1,10,000 km with my Ciaz Diesel: Why & how I replaced the timing chain

It is also a good idea to replace the water pump also. I could hear a faint noise while turning the pump, signalling bearing failure soon.

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I have completed about 1,10,000 km on my Ciaz ZDI 2016 model. The performance has been flawless. There is adequate comfort with the soft suspension and decent power/torque to stay ahead/keep up with the traffic. I have been doing the service regularly at Nexa with no major replacements.Battery lasted 3.5 years and that is due to the SHVS system.I have replaced the rear shock absorbers at 90,000km. My only grouse is with the sheet metal thickness and the poor paint quality. Rust spots at various places and paint coming off due to road gravel is a sore point.This is one reason i may not buy a Maruti again.

I completed the timing chain replacement at 1,10,000 km. There was a debate on what should be the interval to replace the timing chain, since the manual does not mention the interval.I believe 110000-120000 should be a comfortable zone for a sedate driver. On opening the engine, the auto tensioner was at the end of its travel and would not be able to take any more slack. The timing chain connects the crankshaft and camshaft(which controls the opening of the inlet and exhaust valves). A slack chain would alter the valve timing and affect the pick up, power and fuel efficiency(as combustion is not optimum),. It would still be sometime away from chain snapping as they are robustly built. If the chain snaps, the camshaft and crankshaft connection snaps, the valves could be in open position and the pistons travelling with momentum could hit the valves, causing catastrophic damage.The most important thing in the replacement is the relative position of crankshaft and camshaft, any altering in relative position during replacement would affect the engine for a long time to come.It is important to lock the crankshaft and camshaft before taking out the chain. It is also a good idea to replace the water pump also. I could hear a faint noise while turning the pump, signalling bearing failure soon along with seal damage and coolant loss. They also replace the sprockets, chain guide and the tensioners.

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