Which Minivans Have a Timing Chain?
by Kristen R. Price
A timing chain, common in the 1970s and 1980s, is a device used in a car's engine to control the timing of the engine valves. Replaced almost completely in the late 1980s and early 1990s with timing belts, the timing chain has seen a resurgence in the past 10 years, due to its durability and reduced need for replacement.
Chevrolet Lumina APV 1992 - 1996.
The Chey Lumina APV was a minivan produced from 1991 until 1996. The minivan was named "APV" which stood for "All Purpose Vehicle." Along with space-age style design, the minivan also included seating for eight as well as anti-lock brakes, an automatic transmission and a timing chain, which was unusual for its time.
Chrysler Town & Country
The Chrysler Town & Country minivan has been manufactured as a minivan for more than 20 years. Prior to 1990, the Chrysler Town & Country was a full-sized sedan. Typically competing with the Dodge Caravan, Chrysler marketed the Town & Country as a more upscale minivan, with some models sporting wood-grained dashboards and leather seats. The Town & Country also includes a timing chain as opposed to a timing belt.
Toyota Sienna 2004 - 2011
The Sienna, the only minivan manufactured by Toyota, has seen a number of model changes since its inception in 1997. In 2003, Toyota released an updated version of the Sienna for the 2004 model year. This included a change from a timing belt to a timing chain, citing that the timing chain required less maintenance over the years. The Sienna is one of the only minivans in its class to offer all-wheel drive.
References
Writer Bio
Kristen Radford Price began writing in 2005 for her campus newspaper. She has served as a feature writer for the life-and-style section of the "Daily Herald," a contributor to "Utah Valley Weekly," an editor for a small publishing house and now as director of communications for an Internet company. Radford has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Brigham Young University.
