does the 2002 1.9 liter dohc engine have a timing belt or chain?

reason i ask is i am not sure if i am hearing detonation or timing chain rattle lately.
engine has a mere 94k on it .have it since 74k .i think i hear a little detonation lately under load but just wondering if it could be a timing chain rattle?

 

...... Chain .......

 

Might be bad gasoline. Have you been buying it at the same station every time or have you stopped somewhere different lately?

 

chain chain chain...chain of fools

 

yeah i pretty much buy at same place when i can .hopefully just bad gas ,i really only hear it when i get on the pedal more heavier .hopefully thats all it is .i will be monitoring it .

when is the recommended mileage to change the chain??
i am at 94,000 and counting .its our daily driver .
this is a interference engine right?as in if the chain breaks or slips piston slap with the valve can occur?

 

As long as the chain does not stretch beyond the limit of the tensioning system, I would expect that it's kinda like most things, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I've got two DOHC cars both with 150,000 + on each, and still running strong. If there's a recommended time to change/replace the chain, I'm unaware of it .....

 

I agree with OA. I've owned a lot of vehicles over the past 40 years with timing chains and have never changed one by "schedule". But then again, most of mine have been Mopars and not Saturns.

 

i do not mess with things that arent broken .unless i have to go in there for another reason ,then you might as well.

 

been some time since first posting this but i was listening to the engine today again and standing close to the timing chain and valve cover, if i burp the throttle i hear a noise from inside the cover that i swear could be the chain slapping the cover .

it only happens when i burp the throttle but its definitely there .

thinking about having my mechanic listen to it .what you think?

i been having some idle issues ,gets very near a stall sometimes when coming to a stop .thought about replacing the plugs but thinking maybe this is a timing issue?
gonna check it friday for any codes pending .has 108 thousand on it now .

 

I still find it hard to believe it's the timing chain at that low mileage, but one never knows. Sounds to me like you ought to do a tune up and CLEAN your throttle body as far as the idling issue goes. It may not be your timing chain, per se, but the chain tensioner instead. If that's it, then you might as well put a new chain in at the same time you replace that.