Two part question:

My Cavalier is a 2002 with the basic 2.2L engine. It has 102,040 highway miles on it and runs great. When lightly loaded, I can get 38mpg during a highway trip. Nothing in the owner's manual discusses when to change the timing belt. I don't doubt that I will need a manual; however, I want to know if the Cavalier has a belt or a chain. Also, should the timing gear be changed too, or would wear be negligible?

Thanks.




"Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

You have a timing chain, and I it is recommended you change your gears and tensioner when you change the chain. I just tore mine apart and my tensioner was busted up bad and peices of it were in the gears and chain(it stopped the motor from turning over), I had 70,000 miles on my 98 and the gears were still in great shape despite the damage to tensioner. I still replaced the gears though.

I just got a Chilton's manual and there is nothing about replacing the timing chain in the service intervals - does that mean it's a "lifetime" part? Mine is a 98 with 95k miles and has always been driven gently so I assume the chain is fine.

I don't know what the interval for changing the chain is, but the gears and chain are very strong and as long you are not hearing any noises or experiencing any problems I would leave it alone. A local shop quoted me $500 to change it, I did it myself(1 day a week for 3 or 4 weeks, and I had to take it apart and put it back together each day to move the car) and it's not that difficult.

It's nice to know that GM designed the Cavalier with a timing chain and not a belt. I lucked out when the timing belt on my old Escort snapped. That engine wasn't a dual OHC. I still have the original tie rod ends and struts, both of which are showing their age and will most likely be replaced by spring.

Thanks for the responses!




"Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

Eric Esler wrote:I don't know what the interval for changing the chain is, but the gears and chain are very strong and as long you are not hearing any noises or experiencing any problems I would leave it alone. A local shop quoted me $500 to change it, I did it myself(1 day a week for 3 or 4 weeks, and I had to take it apart and put it back together each day to move the car) and it's not that difficult.

Could you define "noises"? Not being stupid, but I wanna know. My car leaks oil around the rocker cover, and when the oil gets really low I hear a light jingling sound when I start the car cold, kinda like keys being jingled... bad?

Sorry by "really low" I mean like a quarter to half a quart down.

I would say that's close to the sound I heard, but my oil was never low. I first thought it had something to do with my valves or rockers, but it turned out it's a common noise the tensioner makes when it's going bad. If your oil is going down and your sure the rocker cover is where it's leaking from, and if that's the only time you hear it I doubt that would be your chain. Mine made the noise all the time, and got worse the more I drove or idled.