Saturn going to belts?

Browsing thru www.gmpowertrain.com, I took a look at the upcoming Astra
engine. This may have been discussed here before, but here is the proof.

Click on this link:
http://media.gm.com/us/powertrain/en/product_services/2008/08car.htm

then on the "P" link for the 1.8 engine. Viola! a belt driven engine.

Now, I've nothing against belt driven engines and I'm sure that they help
with noise and vibration, but what I don't like I guess is the extra expense
of maintenance.

I was holding out for a possible Astra, glad I went with an ION instead. I
just ponder what the guys who built my car in Spring Hill are doing right
now......

 

That is an old picture. Do you see the Opel logo on top? It appears the
webpage maker wasn't provided a pic.

 

How often do timing chains go? I can't speak for Saturn engines with timing
chains but I worked on several Ford straight 6 (300cid) engines where the
delrin teeth on the cam sprocket wore and the timing slipped. I recall this
happened at about 150K.
The good news also about timing belts is that they are fairly easy to
inspect for tension and wear. Chains often have a hydraulic tensioner which
makes it even harder to see if tension is within limits without the engine
disassembled.

 

Usually depends on how well they are lubricated.
Usually after the car rots.

Thats about 3 times longer than some belts I've run into. When belts go,
they dont give you a warning. Sprockets will also wear out with belts.
If a mechanic doesn't know to inspect the sprockets on a belt driven
engine those same problems of skipped timing will pop up. I say Fords
issue was inferior steel, treatment, or poor oil/lubrication.

NSX timing belt service...$1500 dollars and up.
Have fun climbing back there inspecting that.

Oh and while you're thinking of belts, think CVT...

 

I just hope that they choose to use a teflon reinforced belt as they did in
the later L300 V6's. Those belts are supposedly rated at 100K intervals.

 

You sure about that "Teflon"? I thought that they were Kevlar reinforced.
Teflon impregnated in addition, - maybe. I haven't seen the specification so
couldn't say for sure. The timing belts that I use in my job (electronic
motion controls and robotics) are mostly kevlar core with synthetic rubber
coating. Those are from Stock Drive Products http://www.sdp-si.com/
Oppie

 

I have a bad habit of saying teflon when I mean Kevlar, my bad, duh.

 

We had a 2000 LS2 with the 3.0L V6, which had a timing belt. We changed it
at 160,000km, as recommended. The belt had virtually no wear on it. My
mechanic friend said it would have gone another 100,000km.

On timing chains, the last chain we replaced was in a 1969 car. We have
since driven Chevy V6s (except for the Saturn) and have never had to deal
with timing chain issues. Two of these have already gone about 300,000km
and are still going!

Just relating our real life experiences!
David