please help me out here...i believe i read about this from someone, but cant find the string....anyway i started my ss up this morning to leave work and as it was warming up, i was standing outside of the car talking to a co-worker, i heard a ticking sound, like a .lifter...but the sound was coming from the timing gear area of the block. i went ahead home, and when i got out to listen again i did not hear it, but i noticed it sounds like my car is ideling rough, missing on a cylinder but not every time.....anybody got any ideas....car has 14k miles on it, and it doesn't get drove like i stole it... :lol:

My car and many others do the same thing. I'm not too worried about it because it sounds like it's normal but if you are worried, I'd go to the dealer and ask them if there's something wrong. I know I was going to go to them to find out what it was but I never had the time. My friend just a couple towns away had the same problem.

these engines are pretty noisy, i wouldnt worry too much.

its the timing chain tensioner, mine did it, get it checked asap

Have you had your water pump removed/replaced at some time by any chance?
The timing chain tensioner is pretty trouble free, it's the balance shaft chain tensioner that can be a problem, especially if the waterpump was removed without the use of the special J-tools (or used improperly)
It has a "ratcheting" tensioner that can over extend and make a noise coming from behind the cover.

HTH
WopOnTour

i have the same sound too im starting to think its the supercharger

why does no one believe me? it isnt the supercharger, because i thaught that at first too, it was the timing chain tensioner, it some how came loose, they fixed it, and the noise is gone........ this is like the 15th person to say they have heard this noise, and still no one believes me......

why does no one believe me? it isnt the supercharger, because i thaught that at first too, it was the timing chain tensioner, it some how came loose, they fixed it, and the noise is gone........ this is like the 15th person to say they have heard this noise, and still no one believes me......It's not that we dont believe you, it's just that there isnt much there to go wrong with the timing chain tensioner. Was yours an issue from factory? (early in the engine life), something that gradually developed? (noise got gradually worse) or something that started soon after some other service or repair? (improperly installed)

Not saying yours wasnt the problem in your car but we would really need more details on exactly what was wrong with the tensioner to justify it. It's such a simple device that unless there was some sort of serious defect from factory (missing O-ring, collapsed spring, other damage) there would be no reason to suspect it.

Although anything is possible, there is certainly nothing "chronic" with regards to the tensioner that we should be concerned about.I have never heard of ANY Ecotec with a problem with the timing chain tensioner, even going back to the 2000 L-series, and we see dozens of Ecotec cars everyday.
Regards
WopOnTour

this noise my car makes only makes it when cold started....then after its warmed up u dont hear it anymore.....

Mine started doin this yesterday, so today i pulled the belt off and started it noise was still there so i know its not the supercharger, so pretty sure its the timing tensioner. yea sounds like the chain is just slappin around inside

see my thread

timing chain tensioner most likely