I don't know if this question answer before, but I cannot find it, thanks

 

Honda says it has a low friction silent chain.

 

Oh...thanks

 

I dont' believe that the 2019 RDX engine has a timing belt that you have to changed for maintenance . Somebody correct me .

 

^^
You are correct:

 

does anyone know if cam chain guide and tensioner arm are plastic or metal?

 

Plastic coated aluminum

 

It was $1600 to replace my timing belt and other services for my 11 MDX. It was only $600 for the same service with my 08 RDX. Chain is the way to go if you keep your vehicles +100,000 miles.

 

I've come to some interesting articles about timing chain getting stretched out at high miles 100K+ beyond acceptable tolerance on non Honda engines and eventually coming off. I've yet to see timing chain break on Honda engines. If it does break, its catastrophic for the engine.
There is a recommendation to check timing chain tightness and condition at say 100K miles. Would timing chain inspection be possible without intensive labor?

 

Honda 4s have chains, 6s have belts. I have owned several 4s, getting rid of them between 130k and 180k, and none of them had chain problems, although the 2003 Accord, gotten rid of at 180K, did eat oil. Still had the original cutch, though.

 

Depending on the cost, it still may be a good idea to inspect chain at around 100K miles. But the cost of doing inspection might be very high depending on what they have to remove to take a look.

 

Madd Dog...we have a 2003 Honda (Accord) with a V6 we ended up with from my wife's father, so it's a third car for us...only 70K or so miles. I have to say, for a 17 Y/O car it's pretty impressive and in great shape, and that V6 is a terrific engine. I think I enjoy driving that thing around about as much as the 2008 528 we had. But anyway, we took it to the Honda dealer when we got it (55K miles ?) and they said it was due for a timing belt---age or miles I don't know. We went with it because...what do we know and i don't think he did much maintenance or care of it. At 13 years old it still had the original, cracked looking tires.? It was about $700 to replace timing belt, water pump, coolant, tensioner...and fan/serpentine belt or whatever it is.

 

Age. The belt is an age or miles thing.

That 2003 Accord (4 cyl) was our last MT car. We gave it to our daughter when we bought the Bimmer in 2007, and we sold it when we gave her the wife’s CRv in 2014. Great car.

She is a married lady now, so she can buy her own damn cars.

 

My wife had a 2003 Accord coupe with the v6 when I first met her. It was a great very quick car with a very strong engine. It’s weak point was the transmission, which eventually did it in at 150k.

 

Does the timing chain need inspection at 100k miles?

 

The life of a timing chain is much like the life of any other part of an engine. It is influenced by three primary factors: 1) how well the engine is maintained, that is, keep clean oil in it with a good oil filter. 2) How the car is driven, that is the harder you drive the car (high rev's, the shorter the life of the chain. And the big one, 3) how lucky you are. In the end luck does come into play as if the chain say had a rough spot when it was made or something it could shorten its life.
As a general rule timing chains will last a long time, easily well over 100,000 miles, even much more if the car is maintained and driven reasonably.
Should the chain be checked after 100,000 miles? Of course, if possible. A good tech knows how to pull the valve cover and do a basic check on the chain. There are also guides and a tensioner to consider. These also wear and are impacted by the same three factors as the chain. In my youth as a shop tech I put many a timing chain on a lot of vehicles "the easy way" by rolling them in without pulling the engine all apart. I have never tried in on a newer Honda or Acrua however so I can not speak for them. Also, on most engines if the guides need replaced the front cover has to come off anyway so put everything in new.
I have run some of our Honda cars well past 100k and never had to replace a chain, guide or tensioner. However, YMMV.

 

Given RDX design, how much labor is involved to look at it?