I have an 01 Tracker with the 2.0L motor and I was wondering if people are having any problems with the chains or other related parts failing. I believe that the manual recommends changing them around 70,000 miles but are they prone to failing or are they durable like the older cars that run chains. Mine is near the correct mileage but I run synthetic oil and I don't hear any noise from the motor so I'm wondering what other's experience has been.
Thanks
Duane

From what I hear, synthetic oil is the key.  The weak point is the tensioners, but synthetic oil is said to keep them working ok, subject to appropriate oil and filter change (say 1 year or 12,000 miles whichever first), so you should have no trouble.

Just in case anyone doubts what I say about oil & filter change, I'm referring to an engine in good shape.  If it has poor piston rings/bores/valve guides, so that combustion products enter the lubricant, the changes need to be more frequent.  If not, and a fully synthetic oil is used, the above will be ok.

From what I hear, synthetic oil is the key.  The weak point is the tensioners,

He's got the 2.0 liter engine.

Quote from: IanL on May 13, 2008, 01:24:16 AM

From what I hear, synthetic oil is the key.  The weak point is the tensioners,

He's got the 2.0 liter engine.

I believe it holds for all the Suzuki engines with chain drive cams.

I've got 110k on an '01 with the 2.0 and haven't had any trouble with the chain or tensioners.  The lifters are starting to tick a little once and a while though - which should not happen on well maintained vehicle at this mileage in my opinion.  I've run non-synthetic castrol 5/30 since new and changed it every 3k miles.  I have been very unimpressed with the quality of the car past 70k miles.

I've got 110k on an '01 with the 2.0 and haven't had any trouble with the chain or tensioners....I've run non-synthetic castrol 5/30 since new and changed it every 3k miles. 

That sounds right.  The main thing is the grade.  Using synthetic allows you to extend the changes - I reckon on a year or 10,000 miles, whichever sooner.

The lifters are starting to tick a little once and a while though - which should not happen on well maintained vehicle at this mileage in my opinion.

There is probably nothing wrong with the lifters; they are being hindered by old oil residues.  Try changing to synthetic - it will probably un-gum them.

Maybe I'll run some synthetic through on the next oil change and see if that improves it.

Thanks for the info guys. I have to pull the front cover to replace a blown front main seal so I'll have a look at things while I'm in there. I always run 5w30 full synthetic but I can't bring myself to leave oil in a motor for that long, I change mine every 5000km
Cheers

I run Castrol 5W20 in my las three trucks.  Of course I haven't owned any of them new.  But tI can see a HUGE difference in the build up of sludge and the "coffee coloring" of the rockers and internals of the trucks that have been run on petroleum based regular oils.  I bought a '03 Focus ZTS brand new and have kept it on a steady diet of Castrol 5W20 from the get-go.  It has 118K on it now and the rockers are still factory clean.  I'm sold on Castrol products.

I haven't run any synthetics, but I understand they are composed of smaller molecules than regular oils and can penetrate the tighter clearances newer engines are built on.  A mechanic friend told me Mercedes now has an engine than runs at near zero tolerances and markets an oil specifically for that engine.  I've thought about trying synthetic oils... but I try to change the beast every 3K and I can't justify the wallet shock every month for the synthetics.   

Reference the cam chains...  Roid (a 2000 Tracker I owned) now has 135K on him and is still running the original cam chains.  For sure, regular oil changes are a must to keep the hydraulc tensioner from gumming up and causing catostophic failures.  My mechanic friend told me he recently had to pull the head and pan off a 2 liter tracker to repair a tensioner failure.  The egine only had 45K on it.  The guy who owned the truck hadn't changed the oil on it for about 40K.  Saving $100 on oil and filters cost him $2700 dollars to repair.

The earlier trackers (1.6 Liters) with a belt for the cam stated to "inspect camshaft drive belt" (versus replacement) at 90K miles.   I didn't see anything in the owners service intervals (up to 120K) where the service manual stated to have the cam timing chain inspected or replaced.