Chain drive for camshafts is durable and requires less maintenance than belt drive. It also allows engineers to design a smaller engine package, which frees space under the hood for improved safety and service convenience.
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BELT |
CHAIN |
| Noise |
Quieter than chain |
Louder than belt, quieter than gear |
| Durability |
Requires replacement at approximately 100,000 miles |
More durable – relatively maintenance-free1 |
| Engine size |
Requires sprockets with larger diameters, so engines need to be wider; requires wider sprockets, so engines need to be longer |
Sprockets have smaller diameters, so engines are reduced in width; sprockets have smaller widths, so engines are reduced in length |
1 While it’s possible to stretch a chain and wear the sprocket gears, that usually occurs from punishing an engine under severe operating conditions. In general, engines of properly driven vehicles with chain drive can travel hundreds of thousands of miles before replacement is necessary.
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(2.6 based on 39 ratings)
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