I purchased a 2003 Z24 with an ECOTEC motor 2 years ago with 44 000 km (certified). I ran Mobil 1 5w30 synthetic with delco OEM filters changed every 5000 km. The timing chain started making little noise when starting in the morning, but would go away with little warm-up. I notified the dealership and even had the car sitting in their lot for a few days for them to notice the (timing chain noise) I was experiencing on cold starts. They said that other than the sound from my Ultra-flo muffler and the injectors ticking they could not hear anything (bizzare). The told me to take the (performance muffler and K&N air filter) off and THEN maybe they could hear it !
Anyway, I brought the car back home and it felt ok until about 400 km of driving. It had a rough idle last night when I started it comming back from the gym and I drove home ( 3 km ). This morning I tried to start and it made a weird noise and then nothing.
My understanding is the the timing chain is broken. 2003 ecotec 80 000 km (49 000 miles) !!!! I just can't figure it out !
I'm still under the powertrain warranty from GM (5 years or 100 000 km). I'll be putting the stock air filter box with the stock muffler back on and get it towed to a DIFFERENT dealership (more professionnal).
What do you think ?
2003 Ecotec Z24
14.88 @ 93.92 mph
what kinda wierd noise was it making? Wer eyou cranking it an it stoped moving? like the engine itself wouldn't even turn over?
Well, it started once and ran REALLY bad so I shutt it off. Tried a second time and it made a (snaping sound) followed by weird noises
I did not tried a third time !
I not a mecanic but I've got a little knowledge from working on cars and bikes for a few years now. I'm not 100% sure but 99%.
2003 Ecotec Z24
14.88 @ 93.92 mph
if it will start and run the chain is not broken
yea....if the chain is broken..the cams and crank arent moving.....
that's not true. If thechain is broken the crank will still move the cams won't. So it will spin the crank untill the pistons hit valves and then the motor will stop turning.
Unless the balance shaft/waterpump chain broke but I have never heard of that happening.
how does something like that happen to a car so new? Is it making any clicking or banging noises? do you do regular maintenance on it? have you owned it since it was new?
Pilz-E wrote:I still dream of the day when I can do a rear-engine, rear drive V12 in my sunflower. 
It is a very common problem with the Saturns with the Eco for the chain to break. I used to see it all the time when I worked there.
wow I thought a timing chain was good for like 250,000 miles or something like that...
Pilz-E wrote:I still dream of the day when I can do a rear-engine, rear drive V12 in my sunflower.
the early ecos had issues with the chains breaking the new ones are good to go.
I've seen a 2003 Cavalier with under 25K miles with a snapped chain at a rental agency at the dealer where i used to work.
And another Cavalier at the Chevy dealer when I got my S/C reprogramed in late 2004.
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Darkstars wrote:the early ecos had issues with the chains breaking the new ones are good to go.
GM even admitted this. The 02-mid year 03 ecos had timing chain failures due to lack of oil. In mid year 2003 they made some changes to the oil pump and oil delivery to the timing area. This seems to have worked.
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Darkstars wrote:the early ecos had issues with the chains breaking the new ones are good to go.
greeeeaaaat
keep us updated on this...id like to know if its actually the chain that broke
I have a friend w an 03 Sunfire and his chain skipped a tooth. It was covered under warranty for him.
you can pull the valve cover to see if the cams still have the chain wrapped around the timing gears.
Ronin J wrote:Darkstars wrote:the early ecos had issues with the chains breaking the new ones are good to go.
GM even admitted this. The 02-mid year 03 ecos had timing chain failures due to lack of oil. In mid year 2003 they made some changes to the oil pump and oil delivery to the timing area. This seems to have worked.
Could you fill us in on this?
I had GM's TSB info wayyy back when and I never saw this. Maybe GM recognized it in 2005 forward.
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-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
Mr.Goodwrench-G.T. wrote:Ronin J wrote:Darkstars wrote:the early ecos had issues with the chains breaking the new ones are good to go.
GM even admitted this. The 02-mid year 03 ecos had timing chain failures due to lack of oil. In mid year 2003 they made some changes to the oil pump and oil delivery to the timing area. This seems to have worked.
Could you fill us in on this?
I had GM's TSB info wayyy back when and I never saw this. Maybe GM recognized it in 2005 forward.
Someone here on JBO posted something from GM, dunno if it was a TSB or a email he had sent them and tey replied to, but it was reccognised fairly recently...maybe in ?2006?, anyhow in pretty sure it was after 2005 that they finally admitted that early ecoes had chain issues.
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ya i remember that ^. it was something of a list of VIN #s or something like that. Mine checked in OK.
I am jumping in this thread because I am in the same boat...
went to go to start up the car but she couldnt grab. Exact same symptoms.
diagnostic from the local mechanic said so far he sees that 3 cylinders have no compression.
