← GAZelle NN
Autopapyrus · GAZ GAZelle NN 3.0 Evotech (2026)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/gaz/gazel-nn/timing-chain-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

GAZ GAZelle NN 3.0 Evotech (2026): Timing Chain Replacement

The timing chain on the Evotech 3.0 is designed for a long service life, but with wear, poor tension or bad oil it starts to get noisy and stretch. A detailed step-by-step procedure and all tightening torques for this engine are not documented in publicly available service materials. Below is the general order of work for a gasoline engine with a chain drive. Check torque values and timing mark positions against the manufacturer's specifications.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 6-10 hours (depends on access to the front of the engine and the condition of the fasteners) Steps: 13 Tools: Socket and wrench set, torque wrench, camshaft and crankshaft locking tool set for this engine, crankshaft pulley puller, jack or lift, jack stands, containers for oil and coolant, sealant for the oil pan and timing cover, syringe or brush for cleaning the mating surfaces

Part

  • 🔩 Timing drive kit for this engine: timing chain, chain tensioner, chain guide (shoe), camshaft and crankshaft sprockets (as needed based on condition), front cover gaskets and seals, crankshaft seal, crankshaft pulley bolt and cam phaser bolts (if they are single-use). Exact part numbers for this engine are not confirmed in publicly available service materials, so no number is given

Step by step

13 steps
  1. Determine whether the chain really needs replacing. Symptoms: rattling on a cold engine and when you lift off the throttle, crankshaft/camshaft position correlation codes, and fluctuating idle speed. Before disassembly, remove the oil filler cap and inspect the sprockets and chain, if possible.
  2. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. Raise the vehicle on a lift or put it over a pit, and remove the engine undercover. Drain the coolant and engine oil. It is best to replace the oil and filter with new ones.
  3. Remove everything that blocks access to the front of the engine: the air duct and air filter housing, the radiator or fan (as needed), the accessory drive belt, the tensioner and idler pulleys, and the water pump or pulleys if they cover the timing cover.
  4. Set the engine to TDC of cylinder 1 using the marks on the crankshaft pulley and camshaft sprockets. Before removal, mark the chain position relative to the sprockets with paint, even if factory marks are present. Install the factory camshaft and crankshaft locking tools, if provided.
  5. Remove the crankshaft pulley. The pulley bolt is tightened very firmly. Hold the crankshaft while loosening it, and do not turn it by the camshafts. Use a puller if needed.
  6. Remove the valve cover and, if necessary, the oil pan, since on some engines the timing cover is partially covered by the pan. Remove the front timing cover fasteners in a pattern from the center outward and carefully remove the cover, separating it from the old sealant.
  7. Release the chain tension and remove the tensioner, then the chain guide and the tensioner shoe. Remove the chain. Inspect the sprockets: sharp, "hooked" or chipped teeth mean the sprockets must be replaced too.
  8. Clean the mating surfaces of old sealant and oil, and degrease them. Install a new crankshaft seal in the front cover.
  9. Install the new chain strictly according to the marks: the marks on the sprockets must line up with the marks on the chain, as recorded during disassembly. Install the new guide and shoe, then the tensioner. Only after that, release the tensioner lock so the chain gets its working tension.
  10. Turn the crankshaft by hand through 2 full revolutions and check that the marks line up at TDC again. If they do not, reinstall the chain. Do not start the engine.
  11. Install the front cover with new sealant or a gasket, then tighten the fasteners in the proper pattern to the manufacturer's specified torque. Install the crankshaft pulley and tighten a new bolt to the specified torque and angle per the manufacturer's specification, not by feel.
  12. Reassemble everything in reverse order: valve cover with a new gasket, belt, pulleys, radiator, hoses. Fill with fresh oil and coolant, and bleed the cooling system of air pockets.
  13. Before the first start, crank the engine with the starter with the ignition coils or spark plugs removed and make sure oil pressure appears. Start the engine, warm it up and listen: the chain should not be noisy. Check for oil and coolant leaks. Read the trouble codes and clear them.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • A timing mark error of even 1 tooth results in incorrect valve timing, and a serious error causes the valves to hit the pistons. If you have no experience with chain-driven timing systems or do not have the factory locking tools, leave the job to a repair shop. Do not tighten fasteners by feel, because on this engine exact torques and tightening sequences are important for cover sealing and chain life. If the vehicle is under warranty, replacing the chain yourself may void your warranty coverage, in which case contact an authorized dealer.
How it works · 3D How a Car Engine Works How the part you're working on actually works — in plain English, on a 3D model. Open in 3D →