1973 Chevrolet Nova Cost of Replacing Timing Chain?

EVESNOVA

MEMBER
1973 CHEVROLET NOVA
140,000 MILES

My 73 Nova v8 307 stalled as I was on an exit ramp with a rattling noise. I tried to start it again, (forgetting that this happened to a previous Nova) but it just rattled and would not turn over. I'm pretty sure the timing chain broke and hopefully I didn't damage the rods. I'm waiting to hear. But assuming it's just the chain, how much should that cost to fix?

Thursday, July 4th, 2013 AT 6:11 PM

3 Replies

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,796 POSTS

300-500 for the repair depending on your area.

Chains dont rattle. You may have more damage than you think. The motor is a free wheeler and will not bend valves.

Roy

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Thursday, July 4th, 2013 AT 6:57 PM

FREEMBA

MECHANIC
1,152 POSTS

If the timing chain is the problem, the rattle could've been caused because the timing was off (as it "jumped"). This would cause the engine to spark knock for a couple of seconds before stalling.

Did you car have its original timing chain and sprocket? They were plastic bonded to metal back then, and when the plastic got brittle it broke and left a lot of slack in the timing chain. Most people replaced then (when they had problems) with all metal chain and sprockets, but some people went back with the original type (which meant they'd have that problem again).

Have you tried any diagnostic procedures to determine if it is the timing chain?

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Thursday, July 4th, 2013 AT 7:44 PM

EVESNOVA

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Turns out the chain didn't break, but the gear is messed up, with teeth broken off. The mechanic is replacing the set (timing chain and gear, all metal as it already was) changing the oil which may have gotten the debris from the teeth breaking and replacing the water pump, which he talked me into being that the old one was already off and it's silly to put back on when they would put a new one. 150 parts, 5 hours labor. I guess that's fair? Anyway, thanks for answering you guys. Now, what would strip the gear like that in the first place? Just being old/wear and tear? Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember my dad saying that if you crank the starter accidentally, like when you have music on too loud and you think it didnt turn over but it actually already did, you could strip that gear. Is that true?

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Friday, July 5th, 2013 AT 10:51 AM