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That plastic timing chain tensioner in the 2.0L Ecotec is a ticking time bomb

Honestly I've pulled three of these engines apart this year alone, all from different customer cars, and every single one had the tensioner cracked or the guide rails worn down to nothing. It's a design flaw where the plastic degrades from oil heat around 80k miles and then the chain starts slapping. You can hear a rattling noise on cold starts for a few seconds before it quiets down, and most people just ignore it until the chain jumps timing. Has anyone else seen these break without warning or am I just unlucky in my area?
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2 Comments
victorross
victorross11d ago
Wait till you see what happens after 150k, it's not always that bad.
3
simon378
simon37811d ago
Swapped one out last week and the tensioner literally crumbled in my greasy hands like a stale cookie.
2