help please anyone got engine noise vid of chain at bottom of post

Se@n

Se@n



Hi all just wondering if anyone can tell me what this noise sounds like the cars done 81k. I'm hoping its just alt or steering belt but does anyone think it could be timing chain. the noise gets abit louder when I'm in third gear and sometimes early stages of fourth. but as you can see the noise is at the r/h side of engine even when its just idling.
 
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Difficult to tell from that video, but if the noise increases and decreases at standing when you rev the engine its likely engine side not gearbox. Maybe another video with someone revving the engine a little?

Does the noise change when you hold the Clutch down?

Is it louder at first when the engine is cold, or does it get louder when the engine is warm?

Chris.
 
Se@n said:
I would say its when engines cold.

I think its more engine side cant hear anything from gear box.
Click to expand...
Then my money would be on timing chain, possibly tensioner issue.

I would be tempted to pop some covers off and at least have a peek, save you causing any serious damage to your engine.

C.
 
Doing alt & powersteering belts today so fingers crossed its one of them and not chain. but if noise doesn't go i'll pop covers off and have a look. how much tension should be on the chain ( should you be able to push the top between cams abit?
 
@Se@n If you take the belts off and run it, that's going to answer the question. PS pumps generally make a lot of noise as they are dying, but an alternator might give the sort of noise you're hearing.

No idea on chain tensioning, it was just a wild guess tbph. Get that Haynes out!

C.
 
I would pop the side cover off and check the upper chain tensioner whilst you have it apart.
Doesn't look like the upper chain is tensioned
 
I put rocket back on as I'm at work. will I have to take engine mount of to remove the side? and if its not tensioned how will I tension it? @wehey
 
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Yep. Support the engine under the sump with a jack and a piece of wood then remove the engine mount.
You can then get at all of the bolts for the side cover.
the chain should be solid without any flex (like yours)
Check the tensioner, it should press tight against the chain
 
It's tensioned with spring and oil pressure so no manual adjustment.
You really need to inspect first to see what's up.
If you do remove it be VERY carful not to drop the 2x securing bolts down into the engine. !!!
 
Thanks for the pic I can see it :) Your chain look nice and tight. how much are the tensioners to buy/ where can I get one if mines goosed.
 
hmmmm. It's likely fooked but you never know till you look.
Someone on here or on the FB page will have one in sure.
I actually sold my spare one last week :(
If not then the scrapers is your best bet
 
there should be no slack in the chain at all.

the tensioner is mainly actuated by oil pressure and there's a ratchet stepped stopper inside which keeps the tensioner snug against the chain within 1mm whenever the engines off. the ratchet tensioner is very similar to the rear drum brakes self adjusting ratchet.

afew possibilities why the chains loose:
blocked oil feed - old sludge from poor service blocking the tiny oil port is the most common cause why the tensioner doesn't work leading to constant noise. the ratchet stopper inside relies on the oil pushing the tensioner against the chain far as possible so that the ratchet can click to the nearest step and keep the tensioner snug.
to test if the oil was blocked and the ratchet still had some travel available:
1- first push the tensioner shoe in against the ratchet to keep it in place with one hand,
2- with a spanner on the inlet cam, apply some counter-clockwise pressure just enough to keep the chain at the top & RH taught and the chain on the tensioner side loose,
3- now release the tensioner and it should normally spring back out against the chain and then the ratchet should stop it being pushed in any further than before. this means the oil wasn't tensioning it.
if otherwise it doesn't spring out any further, the ratchet inside could either be abit seized (rare) or actually at the end of travel which means the path of the chain around all the sprockets are too long to tension (stretched chain or excess machining).

when you remove the upper tensioner to disassemble/inspect, poke the tiny oil feed holes with equal size wire/drill bit to clear any sludge.
before fitting tensioner shoe, rewind the ratchet thing inside clockwise all the way in till it locks in place.
gently slide the tensioner shoe in the hole fully and without releasing the ratchet.
bolt tensioner in the head then give the shoe a nudge inward to release the ratchet and it should spring up against the chain.

worn tensioner shoe - inspect the tensioner shoe and if the worn groove is deep or down to metal, replace it

stretched chain - not often the chain could be stretched if it's very high mileage.

deck or head skimmed too much - if the head or deck has been machined too far, the chains path around the cams/idler sprocket will be shorter than the chain and the tensioner wouldn't have enough travel to keep it tight.
 
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I took the lids off guys, top tensioner looks okay. While I had it off I gave the bottom chain a wobble and it seems to be really loose but from what I could see also the tensioner was up against it. Does it sound to use guys like the chains are goosed?

@pollyp @frank @wehey
 
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Se@n said:
I took the lids off guys, top tensioner looks okay. While I had it off I gave the bottom chain a wobble and it seems to be really loose but from what I could see also the tensioner was up against it. Does it sound to use guys like the chains are goosed?

@pollyp @frank @wehey
Click to expand...

the lower tensioner is just sprung loaded.
did you test the upper tensioner as I wrote?
 
Se@n said:
So will the bottom one be able the wobble?

Yeah u think I done want you said right and the tensioner seems to sit Nicely on top chain.
Click to expand...

yea little bit.

turn the crank by hand 1 turn then recheck if the top chains snug. is the tensioner shoe loose that you can you nudge it in/out few mm?
 
if you turn the crank backwards the chains will slacken sean, but as long as the chains are tight when the engine is turned off they,re fine
 
the bottom chain seems to be pretty slack. top chain as you can see from vid can move up and down but the top tensioner looks to be working @frank you think I should just run it?
 
Bottom one doesn't seem to be tight and top one the tensioner is still up against the chain but you can still move it as you can see from vid
 
if they,re tight when you turn the engine off then the tensioners are doing their job sean, but if they are slack then the tensioners are fully out and the chain/chains are shagged
 
I think its going to be to big of a job to do to be honest don't think I'm capable of changing all tensioners and chains :( the car other then this noise seems the pull good and drives good its just the noise obvs if its the chain its only going to get worse.
 

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