Timing chain or timing belt?

Timing chain or timing belt?
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Question : I am about to buy my first car.

1. Is it true buying a car with timing chain means one does not have to worry about the chain snapping, and maintenance cost will also be reduced? Does it make a big difference having a car equipped with timing chain instead of timing belt?

2. 1 heard that a car equipped with all-round disc brakes gives more security and safety in terms of stopping power and braking. Does having disc/drums brakes set-up really "dampen" the car's stopping power? I prefer a car with an all- round disc brake set-up, but most of the cars today are with disc/drums installed (apart from the up-market ones).

Answer :

1. I agree that timing chains hardly ever snap but through use, they wear and the sprockets also wear, resulting in changes to the valve timing and loss of power. Also, chains are noisy and so require more maintenance than cogged belts. Cogged belts are quiet and hardly ever wear if properly adjusted. The only minus point about cogged belts is that they can snap, with disastrous consequences. Therefore if the cogged belt is replaced regularly as advised by the engine manufacturer, one can be sure of a quieter engine and consistent valve timing.

2. If one is driving a 500cc shopping car that weighs 300kg, even drums all round are good enough. The brakes set-up in a particular model of car is decided at the design stage based on certain parameters such as usage, weight of vehicle, maxi- mum top speed, etc., and if the car is an economy car with low requirements then a disc/drum set-up may be good enough to do the job. However if that same car is modified for competition purposes and is going to be driven much harder, then an all round disc set-up may have to be grafted on as the original set-up is not designed for that application. So, it all depends on what you want to do with the car, and not how the car looks or impresses others.


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