timing

:canada::canada:thanks guys, a buddy just blew his timing belt on his passat and it cost him 3800.00, just being safe, cheers
my car had about 70k on it and the chains actually wore through the guides and in the tensioners!!!! i had noticed a ticking noise about 6 months b4 i found the problem and it kinda sounded like a throwout bearing,and it didn't do it all the time! i think it's a crappy setup on ford's part.the guide is aluminum with plastic on top of it that the chains ride on...those will most deff wear out!!
 
i think it's a crappy setup on ford's part.the guide is aluminum with plastic on top of it that the chains ride on...those will most deff wear out!!

it's not a crappy design. first off it's a high density polymer plastic with teflon in it so it's really really hard. and if they put metal for a tensioner how do you think that would fair for the chain? almost every car company uses this type of tensioner and guide system for there timing chain cars. now to answer the question. the timing chain should be serviced every 100,000 miles unless there are problems before that.
 
I would follow 96SC, being the wear factor, the broken chain being you hot rod the sports car. So, like a bicycle chain, you ride over one bend (sprockets) with the chain's pin feeling that tug on one side only, she wears out at the internal pins of the chain.
There is also a cut-box within the spark box, so if your timing falls out of spec, the cut box sets your ignition to retard, lowers the power pulse, saves the retard/advance timing is she is pretty much safe to drive the lit fuse after say 70K worth of hot throttle application.
 
it's not a crappy design. first off it's a high density polymer plastic with teflon in it so it's really really hard. and if they put metal for a tensioner how do you think that would fair for the chain? almost every car company uses this type of tensioner and guide system for there timing chain cars. now to answer the question. the timing chain should be serviced every 100,000 miles unless there are problems before that.
it dont really matter what its made of,after so much rubbing from the chains anything is gonna wear out! some last longer than others,and i know a few people thats had the same problem i have.