fork_included

i think the biggest issue is to have the timing aligned

its one thing to have your rear wheels powered by a chain than the extreamly sensitive cylinder head operation.

while cool, if the engine isnt designed for it, i would see no real benefit for conversion.

chains can be just as destructive as belts if not constantly inspected.

Alxx Nova

Okay, so lets see now.

timing chain ... bad

back to bed ... good

But then I thought ... what about a gear drive?

(just joking)

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Alex Portanova
1989 944 N/A
1999 Chrysler 300M
1992 Harley FXSTC

pjburges

you just have too much time on your hands!! maybe you should get an old 930 or something so you wont have so much free time.

marksportcts

Well, the easiest way to have a timing chain in your car would be to install a 944S/S2/968 motor. They have a timing chain in the head. You still got the belts to deal with but you gain 40 to 90hp.

Legoland951

944s/s2/968 all have timing belts driving the cams from the crank.

marksportcts

They have the timing belt driving one camshaft. On the head there is a chain that drives the other cam. Now you have both the Timing belt and timing chain

Legoland951

I understand the inner working of a 944 16 valve cars as I have one taken apart right now. I think the whole conversation is from the crank pulley to the cam shaft.

FRporscheman

If having a timing belt was truly a problem, they would have stopped using them in new cars, but they still use them. There's nothing really wrong with it, it has pros and cons.

gt37vgt

the increased enertia of the chain is a horror show i've never seen a chain that long when you lift your foot of the gas often the cam wont want to slow as quick as the crank and the enertia of the chain is a real issue in it self destructing why ferrari whet single row chain over double . use your time and effort getting generous valve reliefs in the pistons so its no problem breaking the belt and get a gates belt heaps better than the conticrap oem

art

Actually some newer cars have gone to chains, and they talk about it as being more reliable. I think Infinity, maybe others.

V2Rocket

+1. The chain would kill throttle response.

MichelleJD

Just an FYI on this:

I am helping my son rebuild the engine in his 2000 Ford Contour SVT. Believe it or not, the engine was designed by Porsche and Ford bought the design and mass produced it in the Contours and Cougars. It is a 2.5L 6-cyl. It has the same oil pump and crank girdle design as the 944, but has dual OHC run by chains with hydraulic tensioners. I've always wondered if this may have been where the 968 engine was going to evolve before Porsche killed the series. The Contour's production started in '95.

Jfrahm

The new Audi V8 has chains, I think they are at the back of the engine. It's not a bad idea going forward but retrofitting a chain to a street engine would be insanely expensive. Chain, sprockets, hydraulic tensioner, oiling system, covers, revised waterpump and plumbing, balance shaft delete, ugh.

If you just slap some motorcycle parts on there you'd probably have a system that would not last as long as a belt and it'd make a huge mess. It'd also be really loose until the engine heated up.

MichelleJD

Forgot to add:
They cured the water pump issue by mounting it on the backside (actually, left side as the engine is transverse mounted) and running it off of the camshaft.

Jfrahm

Hmm, neat:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mondeo_V6_engine