NHTSA Complaint #10166625 — 2000 SATURN LS

1) MY CAR WAS OPERATING NORMALLY UNTIL 8/26/06, WHEN I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. I DISCOVERED A 3" FISSURE IN THE VALVE COVER, OVER THE TIMING CHAIN. 2) I REMOVED THE VALVE COVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD GROUND AWAY THE UPPER GUIDE AND WAS WORKING ON "CHEWING THROUGH" THE VALVE COVER. THE TIMING CHAIN HAD NOT YET BROKEN, BUT HAD IT DONE SO, I WOULD BE LOOKING AT OVER $2000 OF ENGINE DAMAGE. I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL I REPAIRED THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE. 3) ACCORDING TO A SATURN TSB 03-06-01-017, THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE OILIER FOR THE TIMING CHAIN WAS INEFFECTIVE. I HAVE BOUGHT A "NEW DESIGN" TIMING CHAIN KIT FROM THE DEALER AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. I WILL KEEP ALL THE OLD PARTS (GUIDES, VALVE COVER, CHAIN, TENSIONER, ETC. FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS IF THE NHTSA WANTS THEM. *JB