Belt/Chain

Technical Area Routine Servicing
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  1. My model of MX-5 is: MK3
  2. I’m based near: Fife__
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Whether my 2012 MK3 has a timing belt or Timing chain.__Thanks Dave.
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Chain !

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Chain…Mazda don’t specify a service procedure, but if you hunt about you will find many recommending 100K miles. Tensioners are known to fail and can that v=can damage chain and sprocket

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Chain.

Roy

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Timing chains with no service recommendation…

Our Renault Trafic Diesel van recently point blank refused to start. I had just replaced the rear brakes and handbrake cable so it was on ramps - it went up there no problem but after the job was done it put up a fault code P0016 (generic Cam/crank sensor disagree). It would turn over on the starter, but not fire.

Long and short of it was that the vehicle had been serviced fully in accordance with the manufacturer’s schedule (It was originally a “Motability” vehicle), but the the cam chain was sufficiently worn after 96,352 miles for the cam timing to become sufficiently retarded until the sensor comparison feedback went out of tolerance. A “computer said No!” situation.
Thankfully the system worked as advertised and no valves hit pistons.

So, in future, I would be prepared to do the job on any higher mileage engine; timing chains are definitely NOT fit and forget factory items!

TBH, I was quite surprised to find that the chain was only single row; I would have expected a double row item on such an essential item in a Diesel engined commercial vehicle.

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Thanks for all the replies.