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Holden Statesman: 3.6 Alloytec/SIDI V6 timing chain stretch from oil sludge

3.6 Alloytec/SIDI V6 timing chain stretch from oil sludge is a common engine fault on the Holden Statesman on the 2006–2017 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 11 documented faults on the Holden Statesman.

Vehicle
Holden Statesman
Engine
3.6L / 3.2L / 2.4L / 3.0L / 2.5L / 2.8L / 3.5L / 3.8L / 4.3L
Years
2006–2017
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Holden Statesman as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Holden Statesman faults11 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 3.6 V6 (Alloytec LY7, later SIDI) in the WM/WN Statesman is prone to timing chain stretch, and the root cause is oil sludge from skipped or extended oil changes clogging the tensioners and starving the chain of clean oil. A stretched chain sets off a rattle (especially on start-up) and a check-engine light for camshaft timing correlation, and if ignored it can jump timing and damage the engine. Repair means chains, guides, tensioners and usually the oil pump - a big job.

What you would notice

  • Rattle from the front of the engine, worst on cold start-up
  • Check-engine light for camshaft/crankshaft correlation
  • Loss of power or rough running
  • History of missed oil changes / sludgy oil

How to check it

Where to look. Timing chains at the front of the V6 engine

  1. Start the engine from cold and listen for a rattle from the timing (front) end that quietens after a few seconds.

  2. Ask for oil-change history - a sludged-up V6 with long service gaps is the danger.

  3. Pull the oil cap and look for clean oil rather than tar.

  4. Have it scanned for camshaft correlation codes.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “How regularly has the oil been changed?”
  • “Does it rattle on cold start, or has the timing chain ever been done?”

Now check the Holden Statesman you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • AFI Australia tech tip 'Holden Alloytec 3.6L timing chain stretch'
  • Whirlpool Forums Holden 'Timing chain' thread
  • JustAnswer 2006 WM V6 Statesman timing/oil case

Holden Statesman buyer questions

Is 3.6 alloytec/sidi v6 timing chain stretch from oil sludge serious on a Holden Statesman?

We rate it major and common on the Holden Statesman. The 3.6 V6 (Alloytec LY7, later SIDI) in the WM/WN Statesman is prone to timing chain stretch, and the root cause is oil sludge from skipped or extended oil changes clogging the tensioners and starving the chain of clean oil. A stretched chain sets off a rattle (especially on start-up) and a check-engine light for camshaft timing correlation, and if ignored it can jump timing and damage the engine. Repair means chains, guides, tensioners and usually the oil pump - a big job.

How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Statesman?

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Holden Statesman years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2006–2017 Holden Statesman. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Start the engine from cold and listen for a rattle from the timing (front) end that quietens after a few seconds. Ask for oil-change history - a sludged-up V6 with long service gaps is the danger. Pull the oil cap and look for clean oil rather than tar. Have it scanned for camshaft correlation codes. Look here: Timing chains at the front of the V6 engine