HELP! '05 CTS - 3.6 -Hole in timing Chain Cover! Still running
 

Hello all,

My Father in law was driving his 05 CTS (80K Miles) home tonight and had a billow of smoke come out from under the hood. Turns out a hole, actually a chunk, of plastic timing chain cover (pass side, top, kind of under the intake manifold) came off It is a near perfect cut in the path of the timing chain (as if the chain jumped a tooth and itself cut a path) I am too new to attach a picture. I am wondering...

• What on Earth would have caused this?
• Any risk of serious motor damage?
• How hard of a job is this to replace this cover? Looks like the intake manifold and lots of front mounted components have to be removed.
• Does the whole chain assembly need to be replaced?
• Aside from the hole and the oil spray from the damaged cover, it is running well.

HELP!

Thanks in advance!