Did I get scammed?? - Z22SE tensioner

Appie07

Member
3 years ago my both chains got changed due to rattling, it was clearly a metal rattling in combination with some sort of typical diesel engine sound. The metal rattling was gone, although the diesel engine sound was not.

Now 1 year ago, there was water and oil mixed with each other due to a blown cylinder head. This was changed together with the tensioner.

'changed' I should say rather, the diesel sound is still there ever since (3 years ago). It's only when the engine is warm. I am however not sure where the tensioner is. Is it behind the engine bay? Because there I see a old tensioner (from Z22SE not from Z20NET), confirmed this at the forums, although I could not find a video around the forum with the same diesel sound like mine. Now I am scared to death every time this rattle is there during standing still :cry::cry:

Can someone tell me where the tensioner is?
 

Appie07

Member
I would say thanks for the attachment. But it confirms my fear. So I have mixed feelings about it :(

There is a tensioner that's all rusted up in that place. It looks like the Z22SE tensioner and not like the Z20NET.

Can I just put it in TDC and remove the old one and put the new tensioner in it?
 

Berto

Regular Member
Watch the video above from 11:32 onwards Appie, the guy explains how the tensioner must be activated / pre-armed after being installed.
 

Appie07

Member
Watch the video above from 11:32 onwards Appie, the guy explains how the tensioner must be activated / pre-armed after being installed.


Alright mate. It seems that I got scammed. This engineer took my tensioner and never put it in ??? Who does these kind of things. Pure stealing. Will look that mofo up later. :mad:

There is so much information on these forums. It would be a big help for others to have it listed.

I'll give it a shot listing them as a thread, after fixing this. So I can add it there too.
 

Appie07

Member
Watch the video above from 11:32 onwards Appie, the guy explains how the tensioner must be activated / pre-armed after being installed.


I read a lot about the tensioner. According to the vid. It shouldn't be activated. Although I did read that you should activate it before installing. So I should just leave it not-activated when installing ?
 

dewismotorsport

Senior Member
It will activate itself via oil pressure. However I personally prefer to pre activate it so I know it's 100% done and nothing could of slipped wait for the oil pressure to do its job
 

KevinH

Senior Member
Installation of the latest Z20NET timing chain tensioner is best done pre-activated and although slightly more difficult to screw and tighten in the cylinder head, it ensures correct functionality. (y)
 

Appie07

Member
Alright, thanks mates. I'll go with your knownledge and pre activate it. I will also pre-arm it. It also sounds logical this way, if its activated 2 ways, better choose the safer way.

I'll update about the outcome
 

Appie07

Member
So I read a lot about aux belt tensioners rattling on the forms. So I decided to remove the belt and start the car. It was still rattling. It's not the tensioner

Seemingly the chain tensioner is the Z20NET one. I was just blind. Saw it as a flat one somehow? Should get glasses instead of new car parts. :confused:

Anyhow. I opened the rocker cover and the chain n all were tight. I still however did the activating just to be sure. It didn't feel like it was not activated. I added a video of the sound.

Both chains got changed 2 years ago. The tensioner got changed again 1 year ago due to oil water mixed up in the engine. But this sound was there ALL THE TIME (even after the full change of chains) I have no clue where it comes from anymore ??:cry::cry:



Is this sound familiar to anyone ?
 

IDI AMIN

Senior Member
Well it does sound like a chain related problem, the noise gets louder as you move the phone closer to the chain area.

Is the oil circulating as it should? It is possible the oil feed part is blocked up and possibly never got replaced. No.6 in the picture.
These are uprated parts as previous ones the hole for feeding the oil was too small and could get blocked up easily

From the noise in the video i would be leaning towards this oil feed part or the oil pump as possibilities i would think the oil is not circulating as it should be.and
ai.ebayimg.com_t_OPEL_VAUXHALL_2_2_16V_TIMING_CHAIN_KIT_BALANCe543bba3167eed9cd617f72cc34b2b6a.jpg


From the noise in the video i would be leaning towards this oil feed part or the oil pump as possibilities i would think the oil is not circulating as it should be.and maybe not getting to the top of the cylinder head to the lifters

When the engine is running you should remove oil filler cap to see if oil is moving around up top
 

milo

Senior Member
Tbh you not going to know till u get inside and have a look. I had a rattle after replacing my chains and they had done 50k since they where changed. I thought it was the main chain, but it turned out that the balance chain tensionor had failed pic below..
chain.png
If you need to redo your kits just go GM!! Don't buy FAI!! Not worth the money as i originally fitted both they kits and both tensionors failed!! But to check the balance chain you need to strip it down and when your that far down you might as replace them anyway.
 

Appie07

Member
Well it does sound like a chain related problem, the noise gets louder as you move the phone closer to the chain area.

Is the oil circulating as it should? It is possible the oil feed part is blocked up and possibly never got replaced. No.6 in the picture.
These are uprated parts as previous ones the hole for feeding the oil was too small and could get blocked up easily

From the noise in the video i would be leaning towards this oil feed part or the oil pump as possibilities i would think the oil is not circulating as it should be.and
View attachment 67171

From the noise in the video i would be leaning towards this oil feed part or the oil pump as possibilities i would think the oil is not circulating as it should be.and maybe not getting to the top of the cylinder head to the lifters

When the engine is running you should remove oil filler cap to see if oil is moving around up top


I have checked it just today. The oil literally flies out when the cap is off. So I think it reaches there. Too bad though. Would be an easy fix.
 

Appie07

Member
Tbh you not going to know till u get inside and have a look. I had a rattle after replacing my chains and they had done 50k since they where changed. I thought it was the main chain, but it turned out that the balance chain tensionor had failed pic below..View attachment 67172 If you need to redo your kits just go GM!! Don't buy FAI!! Not worth the money as i originally fitted both they kits and both tensionors failed!! But to check the balance chain you need to strip it down and when your that far down you might as replace them anyway.


Exactly what I was thinking. Might just replace the whole lot if it's off anyway. The hardest part is to reach it.

I won't take chances. I will just replace both chains. I like this car too much to risk damaging the whole engine over just a few hundred quid. I will report here once it's out.

Does anyone know a place where I can buy original chain kits, both balance and timing? I saw a few eBay links on the forums but they don't work anymore.
 

Appie07

Member
Both of the chains will be changed soon with genuine parts this time, however I would like some opinions about this.

My plan is to just change everything around there, so it does not need to open up again (with locking tools etc).

Currently next to chain will be replaced:
- Hydraulic lifters
- Water pump
- Big end bearings

Is there anything more that I can just swap away while its being done anyway?

I am curious what caused the rattle.
 

vocky

Staff
going by your video it sounds like the cam chain tensioner has seized, fit the genuine chain kits from the above ebay link.
water pump is also a good idea, Autovaux are the cheapest for that - again insist on genuine part

I would not bother with the lifters or big end bearings.
 
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