What is the approx cost to replace a timing chain? If it is stretched, should I replace it?
Stretched Timing Chain
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Fixed the title for you. 
All Gen4 CR-Vs have timing chains. If you change your oil on time they will last hundreds of thousands of miles.
You will get a Check Engine Light if the chain stretches enough to move the engine timing out of spec. In that case you DO need to replace the chain and tensioner.
So if your car is running well, you won't need to replace the chain and tensioner on a pro-active basis (as is required when engines have timing BELTS).
All Gen4 CR-Vs have timing chains. If you change your oil on time they will last hundreds of thousands of miles.
You will get a Check Engine Light if the chain stretches enough to move the engine timing out of spec. In that case you DO need to replace the chain and tensioner.
So if your car is running well, you won't need to replace the chain and tensioner on a pro-active basis (as is required when engines have timing BELTS).
Good info, Carbuff. I think CR-V generation 1-3 also have timing chains.Fixed the title for you.
All Gen4 CR-Vs have timing chains. .
Gen1 had belts (B series engine). All other generations (K series) had chains. (This includes the newest 1.5L Earth Dreams engine IIRC).
Since the OP posted in the Gen4 area, I thought that was the generation of interest. :applause:
Since the OP posted in the Gen4 area, I thought that was the generation of interest. :applause:
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2,527 Posts
How many miles???
If your not around 175k and have done well with oil changes. No cam sensor codes then chances are fine.
As for cost, CANNOT ASK ON THE INTERNET FORUMS. The cost of repairs vary by 100s and 1000s of dollars depending on where you are located. Here for a k24 chain it would be roughly $600 job (I know as I work at a shop and just replaced mine last year, 206k when I changed it). Go 150 miles away and its $2000 for the same job.
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If your not around 175k and have done well with oil changes. No cam sensor codes then chances are fine.
As for cost, CANNOT ASK ON THE INTERNET FORUMS. The cost of repairs vary by 100s and 1000s of dollars depending on where you are located. Here for a k24 chain it would be roughly $600 job (I know as I work at a shop and just replaced mine last year, 206k when I changed it). Go 150 miles away and its $2000 for the same job.
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Unless you've driven 3,000 miles a week since the day you bought it, your car is too young to have this issue. It sounds like you have either a crooked dealer/shop/mechanic trying to con you out of money, or a friend who is just guessing. In either case I recommend a second opinion, from a reliable, honest, actual real mechanic. Hard to find, I know, but this diagnosis is very questionable for your car's age, so something sounds fishy. If your CR-V has issues it will be developing DTC codes, which will give clues as to the issue. Those codes are indicators of groups of symptoms, however, and not definitive in and of themselves. They need comprehensive interpretation by a real mechanic who will look at everything, and take in the entire condition of the car and all its symptoms. There are proper linear test procedures for step-by-step diagnosis, and the whole process requires checking off a number of boxes to reach the conclusion that a timing issue is at fault. That procedure can lead off in a myriad of different directions, to any of a large number of different causes along the path to fixing the right thing. So, before you hand someone a wad of money, make sure you are not giving it away. What would you do if you pay for the repair and it does not fix it? Honda dealers run this con all the time, because they are not mechanics, they are parts replacers, and they are there to sell you parts and take your money. It's how they operate. Never go to a dealer for anything other than recalls or warranty work. Let us know how it goes.
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Hi Guys, new to the Forum, but not to car ownership, both new (way back), mostly used cars (maybe about 200 over time). I don't drive much here in San Francisco but like to have a car when I need it. Just bought a used 2015 CR-V EX AWD, fully loaded except leather. One owner, 60,000 miles, which as we all know, for Honda and Toyota is practically a new car if it has not been abused.
The OP is kind of cryptic in his post about needing timing chain work. AFAIK the only time such things need replacing is if belts are used, not chains. Belts need a look and possible replacing at 100,000 to 150,000 miles. Timing chains last way way longer because, well, they are chains. While adjusting may be in order, metal simple does not wear out as fast as belt material.
Are you concerned simply because you had a prior bad experience, with a chain or belt?
Anyway, kloker's post is spot on. Sounds grim, but over my 30 year law career I have actually represented at times "dealership employees." They revealed to me over time exactly how things work at dealerships. AFAIK none operate different from the other. So if your dealership is an exception, don't take offense at my post. What he says is accurate: dealerships nowadays like to replace parts. They are NOT interested in repairing something that can be fixed. And the owner is NOT in business to save you money, aka helping you out financially by doing the minimum to get you back on the road.
The only person who matters at a dealership is the OWNER (typically an individual set up as a corporation, who buys a manufacturer franchise authorizing them to do business in town, selling new/used card, providing warranty work, and the big money maker, servicing cars in which the warranty has expired. The owner has one purpose, to make as much money as he or she can, via a concept called "vertical integration" meaning that the owner makes money in all aspects of car ownership: new car sale or leasing; (including profit on the car sale, finance & insurance, and selling you a lot of stuff you don't need); warranty billings to the manufacturer; service or repairs not covered by warranty; car trade-in; service work or repairs (parts and labor) after the warranty expires; insurance work; or parts sales, to name a few.
Everything a car dealer does is designed to MAXIMIZE PROFIT! That's the owner's raison d'être.
I won't go into detail because I know this is boring, but as an example, there's two employees at the dealership who get paid on a "commission ONLY" basis. What this means, the employee's income is determined by how much money the employee brings in for the owner. If the employee brings in $50,000 in sales for the month and the employee is paid 5% commission, he or she has made $2,500 that month. The employees I represented over time averaged about $150K to $200K in annual wages.
Who are the two employees I'm talking about: The F & I person, and what might surprise you: the "runway" or "ramp" guy (who is the person handles "intake" of your car whenever you visit the dealer, for warranty work, repairs, or service. Yes, that guy gets to eat only what he kills. No sales = no commissions; low sales = low pay.
You know that person the car salesman hands you off to after you have agreed to buy the car, that's the Finance & Insurance person. Their job is to make you feel like a deadbeat for your lousy credit score (which you thought was near perfect). Their motive is to get you financing at the highest possible rate you will agree to, so the owner can pocket the profits on the loan (profit = difference between the interest rate you agreed to pay, and the interest rate the bank or other financial institution will actually give to carry the loan. E.g., you agree to a 5 year note at 10% APR. The bank in a secret deal with the owner will carry the loan at 5%. Profit to the owner, the 5% difference between the two rates. Yes, this is legal.)
Bottom Line: The two most important people at a dealership are the F & I and ramp employees. They are the ones who make the dealership the BIG money. Moral of the story: be on guard when dealing with either of these employees. And like kloker advises, the ONLY reason you should be going to the (Honda) dealership is to get FREE warranty or recall work.
Note: The service department is run separately. An owner can make big profits in the service department, especially if lots of car owner's faithfully bring in their cars to get a $1200 service, that cost the dealer about $80 including labor and parts.
The OP is kind of cryptic in his post about needing timing chain work. AFAIK the only time such things need replacing is if belts are used, not chains. Belts need a look and possible replacing at 100,000 to 150,000 miles. Timing chains last way way longer because, well, they are chains. While adjusting may be in order, metal simple does not wear out as fast as belt material.
Are you concerned simply because you had a prior bad experience, with a chain or belt?
Anyway, kloker's post is spot on. Sounds grim, but over my 30 year law career I have actually represented at times "dealership employees." They revealed to me over time exactly how things work at dealerships. AFAIK none operate different from the other. So if your dealership is an exception, don't take offense at my post. What he says is accurate: dealerships nowadays like to replace parts. They are NOT interested in repairing something that can be fixed. And the owner is NOT in business to save you money, aka helping you out financially by doing the minimum to get you back on the road.
The only person who matters at a dealership is the OWNER (typically an individual set up as a corporation, who buys a manufacturer franchise authorizing them to do business in town, selling new/used card, providing warranty work, and the big money maker, servicing cars in which the warranty has expired. The owner has one purpose, to make as much money as he or she can, via a concept called "vertical integration" meaning that the owner makes money in all aspects of car ownership: new car sale or leasing; (including profit on the car sale, finance & insurance, and selling you a lot of stuff you don't need); warranty billings to the manufacturer; service or repairs not covered by warranty; car trade-in; service work or repairs (parts and labor) after the warranty expires; insurance work; or parts sales, to name a few.
Everything a car dealer does is designed to MAXIMIZE PROFIT! That's the owner's raison d'être.
I won't go into detail because I know this is boring, but as an example, there's two employees at the dealership who get paid on a "commission ONLY" basis. What this means, the employee's income is determined by how much money the employee brings in for the owner. If the employee brings in $50,000 in sales for the month and the employee is paid 5% commission, he or she has made $2,500 that month. The employees I represented over time averaged about $150K to $200K in annual wages.
Who are the two employees I'm talking about: The F & I person, and what might surprise you: the "runway" or "ramp" guy (who is the person handles "intake" of your car whenever you visit the dealer, for warranty work, repairs, or service. Yes, that guy gets to eat only what he kills. No sales = no commissions; low sales = low pay.
You know that person the car salesman hands you off to after you have agreed to buy the car, that's the Finance & Insurance person. Their job is to make you feel like a deadbeat for your lousy credit score (which you thought was near perfect). Their motive is to get you financing at the highest possible rate you will agree to, so the owner can pocket the profits on the loan (profit = difference between the interest rate you agreed to pay, and the interest rate the bank or other financial institution will actually give to carry the loan. E.g., you agree to a 5 year note at 10% APR. The bank in a secret deal with the owner will carry the loan at 5%. Profit to the owner, the 5% difference between the two rates. Yes, this is legal.)
Bottom Line: The two most important people at a dealership are the F & I and ramp employees. They are the ones who make the dealership the BIG money. Moral of the story: be on guard when dealing with either of these employees. And like kloker advises, the ONLY reason you should be going to the (Honda) dealership is to get FREE warranty or recall work.
Note: The service department is run separately. An owner can make big profits in the service department, especially if lots of car owner's faithfully bring in their cars to get a $1200 service, that cost the dealer about $80 including labor and parts.
And besides all that, the term "timing chain stretch" is kind of a misnomer anyway. The chain doesn't stretch beyond a small amount. What happens is, it wears out over time, loosens up (it has a lot of joints) just a bit, and wears the gears down to the point to where there is enough slack in the chain that the tensioner can no longer compensate. That is more likely to happen when those gears are nylon instead of metal castings. Don't laugh, I've seen it. I don't think it's the case with Hondas, though. But way down the road the wear will reach a point needing replacement. In which case, what Atwell said. Your computer should be throwing codes by then about timing issues. When the job is done, the chain, gears, and tensioner are replaced as a set.
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