[eyspy]

OK, so I ended up buying this 2001 Grand Vitara sight unseen for a very very cheap price too good to refuse even if I have to put a new motor in. It's only done 170,000 on the V6 2.5 litre motor

Spoke to the mechanic who has worked on the vehicle and basically it's got a very noisy timing chain. My plan is to take my time and replace it myself, and when thats up and going drive that whilst I fix the gearbox on my other Vitara.

Trouble is I have to get the car from Melbourne to Adelaide ?
I was thinking of hiring a 4wd and car trailer, then a trucking transport company etc... the $$$ keep adding up. By far my cheapest option is to fly over and drive it home ($250 including fuel and flights)

If I drive at a sensible pace like 90 kph, with the noisy timing chain am I likely to make it ? Do these things just go with no warning or slowly get noisy and noisier ?
I have looked at the chains and they are quite solid things, and by my thinking it needs replacing because its been stretched or the tensioner is gone ?

Is this a risk worth taking ? I don't care about the motor if it gets worse as I will fix or replace it, I just don't want to get half way home.

[Scrawny]

It'll probably go for another 50,000kms like that.

[fordem]

If the noise is continuous the guides may have self destructed - I would hesitate to make a long trip with that.

[Scrawny]

fordem wrote:

If the noise is continuous the guides may have self destructed - I would hesitate to make a long trip with that.

At 170,000??!! Wear yes, destruction.... probably unlikely. Surely it would've jumped a tooth or 10 if a guide had've let go completely

[eyspy]

Thanks guys. Wear is not an issue as the moment I get home it will be in my shed and worked on when I get the time. Chains will be replaced most likely ( I am assuming that when noisy they are stretched beyond the point of no return ?)

[Scrawny]

I'd assume more wear on guides and/or tensioner not functioning correctly. Chain may be stretched slightly.

[eyspy]

so when I pull her apart it is a tensioner adjust or replace chain ? either way not fussed.

[Scrawny]

Tensioner is non adjustable, it's a fit and forget thing. If you're pulling it apart, replace chain, guides and tensioner. Do it once and forget about it

[fordem]

Scrawn wrote:

At 170,000??!! Wear yes, destruction.... probably unlikely. Surely it would've jumped a tooth or 10 if a guide had've let go completely

This is an ebay picture - look at the right side of the lower chain in that picture, see the rectangular black guide - it is made of plastic - there is a second one above it - they have been known to disintegrate, look to the right of it, see that sort of triangular shaped piece - that guide is steel, it sits over the upper chain - a loose chain will slap against it, the vibration causes it to fatigue and break.

[Scrawny]

The important guide is the curved one on the left, the one that keeps tension on the slack side of the chain. It certainly wouldn't be ideal driving whilst the other plastic ones are broken but would it cause ultimate failure? I guess a loose bit could get caught in between chain and pulley

[Chop]

If your gonna drive it back, give it an engine flush and new filter before the trip.

[eyspy]

Thanks guys you have been very helpful. I did get a private message from a member who did suggest an oil flush. Cheers

[eyspy]

Well the good news is I made it home from Melbourne with no issues. When I first heard the timing chain noise it was nowhere near as bad as suggested. I opted to NOT change the oil and returned home as it was. The car ran like a dream. The other problem that the seller mentioned before buying was hard to get into gear sometimes ? My guess was clutch on the way out, and my guess was right. Clutch pedal has a good quarter pedal of freeplay before engaging, then have to depress completely to floor and beyond.
It did get me home and will work on it soon. Clutch and pressure plate replacing, timing chain, and oil leak around the head somewhere ? (rocker cover ? head gasket ?), anyway, for $450 I can't complain. Body fairly reasonable, 4 brand new tyres and interior reasonable. Some hours of labour and and a few $$ and I will have a better vehicle than my little 2 litre job that I am driving now.

[swifty_ano]

$450? Jesus! Definately worth the money in any condition

[eyspy]

Most definitely Swifty !! I will post pic later when I get home from fishing. It was well worth the flight, and long drive home that's for sure.....

[eyspy]

Apart from the mechanical problems mentioned, the bodywork only has a few minor shopping dents, and minor scrapes. Not bad for $450

[swifty_ano]

Grrrrr. I paid 4 times the amount you did for mine....and mine has mechanical issues aswell.
Good buy!

[eyspy]

Yeah, I was pretty happy swifty. Initially I was only looked for a gearbox for my other Vitara, and ended up getting a whole car instead. this one is preferable because it has the 2.5 Litre V6 as opposed to the one I am driving a 2L 4 banger

[Scrawny]

What was your fuel economy like driving back?

[vet 180]

damn good buy!!!

[eyspy]

Scrawn wrote:

What was your fuel economy like driving back?

Not sure really never tested it ? I think I used around $150 ??