Strategies for Preventing Timing Chain Stretching (Wear): what can we do?

[RickRay]

Originally Posted by TooCool5

Yes, 2010 had an ECM reflash that changed the OLM.
Though not a re-call dealers updated this anytime you brought
your Camaro in for service.

My Dealer couldn't find anything about the OLM...can you give me/us the GM # of the the update file...it should be on your GM receipt?

[TooCool5]

Originally Posted by RickRay

My Dealer couldn't find anything about the OLM...can you give me/us the GM # of the the update file...it should be on your GM receipt?

They will not tell you there is an OLM update.
Mine was installed when they did all the general updates during an ECM misfire re-flash.

[Blue Bunny]

Just FYI. I just got the check engine light today. Hoping it's not the timing chain issue.

TSB #12-06-01-009-D
NHTSA ID #10052863
Date Announced:
APRIL 01 2014
Summary: GM: SOME VEHICLES REQUIRE REPLACEMENTS FOR HIGH FEATURE V6 TIMING CHAIN KITS AND GUIDE REPLACEMENTS. ALSO INCLUDED CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. MODEL YEARS 2007-2013. *JS UPDATED 7/18/14. *PE

[KMPrenger]

Originally Posted by Blue Bunny

Just FYI. I just got the check engine light today. Hoping it's not the timing chain issue.

TSB #12-06-01-009-D
NHTSA ID #10052863
Date Announced:
APRIL 01 2014
Summary: GM: SOME VEHICLES REQUIRE REPLACEMENTS FOR HIGH FEATURE V6 TIMING CHAIN KITS AND GUIDE REPLACEMENTS. ALSO INCLUDED CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. MODEL YEARS 2007-2013. *JS UPDATED 7/18/14. *PE

So this TSB includes the Camaro? Does this mean GM will help out with the cost of the chain repairs if they wear out sooner than expected, or just up to the dealer? I've heard of some dealers taking care of some of the cost out of good faith.

[AlohaBR]

148k miles and no issues.

[Dizzy82]

111k miles, no problems either.

[TJ91]

Guys, what are the symptoms of the stretched chain apart from a check engine light? Is there a noticeable loss in power, or other symptoms which may diagnose if you have a stretched chain?

[PieNsky]

I had a long, steep hill on the Interstate that I noticed the Camaro was dropping down a gear where it had not done so before. I started to set the cruise to see what it would take to keep it from down shifting ( it was on the way to work ) it about cruising 8 MPH slower. Of course this would also effect MPGs. Is it noticeable just driving around? I didn't sense it, and the MPGs were also not effected much. I doubt if you were not monitoring it, you wouldn't be aware of it. I replaced mine with a 15 piece kit and also bought another crank seal for the timing cover. Hope that the Rock Auto kit was the new spec for the chain. That was about 80,000 miles ago ( my son drives it now and it has + 197,000 miles).

[Car_Almond]

Originally Posted by Car_Almond

The search for a solution has been difficult. Some insight, fun to learn about engineering those things, yet largely failed to deliver some kind of way to get those chain link/pin interfaces better oil. I did put a half dose of Lubro Moly MoS2 (NAPA parts store) in there, yet now I'm thinking it may be hard to beat that highly-engineered Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30 SN/GF-5/dexos1 straight, no additive needed. My fav oil so far.

Maybe a GM inside-engineer will wiki-leak-style get us the info and hide their identity. Like, I wonder if the oil holes feeding the chain are really too small, or the oil jets aimed at the chain get misaligned? (This kind of thing has happened on a few Nissan, Mitsubishi, and GM Opel engines in the last few years.)

Update: I did find out recently from a tribologist that we can achieve less wear by putting in some "Hyperlube Zinc Replacement Additive" (no zinc in there), which is a polymer ester. http://www.hyperlube.com/c3/Zinc-Rep...ditive-c7.html which contains no zinc, it does it all by adding polarized oily-like molecules to help out during metal-to-metal clanging that goes on in timing chain links and pins as they vibrate and bear loads against the teeth. Recommended using only 1 oz per quart, so 5 or 6 oz in a Camaro sump is all thats needed when using any good dexos1 oil. (Note: I don't sell this stuff, its really good advice. Adding a tiny bit of moly might also help, and there is also some evidence Prolong works (chlorinated parrafins), although I think the Hyperlube Zinc Replacement Additive works at lower temperatures which occur before zddp has a chance to work.)

Other references: http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/ar...sure-additives
and also
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External...R5cGU9Mw==&t=1

[Car_Almond]

Originally Posted by Blue Bunny

Just FYI. I just got the check engine light today. Hoping it's not the timing chain issue.

BLU BUNY --- What engine code was seen?
Was it P0017 - Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation ?
That would be a stretched (aka, worn) timing chain.

[KMPrenger]

Originally Posted by Car_Almond

Update: I did find out recently from a tribologist that we can achieve less wear by putting in some "Hyperlube Zinc Replacement Additive" (no zinc in there), which is a polymer ester. http://www.hyperlube.com/c3/Zinc-Rep...ditive-c7.html which contains no zinc, it does it all by adding polarized oily-like molecules to help out during metal-to-metal clanging that goes on in timing chain links and pins as they vibrate and bear loads against the teeth. Recommended using only 1 oz per quart, so 5 or 6 oz in a Camaro sump is all thats needed when using any good dexos1 oil. (Note: I don't sell this stuff, its really good advice. Adding a tiny bit of moly might also help, and there is also some evidence Prolong works (chlorinated parrafins), although I think the Hyperlube Zinc Replacement Additive works at lower temperatures which occur before zddp has a chance to work.)

Other references: http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/ar...sure-additives
and also
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External...R5cGU9Mw==&t=1

I just want to say I read your thread and your links to the research with interest. I have since switched to the Pennzoil Ultra and hope my LLT is happy from it!

[black1lt]

Originally Posted by Car_Almond

Update: I did find out recently from a tribologist that we can achieve less wear by putting in some "Hyperlube Zinc Replacement Additive" (no zinc in there), which is a polymer ester. http://www.hyperlube.com/c3/Zinc-Rep...ditive-c7.html which contains no zinc, it does it all by adding polarized oily-like molecules to help out during metal-to-metal clanging that goes on in timing chain links and pins as they vibrate and bear loads against the teeth. Recommended using only 1 oz per quart, so 5 or 6 oz in a Camaro sump is all thats needed when using any good dexos1 oil. (Note: I don't sell this stuff, its really good advice. Adding a tiny bit of moly might also help, and there is also some evidence Prolong works (chlorinated parrafins), although I think the Hyperlube Zinc Replacement Additive works at lower temperatures which occur before zddp has a chance to work.)

Other references: http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/ar...sure-additives
and also
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External...R5cGU9Mw==&t=1

I too, would like to thank you for your contribution to this thread. I will be switching from Mobil 1 to Pennzoil Ultra as well as the Hyperlube in the spring when my car comes out from winter hibernation. FYI, I have 26,000 miles on my car and am the second owner - I only put a few hundred miles a year on it since it is for week ends only. The build date is 12/16/2009 - which puts me in the range of the chains in issue. Rob

[Car_Almond]

Originally Posted by black1lt

I too, would like to thank you for your contribution to this thread. I will be switching from Mobil 1 to Pennzoil Ultra as well as the Hyperlube in the spring when my car comes out from winter hibernation. ....

Thanks! I used Pennz Ultra for a while until Walmart stopped offering the cheaper 5-quart jugs, now it appears Castrol Edge Extended Performance (5-quart jug gold bottle) might work just as well. It seems to be top-tier like Pennz Ultra, both of course dexos1, GM 4718M Corvette spec too, some high performance approvals for those oils. ... I might add, I know additives like Hyperlube Zinc Replacement Additive are controversial, yet info direct from a tribologist, and lots of research papers over the years about Polymer Esters (in Hyperlube) mean there is a good chance wear will be reduced by some amount. If you can't find Hyperlube Zinc Replacement (I got it on Amazon), then Lubegard Bio-tech is another kind of ester polar molecule chemistry, this time wax-esters. A half-dose in a decent full synthetic might give us some boost.

[RCLapCar]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

So this TSB includes the Camaro? Does this mean GM will help out with the cost of the chain repairs if they wear out sooner than expected, or just up to the dealer? I've heard of some dealers taking care of some of the cost out of good faith.

Just got mine back today to get the timing chains replaced after getting the P0008 code (under warranty even thought mine has expired a month ago). The invoice had this TSB on it but with an E at the end instead of the D. Doing some searching on the internet leads me to believe the new E version of the TSB includes all HF V6 engines including the Camaro.