2010 Honda CRV 142,000 miles Timing Chain Broke. Help
Asked by Frank Jan 17, 2015 at 11:31 AM about the 2010 Honda CR-V LX AWD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
My Honda CRV AWD Timing chain broke with 142,000 miles on it. The Honda Service said they could replace the chain and repair damage inside for $3100 or put a new engine in with 18,000 miles for 5500. I asked how much value it has as is and they said $1750.
FYI ...all 4 struts need replaced at a cost oh $1200.
Is it worth fixing??? what should i do. Fix then sell, Fix and keep, trade in and buy ??
Money is tight and I need reliable car.
Thanks
Frank
10 Answers
You could find the engine yourself and have a private enterprise technician put it in, or come help you. There are jap engine yards that can clear up the questions you would start having. They could also sell you the parts to fix it if you find that kind of tech, with that kind of knowledge. It is guarantees that makes us overdo it on some engines with "malpractice insurance". Money talks and strut salesman can take a flying leap. Get your manual written for the car, and run the strut inspections and tests yourself, have they actually stopped dampening the spring operation? Have they lost their gas pressure? then, which one? you do NOT have to replace them as a set or even in pairs, ask the dealer, nail them to what their manual says.
I should point out that the most skilled people have the highest labor and to shortcut the time clock, we replace things that could be fixed. I am surprised to hear this has a chain? can you tell us the i.d. tag for the engine from the radiator support over by the fender? Knowing that will be important for you anyway.
I don't have access to the car - towed to dealer. I thought all CRV's had Timing Chains?
Dealer verified that the 4 struts are still in working order. Before the car died it had been making loud rattling noises when I went over bumps. I let this go on for some time and thought the struts went bad. The timing chain broke because the car was leaking oil -I was putting in 1-2. Qts every other month. At some point it was low enough to cause the timing chain to stretch and snap. (They found the leak in the oil pan - fix is included in the $3100).
New engine or replace timing chain?
Noisy suspension like that can be loose parts, or spring clash. springs that clash can be trimmed and reused for a quieter ride. You can save by doing it yourself. You could ask the dealer to tell you the cause of the noise and diag it for you.
I wanted to look up that engine to see why it would have to be replaced instead, but you have my answer. The study of it using the engine i.d. tag could reveal something when you do so. But the real question is should you invest in that car vs. replacing it ? There are less expensive ways to invest in it, and I think the more you learn the clearer your decision will be. Just since our correspondence you have reduced your expenses dramatically. And added a request to inspect the suspension parts for cause of noise. You can request a book for it at the library too, to learn more.
Thanks for your help so far. In your best guestiment Do you think $3100 is fair to fix oil leak ,replace timing chain and repair valves danaged when chain broke?
There has been a past question that delves into repair of this engine. You can search at the right of this page. (CRV timing chain?) asked by bopo and was about his '05 with a 2.4L They go into engine repair diag sequence and plan tests, discuss a reasonable plan. If yours starved for oil ? They may fear for your cam bosses and bearings and crank journals. A broken chain can tear things up but also deposit small parts to find during teardown. They may not want to guarantee "in house" so they sell a crate and get paid to install as many as it takes, smart business.
Seems like a good price for a new engine installed, to me, but you get live current up to date info by calling around in your area, then you make an educated comparison, A worker is worth his wages, true enough. But his parts should not be multiplied exponentially. Compare to the jap engine suppliers you find in your area
