Why have cars moved to a timing chain

Question

The old Corollas in the 70s and 80s had timing chains. In the 90s, Honda, Toyota, and even Nissan started making belt-driven cranks instead of chains. Now they are back to timing chains. What happened?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

Timing chains are generally more durable than timing belts, which is why car manufacturers have shifted back to using them in recent years. Belts can wear down and break more easily, whereas chains can last the lifetime of the engine with proper maintenance.