If you have P0341 that is the more telling trouble code when coupled with P0011.

The VTC strainer is shown mentioned in the service manual; but, it is only one part in the diagnostic of P0011.

One possibility, strainer can possibly be clogged and stretched or damaged chain due to infrequent oil changes.

 

What is the procedure for checking the timing chain? Is this something that I could do fairly easily ?

 

It is not something that can be done easily.

Remove:

• Front tire/wheels
• Splash shield
• Drive belt
• Cylinder head cover
• Crankshaft pulley

Disconnect the connectors for crankshaft position sensor and the VTC oil control solenoid valve. Then remove VTC oil control solenoid valve.
Support engine with a jack and wood block under the oil pan.
Remove engine ground and upper mount bracket.
Remove side engine mount bracket.
Remove chain case.
Measure the tensioner rod length between the tensioner body and bottom of the flat surface section on the tensioner rod. If the length is over the tolerance, replace the cam chain and oil pump chain.

The above are just the basic steps. There are other steps if the chain was to be replaced; such as turning the crankshaft pulley so it’s Top Dead Center (TDC) mark aligns with the pointer; checking that the No. 1 piston TDC marks on the VTC actuator and exhaust camshaft sprockets are aligned; etc...

 

Actually I meant how easy to inspect the chain from above to see if it is loose. Can I remove the valve cover and check the chain for play ? I would not attempt to tackle the procedure you describe myself, but would like to make a diagnosis through simple inspection backed up by the P0341 code before contacting a repair shop.

 

You can take off the valve cover & look down into the chain case.

First you might be able to see anything broken, like the guides that the chain slides against.

If nothing's broken, then you still won't really know about the tensioner, because the tensioner gradually extends as the chain wears, keeping the chain from getting real loose.

 

I see, so unless the chain is flopping around from side to side, it wouldn't really tell me if it was actually loose? Their would be no alignment marks to check from above?

 

P0341 is directly related to cam phase (camshaft phase plates are not in sync with each other). The code will appear if the chain is stretched or timing is off.

If you removed just the valve cover (cylinder head cover) by itself without doing anything else, you may not be able to tell much of anything.

However, if you first turned the crankshaft pulley so that it’s TDC mark aligns with the pointer on the engine block, and then remove the cylinder head cover; you can check whether the timing is off (whether cam phase plates are in sync). They may be off due to the P0341 code. To eyeball whether the chain is possibly stretched, there should be exactly 8 chain links or 16 rollers between each timing notch on the top of each gear.

 

The 8 links in the 2nd picture is a pretty short segment of the chain.

I have a feeling the better measure is whether the crankshaft marks line up when the camshaft is exactly as shown. (That's controlled by a longer length of chain.) But you have to be careful about lining those marks up; viewing the marks from a position that's straight & square, etc.

 

"...the better measure is whether the crankshaft marks line up when the camshaft is exactly as shown. (That's controlled by a longer length of chain.)..."

I wholeheartedly agree.