Timing chain all whacked

[CMF_detach8]

In an earlier post I wrote about my stalling problem: https://micra.org.uk/cmf/message/29535

I checked my sparks, unplugged them one by one and the engine dropped RPM, so I can say they all seem to be firing fine. That means distributor should be working, or am I wrong?

I brought to a mechanic near my place and he diagnosed for free, told me my timing chain's all out of whack. He loosed the distributor, rotated it fore/aft and even at the extreme ends the engine did not seem to respond to the changes in timing. Only after he removed the screws holding the distributor completely and rotated the distributor that we started seeing a difference.

What can I do to fix this, if it's easy at all... or how much does a typical shop charge for such repairs. I'm guessing if I ask for a new timing chain they would fix my timing issues as well.

 

[CMF_frank2]

detach8

when an aircon kicks in, it will probably drop your tickover (it probably saps about 1hp).
if your timing chain was that bad (to affect the timing) it would rattle like mad !,my upper chain did at 100000mls, where 1 link was hanging by a thread.
you should hear a click from the injectors !
i would take the cam cover off and check the chain myself.

 

[CMF_detach8]

frank, the problem here is the engine stalls when the aircon goes OUT near the end of a stop, which really sucks. there's no rattle. but why is it that shifting the distributor gave no response?

 

[CMF_frank2]

detach8

my dizzy does the same, you can advance it and more and the engine still wont pink !
i think there is some kind of idle control valve (it kicks in when you turn the lights on etc)that could explain the a/c issue ?
i think i would just turn up the tickover and live with it

 

[CMF_detach8]

hey frank2, pardon me but what's a tickover? i'm assuming idle rpm

it's at somewhere above 750 and below 1k mark now without gears engaged. that's pretty high. with gears engaged it goes slightly above the 500 mark.

 

[CMF_frank2]

detach8

not sure, but mines about 1000, a tad high but its dark at 5 pm in uk atm so keeps the battery topped up !

frank