What are the signs?

I don't really think there are any signs.....Except I think that right be fore the go they start to get kinda loud for a lil bit then they snap??? I'm not positive.

There are no signs. And I've never seen one break on it'* own in a 3800.

If you have over 100,000 miles, you may be losing a WEE bit of power from stretch. I doubt you'd feel it.

That'* pretty much what I had figured.

And Steve, you DON'T want to tackle this by yourself. Plan on changing both gears and the water pump at the same time, just because it'* convenient at that point.

Crank and cam sensors too prolly.

thanks for the info and i dont know if i am loosing a WEEEEEEEEE bit because the car was already over 100K when i got it. its at 177K now and purchased it at 174K. I do hear a strain/groan type sound at WOT only.after it gets up to speed it go away. I tried to get Pat to see what that noise is but he doesnt know. No it isnt the supercharger.

ildler pulley?

I doubt it'* the chain steve.

Not sure if the 3.8'* will but the 350'* used to show signs of chain needing to be replaced by the chain wearing a hole in the timing cover.

My previous car had a 3800-1, and I had a cam sensor code that kept coming back right after pulling and resetting it.The check engine light would come on when I stopped for a light and went off when I took off(or vice versa).Block after block.A new timing chain and cam sensor was needed.Two improvements I noticed were that a rolling rumble/miss at idle in gear was almost gone and a definite increase in low end pickup when accelerating.I suspected it for over a year due to a metallic rattle when revved up that at first sounded like sheet metal rattling against the exhaust manifolds.It got changed at 156,000 miles.Just my experience, and yes by all means change the water pump while it'* apart.