Rattle on start up??

Burnzi

I replaced my chain about a year and a half ago tensioner fitted is the flat head z22se tensioner and every now and again it will rattle on start up i now know for sure i didint activate the tensioner is there any way of activating it now its fitted cheers

IDI_AMIN

Remove tensioner again and press against a hard surface you will notice the difference of the neck part you will feel the tension in it you press hard with your thumb and you have very little movement but before it is activated it will move very loosely up and down

Burnzi

Cheers i need to inspect balance chain you can feel the vibration in the car on tickover so ill do it all in one go

IDI_AMIN

If you never changed your balance chain its a good idea to change that also. I tried only doing cam chain and when put together the guide rails on the balance chain broke up on me i could hear this nasty type of grinding sound and when i stripped it down again 2 of the balance rails had broken up. ideally they should be replaced together

Burnzi

I did the lot 2 chains 3 gears all the sliders oil jet gasket and crank oil seal i just want to check it. will i have to remove the timing cover anyway when i remove the tensioner

IDI_AMIN

No the tensioner for the cam chain is at the back of the head the timing chain cover does not need to come off. Unless you want to check it out .the vibration you feel is probably to do with the tensioner not being activated

evocarlos

i had this about 3 months ago only for the 1st 4-5 sec's
the oil had not been changed in 18 months
did a fresh change of oil and a filter
it no longer does it but it does want a chain fitting now it can be heard at idle

Burnzi

Will the chain not move anywhere with the tensioner out i dont want to be wrecking any valves ill try just activating it and see if the vibration goes ill keep you posted cheers for the help

IDI_AMIN

As long as you dont turn crankshaft it should be okay the chain will become slightly loose but you just remove tensioner activate it and put back in without touching anything else it will be fine

jwalker

a cracked exhaust manifold can cause a rattle too on startup

pottsey

if the tensioner hadnt been activated ,surely after year and a half it would have done some damage with it being loose .i know when my tensioner seized it made a hell of a rattle all the time

IDI_AMIN

pottsey said:
if the tensioner hadnt been activated ,surely after year and a half it would have done some damage with it being loose .i know when my tensioner seized it made a hell of a rattle all the time

That's true after so long you would expect some major damage it is possible this rattle is related to something else that is loose so best to do the tensioner anyway and see what else develops

evocarlos

jwalker said:
a cracked exhaust manifold can cause a rattle too on startup

some thing i must check then 🙂

IDI_AMIN

I think just about everyone on this website has had a cracked manifold when i got a replacement one from ebay it had a stud missing so i had my old one in a vice to take one out and it halved in 2 down the split couldn't believe it was so weak

Burnzi

Dose the cracked manifold happen on the vectra c with a mani cat id of thought one of the many shitty sensors would have thrown a fault and the rattle happens at random times but not every time and only on start up for 2 seconds if that but i no the tensioner fitted has not been activated because i fitted it

Burnzi

Just a quick update removed rocker cover to find this a very slack chain

evocarlos

in a mythbuster fashen
""well there's yer problem"" 🙂

Burnzi

Tensioner activated its self when i removed it made sure it was activated before refitment all looks ok now i think ive been very lucky

Matt

So the tensioner wasn't actually activated while in the engine (thus causing the slack chain)?

Burnzi

Nope as i was unscrewing it i felt it pop out its been unactivated for about a year and a half the tensioner must hold oil well coz thats been the only thing giving it the little bit tension its had