margin of safety puts the M60 among the best.

The BMW M57 is on the list of the most reliable passenger car engines. The power unit was designed by BMW and its production began in 1998. The motor has several of its modifications, changes and improvements were made as performance was studied, and not all implemented engineering improvements had the same effect on the reliability of the unit. The main innovation of this engine was the injection system diesel fuel « common rail", with the help of which it was possible to achieve high performance engine operation. An important characteristic of all M57 engines is their ability to provide high torque at low revs crankshaft (exact data depends on modification) and average values maximum speed, which led to an increase in the service life.

Mercedes-Benz OM602 tops the list of the most reliable passenger car engines. In 1985 the company mercedes benz introduced diesel engine OM602 for a passenger car that stood out highest reliability and took its place in the history of the automotive industry. The resource of this 5-cylinder diesel engine was more than 500,000 km, there were cases when cars with such an engine traveled more than 1 million kilometers without engine overhaul. In 1996 they were released new modification OM602 engine called OM602.982 with direct injection fuel and a power of 129 horsepower. This diesel engine has unique characteristics economy (7.9 l / 100 km in the urban cycle for the C class), significant torque at low revs and a fairly quiet operation, despite direct injection.

Hard to believe: Last year about 40% of complaints about cars were related to ... timing chains. Our readers began to complain about them much more often. For comparison, the same timing belt is less frequently complained about: we encountered complaints about it in 28% of letters. It's funny, but unlike the one that is subject to periodic replacement, it is the chains that are designed for an extended service life.

Why do timing chains cause so many problems?

Automakers order almost all parts from contractors. But both are trying to cut costs. Therefore, costing and reducing production costs are as important as production itself. You have to save on development, materials, technological processes. Ultimately, such savings affect quality.

When to expect a problem?

Trouble comes too soon. Still fresh in my mind is the timing chain report. TSI motors(on VW concern cars), when, according to our data, problems appeared already at 20,000 km or even less. On average, a timing failure occurred at a range of 40,000 to 60,000 km. Previously, everything was much better: old twin chains (for example, on Mercedes W123 engines) lasted forever, and simple single chains easily survived the “age” of 200,000 km.

Are there any symptoms of an upcoming problem?

Eat. A running engine makes unusual sounds, reminiscent of "knocking / crackling / rattling". At first, they can be heard when the engine is running cold, right after the morning start. When the chain stretches or skips significantly, the dashboard lights up" check engine". You need to immediately go to the service station, otherwise the engine can simply be ruined.

Who will pay for repairs?

If a breakdown occurs during the warranty period, then the repair should be free of charge for the customer. However, trouble with the timing chain can also occur when guarantee period ended. In this case, manufacturers offer the client to pay part of the cost of work and spare parts. But in order for the manufacturer to meet halfway, you need to provide complete history proper vehicle maintenance.

What manufacturers are doing to prevent such breakdowns?

Actions depend on what caused the breakdown. BMW 116i and 2.2-liter engines Diesel Opel received improved chain tensioners. The VW concern changed the chains, because. the problem was the quality of their manufacture. Many latest motors again have belts in the timing drive, but the interval between their replacements has been increased to 200,000 km.

Letters about these cars come to the "complaint box" of AUTO BILD magazine

What causes problems with the timing chain

This is how a 4-stroke engine works: fuel and air are mixed in the combustion chamber. Piston ( 1) compresses the mixture, then it ignites, doing work and pushing the piston down, after which the piston rises again, pushing the combustion products through exhaust valves(if there are several). Then all 4 measures are repeated. But in order to synchronize the movements of the piston with the opening and closing of the valves, you need a chain (2) connecting camshaft (3) And crankshaft (4) . If the chain stretches or jumps over a tooth, opening the valves (5) and the movement of the pistons ceases to be synchronous. In the worst case, the valves (inlet or outlet) will start to open when the piston reaches top dead points. In this case, the piston will hit the valves: the result of this is shown in the photo.

In addition, the connecting rod may bend (6) hit piston. In any case, the engine will receive serious internal mechanical damage. The sectional drawing shows a 2-litre diesel bmw engine, which has one feature: the timing chains, of which it has two, are located on its rear end, from the flywheel and clutch side. This means that replacing chains will take a very long time and be expensive. for this operation, the motor will have to be removed from the engine compartment.

MY ADVICE
If you're looking to buy one of those used cars pictured above, try to collect as many as you can. more information about service. Stretching or jumping the timing chain will result in a costly repair. Especially in the case of the 2-liter BMW diesel. A used car must have a completed book with a proper service history. But the most ideal option: when in this very book the fact of eliminating this characteristic problem is noted. If the problem with the timing chain shows up on a non-warranty car and the engine is damaged, then it will be cheaper to buy and install a "used" unit than to repair your own.

Bernd Volkens

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 gears. Some motorists will vote for a belt drive, while others will prefer a chain mechanism. The same applies to all of the above questions. Let's try to figure out together which gas distribution mechanism is better, cheaper, and what are the pros and cons of the two camshaft drive options.

It should be noted right away that today all more automakers they switch to a belt drive and refuse the timing chain. But still, some drivers are not trust relationship to the "elastic" drive. A large number of motorists, especially the older generation, call the metal version almost eternal. Are they right?

Modern timing chain

In the past, timing chains were a really hassle-free element. The thing is that it was usually made of two, and sometimes of three links (rows). Breaking such a metal track was very problematic. They really "served" hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Over time, the chain could stretch and begin to ring unbearably, which led to a jump of one or two teeth. But even in this case, breaks occurred much less frequently than with belts.

Compared with belt chain noisy, stretched out, but the sound insulation of modern power units allows you to remove this drawback quickly and efficiently. In the cabin, the “rustling” of the chain is almost inaudible. It should be noted that the old chain motors really safer than new ones. Modern units cannot boast of similar reliability. Why?

There are a number of reasons for this. Now the engines have greatly reduced in weight, have become shorter and smaller in volume. This is due to the so-called "EURO standards" - it is necessary that the car be lighter, more compact, consume less fuel and emit less harmful substances in atmosphere. These requirements were reflected in the timing. Its drive is also greatly facilitated.

Also, now all automakers are trying to increase the volume of the cabin, 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 such a cut, not only the head of the block has decreased, 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 reduced, the volumes and sizes 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 finally failing, the chain begins to make more noise than usual. Many drivers do not pay attention to this, attribute it to the weather, or simply may not hear because of the good “noise” of the engine. All this leads to a broken circuit and costly repairs.

Thus, the timing chain has become the same consumable as most of the engine elements. Now it is extremely difficult to find an engine in which the chain would change only during a major overhaul (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. It can be concluded that the modern chain mechanism in terms of reliability and resource is very close to the timing belt.

Do you have a chained car? Do not rush to get upset. Yes, there are really a lot of cons, but there are also pluses:

it rotates in a closed space, practically does not come into contact with air, which means that there is no debris, dust and moisture accelerating wear.
She doesn't really care about temperature. She is not afraid of either cold or heat, unlike a 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 (maybe on a fabric basis or other wear-resistant material) inside which there are teeth. These teeth engage with gears that are mounted on the camshaft.

Advantages of the belt mechanism:

dry construction. That is, there is no oil. It is located outside the power unit, rotates in the air, although it is closed with a special casing.
the belt is elastic. It effectively dampens vibrations that in multi-cylinder engines can affect the life of the shafts.
there is practically no effect of temperature on the operation of the motor. If the oil is cold in winter, this does not affect the noise of the engine (the chain mechanism needs to warm up to effectively pump oil into the hydraulic tensioner).
silence of work.
ease of diagnosis and repair. No need to disassemble the motor, no need to even remove the head cover. Just remove the protective cover.
repair price. It is cheaper both to manufacture and to replace. Changing the belt along with mechanical tensioners is several times cheaper than replacing the 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 only protected by a casing, dust, dirt, water and even oil can get on it. All this negatively affects its resource.
aging and cracking. The belt changes not only by mileage, but also by years. For example, if the car has been idle for a long time, and the mileage is only a few tens of kilometers, the belt still needs to be changed. Its material is prone to aging and from time to time it simply cracks.
tendency to slip. During exceeding maximum load(at abrupt start seat) the belt may slip. Sometimes even the teeth that engage are broken.

So, what is still better: a belt or a chain? It is extremely difficult to give a definite answer. Must watch specific model engine and operating conditions.

Which timing drive is better? This question is one of the ten most philosophical automotive questions, along with left and right hand drive, gasoline or diesel, manual or automatic transmission. Some motorists will vote for a belt drive, while others will prefer a chain mechanism. The same applies to all of the above questions. Let's try to figure out together which gas distribution mechanism is better, cheaper, and what are the pros and cons of the two camshaft drive options.

It should be noted right away that today more and more automakers are switching to a belt drive and abandoning the timing chain. But still, some drivers still have a distrustful attitude towards the “elastic” drive. A large number of motorists, especially the older generation, call the metal version almost eternal. Are they right?

Modern timing chain

Compared to a belt, the chain is noisy, it stretches out, but the sound insulation of modern power units allows you to remove this drawback quickly and efficiently. In the cabin, the “rustling” of the chain is almost inaudible. It is worth noting that old chain drives are indeed more reliable than new ones. Modern units cannot boast of similar reliability. Why?

There are a number of reasons for this. Now the engines have greatly reduced in weight, have become shorter and smaller in volume. This is due to the so-called "EURO standards" - it is necessary that the car be lighter, more compact, consume less fuel and emit less harmful substances into the atmosphere. These requirements were reflected in the timing. Its drive is also greatly facilitated.

Also, now all automakers are trying to increase the volume of the cabin, by reducing the volume of the 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 such a cut, not only the head of the block has decreased, but also the block itself. Therefore, there was no need for a large oil bath (the classic chain constantly rotated in oil).

Do you have a chained car? Do not rush to get upset. Yes, there are really a lot of cons, but there are also pluses:

it rotates in a closed space, practically does not come into contact with air, which means that there is no debris, dust and moisture accelerating wear.
She doesn't really care about temperature. She is not afraid of either cold or heat, unlike a belt.
adjustment accuracy. The chain has a more precise adjustment mechanism, it does not stretch as much.
resistance to short-term overloads.

timing belt

Advantages of the belt mechanism:

dry construction. That is, there is no oil. It is located outside the power unit, rotates in the air, although it is closed with a special casing.
the belt is elastic. It effectively dampens vibrations that in multi-cylinder engines can affect the life of the shafts.
there is practically no effect of temperature on the operation of the motor. If the oil is cold in winter, this does not affect the noise of the engine (the chain mechanism needs to warm up to effectively pump oil into the hydraulic tensioner).
silence of work.
ease of diagnosis and repair. No need to disassemble the motor, no need to even remove the head cover. Just remove the protective cover.
repair price. It is cheaper both to manufacture and to replace. Changing the belt along with mechanical tensioners is several times cheaper than replacing the 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 only protected by a casing, dust, dirt, water and even oil can get on it. All this negatively affects its resource.
aging and cracking. The belt changes not only by mileage, but also by years. For example, if the car has been idle for a long time, and the mileage is only a few tens of kilometers, the belt still needs to be changed. Its material is prone to aging and from time to time it simply cracks.
tendency to slip. When the maximum load is exceeded (with a sharp start from a place), the belt may slip. Sometimes even the teeth that engage are broken.

So, what is still 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.

, 19 Dec 2017

Gas distribution mechanism modern engines for cars. Chain or belt drive.

The timing chain drive has a longer history of use, but the timing belt is used more and more often and is installed on all large quantity engines.

Such giants of the global automotive industry as Volkswagen and Toyota use a timing belt drive system even on their V-shaped six-cylinder and eight-cylinder engines. But the chain transmission of the timing mechanism does not give up its positions. The chain is traditionally used on German Opel and BMW. Let's see what's the difference?

Timing chain drive, pros and cons

Chain transmission in gas distribution mechanisms has been used for a long time and successfully. However, there are some nuances here as well. This type of transmission often gives itself out as a metallic "rattling" during operation. This small flaw, since, the current engine manufacturers are enough great attention pay both to noise reduction of engines, and soundproofing of interiors of cars.

In the vast majority of vehicles well-known manufacturers engine noise in the car is almost not felt. Recently, the installation of single-row chains has come into fashion. This reduces noise, but also reduces reliability. Breaking such a circuit can lead to quite unpleasant problems.

advantage double row chain is that if one branch is broken, the engine will continue to work. It is sometimes quite difficult to diagnose the state of the circuit only by the noise level, since the noise of the circuit merges with the operation of other systems and mechanisms of the engine, but the repair can be fully compared with overhaul engine.

Often, to replace the timing belt, you have to remove both the engine itself and the cylinder head. Therefore, when buying a new car, you should pay close attention to diagnostics. However, the chain also has quite serious advantages.

It is not affected by atmospheric factors, it is not afraid of either moisture or sand. During operation, the metal chain practically does not stretch, and this, in turn, guarantees precise observance of the valve timing even at the limiting engine operating conditions.

Timing belt drive

Considering belt driven engines, it is worth noting that timing belts are made from high quality elastic materials. Due to this, arising during engine operation torsional vibration extinguished sufficiently. And it prolongs life a lot. camshafts. As they say, the engine runs softer.

Diagnosis of the belt is also not difficult. Its condition can even be assessed visually. If signs of wear are detected, the belt is simply changed. It is also recommended to change the timing belts upon reaching a certain resource.

With a fairly low price, both the belt itself and its replacement, it has long been in the category of consumables. The use of a belt drive allows the engine itself to be made both smaller and lighter. There are, however, obvious downsides.

Under the influence of temperatures, elasticity is lost, the ingress of water, oil, dust, reduces the resource and leads to the so-called aging. A broken belt can lead to a rather complicated and expensive repair.

What is better?

Having made a comparison, it is quite difficult to unambiguously answer the question. Manufacturers widely use both the first and second options. Volkswagen began to put a belt on almost all engines, and BMW remained more an adherent of a chain drive.

On some Audi engines the manufacturer uses both the chain and the belt at the same time. The belt controls one of the camshafts, and the chain synchronizes their work.

What type of timing your engine will have is not so important. The main thing to remember is that the belt is consumable, therefore, it should be changed on time and only high-quality and from well-known manufacturers should be used. The condition of the chain also needs to be monitored, and if the question arose of replacing it, then change it. In any case, the choice is yours, or rather, the manufacturer.