2000 Grand Vitara 2.5L auto 4wd. 2006 grand Vitara 2.7l auto 4wd
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3 Posts
Hello, Suzuki Forum. I’m Scott and I’m in the Seattle area. I have used this forum for years for info and to pick up tips but just yesterday created an account to ask some questions and post some info and pics of my project.
I have a US 2000 Grand Vitara, 2.5 liter, V6, auto with 4WD. No modifications other than a tow package. My folks towed it occasionally behind their RV. The car currently has 103,000 miles on it. It has been maintained routinely.
My current project that I need help with concerns the very common and dreaded timing chain rattle. I have the car stripped down to the valve cover gaskets.
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I am installing new valve cover gaskets and semi circle plugs to repair a few leaks with the front passenger side semi circle plug being the worst.
For the past year, my car has had a loud rattle/ticking sound at the front passengers side valve cover. It only occurs after the car has sat all night and is cold. The rest of the day, it does not occur, even if it has sat for a few hours. At first, it only lasted a minute or less. Now it lasts 5 or more minutes. I obviously suspected the lower left tensioner or even a clogged oil passage way keeping one of the front lifters starved of oil. However, revving up the rpm does not increase the ticking/rattling sound so I am doubting the dry lifter theory. Upon removing the passenger side valve cover, I noticed that the chain around the two camshafts was very loose and hit the metal guard/guide surrounding it.
My main questions/thoughts to everyone are -
I can turn bolts like any fool and even put it all back together again but I have never worked on a timing chain or set a car to TDC, etc... I can replace alternators, fuel injectors, egr, etc... but no experience with internal or major repairs.
Can I open up the timing chain cover and replace the lower left tensioner without disturbing the rest of the timing system? Maybe even swap out the water pump and those two gaskets while I’m in there - making sure I don’t bump or move anything?
Could I carefully lift the two camshafts up and replace the tensioner underneath without disturbing the timing?
I am a bit unconfident in setting the timing myself since I have no experience doing it before. I took it to several Seattle and Bellevue area shops and they wanted approx $3000 + parts to do the job. Actually, they really did not want the job. I was told it was very time consuming and that the shops don’t really make a lot doing it. They tie up a mechanic for 14.4 hrs book time and they work on the car when things slow down in the shop so it is there a long while. I was also warned about the difficulty in finding quality timing chain kits and parts. They said those $135 - $200 kits on the web that also sometimes include a water pump or even an oil pump are junk. Most are used parts that are cleaned up. Used sprockets and tensioners with new plastic pieces. They just don’t last like the genuine parts which are becoming very hard for them to locate affordably. I was also told that almost every single 99-2004 grand Vitara that they see come through the shop needs the timing chain done due to that lower left tensioner. Both shops also said that every GV has the drivers side oil leaks due to the two o-rings/gaskets being ruined (often referred to incorrectly as oil pan leaks). I found those comments from the shops interesting and thought I would pass them on to others. By the way, I was told most people don’t repair the leaking gaskets or tensioner issue due to the high cost. Each repair approaches the value of an older GV is why both Mechanics thought.
If anyone is local (Seattle Bellevue, Wa. area) and wants to earn some money after I have it tore all down just helping with installing the timing chain, sprockets and setting the marks, I would be very interested in that. I have a warm garage here. Send me a message ASAP.
Thanks for everyones help in advance.
Scott
I have a US 2000 Grand Vitara, 2.5 liter, V6, auto with 4WD. No modifications other than a tow package. My folks towed it occasionally behind their RV. The car currently has 103,000 miles on it. It has been maintained routinely.
My current project that I need help with concerns the very common and dreaded timing chain rattle. I have the car stripped down to the valve cover gaskets.
I am installing new valve cover gaskets and semi circle plugs to repair a few leaks with the front passenger side semi circle plug being the worst.
For the past year, my car has had a loud rattle/ticking sound at the front passengers side valve cover. It only occurs after the car has sat all night and is cold. The rest of the day, it does not occur, even if it has sat for a few hours. At first, it only lasted a minute or less. Now it lasts 5 or more minutes. I obviously suspected the lower left tensioner or even a clogged oil passage way keeping one of the front lifters starved of oil. However, revving up the rpm does not increase the ticking/rattling sound so I am doubting the dry lifter theory. Upon removing the passenger side valve cover, I noticed that the chain around the two camshafts was very loose and hit the metal guard/guide surrounding it.
My main questions/thoughts to everyone are -
I can turn bolts like any fool and even put it all back together again but I have never worked on a timing chain or set a car to TDC, etc... I can replace alternators, fuel injectors, egr, etc... but no experience with internal or major repairs.
Can I open up the timing chain cover and replace the lower left tensioner without disturbing the rest of the timing system? Maybe even swap out the water pump and those two gaskets while I’m in there - making sure I don’t bump or move anything?
Could I carefully lift the two camshafts up and replace the tensioner underneath without disturbing the timing?
I am a bit unconfident in setting the timing myself since I have no experience doing it before. I took it to several Seattle and Bellevue area shops and they wanted approx $3000 + parts to do the job. Actually, they really did not want the job. I was told it was very time consuming and that the shops don’t really make a lot doing it. They tie up a mechanic for 14.4 hrs book time and they work on the car when things slow down in the shop so it is there a long while. I was also warned about the difficulty in finding quality timing chain kits and parts. They said those $135 - $200 kits on the web that also sometimes include a water pump or even an oil pump are junk. Most are used parts that are cleaned up. Used sprockets and tensioners with new plastic pieces. They just don’t last like the genuine parts which are becoming very hard for them to locate affordably. I was also told that almost every single 99-2004 grand Vitara that they see come through the shop needs the timing chain done due to that lower left tensioner. Both shops also said that every GV has the drivers side oil leaks due to the two o-rings/gaskets being ruined (often referred to incorrectly as oil pan leaks). I found those comments from the shops interesting and thought I would pass them on to others. By the way, I was told most people don’t repair the leaking gaskets or tensioner issue due to the high cost. Each repair approaches the value of an older GV is why both Mechanics thought.
If anyone is local (Seattle Bellevue, Wa. area) and wants to earn some money after I have it tore all down just helping with installing the timing chain, sprockets and setting the marks, I would be very interested in that. I have a warm garage here. Send me a message ASAP.
Thanks for everyones help in advance.
Scott
