grindMARC said:
Having replaced both a chain and a timing belt on different cars, the chain is by far the superior system.
Time to replace timing belt: 6+ hours (depending on the car)
Time to replace timing chain: about an hour (including the time to drink a beer and call your buddy with a timing belt to laugh at him)
The only footnote to this is that if the chain is broken, its a similar job to replacing a timing belt.
Nissan QR25DE timing chain(s) labor time: 6.6 hrs
Toyota 2AZ-FE timing chain labor time: 5.9 hrs
Toyota 22-RE timing chain labor time: 11.2 hrs
Lincoln LS V8 timing chain labor time: 14.8 hrs
Mercedes Benz 203.064 timing chain labor time: 5.7 hrs
Chrysler 2.7L DOHC V6 timing chain labor time: 4.6 (LH body) 4.7 (LX)
GM 2.4L "twin cam" timing chain labor time: 5.8 hrs
GM 2.2L 'ECOtec" timing chain labor time: 5.1 hrs
GM Northstar engines timing chain labor time: 15.7 hrs
...I have done all those, and MANY more, and I guarantee you I can do a LIFETIME'S worth of timing belts on any 4 cyl TDI in FAR less time than ANY of those listed... an you needn't deal with any cleaning of sealing surfaces, messing with guides and rails and goofy hydraulic tensioners or any other such nonsense and we won't even go into parts costs and the piles of pieces needed to do them.
Please, get real.