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timing chain clicking?

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Old Mar 26, 2009 | 04:21 PM
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timing chain clicking?

My timing chain was rattling like crazy I could hear it echoing from other cars in traffic and I would knock really bad under boost. afr's were still a bit leaner then usual. basically weird stuff was going on. I went to my local chevy dealership and picked up a timing chain tensioner. It looks like a bolt with a spring loaded actuator inside a hydraulic cylinder. more or less like a big 32mm bolt. it's on the passenger side in the head. If you haven't changed it, change it. I found out GM supposedly used the wrong tensioner on the assembly line in 06 and under. I'm not sure how true it is but comparing the new tensioner with the old one told me enough to know they have improved the design. Hope I was useful.
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Old Mar 26, 2009 | 05:11 PM
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had this same problem in my 06 ss at 4 thousand miles...

the tensioner broke and allowed the chain to move, it also bent a valve or two..

car was down for two weeks
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Old Mar 26, 2009 | 06:23 PM
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I thought that my timing chain tensioner was going bad but it turned out to be my serpentine belt tensioner. Here is a video of it making the noise.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=43649997
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Old Mar 26, 2009 | 09:11 PM
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Originally Posted by ff_drift_lol
My timing chain was rattling like crazy I could hear it echoing from other cars in traffic and I would knock really bad under boost. afr's were still a bit leaner then usual. basically weird stuff was going on. I went to my local chevy dealership and picked up a timing chain tensioner. It looks like a bolt with a spring loaded actuator inside a hydraulic cylinder. more or less like a big 32mm bolt. it's on the passenger side in the head. If you haven't changed it, change it. I found out GM supposedly used the wrong tensioner on the assembly line in 06 and under. I'm not sure how true it is but comparing the new tensioner with the old one told me enough to know they have improved the design. Hope I was useful.
Did you reuse the valve cover gasket? I've got the tensioner but no new gasket so i've been waiting for the gasket to come in.
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Old Mar 26, 2009 | 09:13 PM
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my 07 has a bad tensioner as well. unfortunately it is also on backorder right now
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Old Mar 26, 2009 | 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by BLAZIN07SS
my 07 has a bad tensioner as well. unfortunately it is also on backorder right now
How does a tensioner exactly go bad? Im not being sarcastic this is a serious question. Thanks
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Old Mar 26, 2009 | 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by 07BaltSS/SC
How does a tensioner exactly go bad? Im not being sarcastic this is a serious question. Thanks
it apparently is just a wrong design from factory.
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Old Mar 27, 2009 | 03:54 AM
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Originally Posted by rukkee
Did you reuse the valve cover gasket? I've got the tensioner but no new gasket so i've been waiting for the gasket to come in.
Remove the existing "tensioner" with a 32mm 6 point socket, look out for some oil. Check out the new tensioner. It has a spring loaded actuator inside that can be pulled out. it should be locked down into place if not, push it closed with your fingers and rotate it clockwise til it locks back down. keep it out of the cylinder and line it up with the timing chain tensioner inside the hole you've just opened, try and twist it a little and once you feel it stop twisting you've seated it correctly. put some oil on the rubber grommet seal and put the cylinder over the inner actuator. tighten it to 55 ft-lbs. You need to remove the valve cover, and after you install the new tensioner insert a long flat bladed tool and press against the tensioner shoe to release it. Then it should apply pressure to the guide. If you tensioner was bad, it would be a good idea to remove the cover anyways and take a look down in there at the chain/guides...and make sure your timing isn't way out. let it warm up and you shouldn't hear anything but the chain itself rotating. Sorry I don't have any diagrams or anything.

credit to sunburst ss for the correction

Last edited by ff_drift_lol; Mar 31, 2009 at 01:46 PM.
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Old Mar 27, 2009 | 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by ff_drift_lol
There is no need to remove the valve cover. Remove the existing "tensioner" with a 32mm 6 point socket, look out for some oil. Check out the new tensioner. It has a spring loaded actuator inside that can be pulled out. it should be locked down into place if not, push it closed with your fingers and rotate it clockwise til it locks back down. keep it out of the cylinder and line it up with the timing chain tensioner inside the hole you've just opened, try and twist it a little and once you feel it stop twisting you've seated it correctly. put some oil on the rubber grommet seal and put the cylinder over the inner actuator. tighten it to 55 ft-lbs. crank the engine a little try not to start it, if it does turn it off right away and start it again. you need to somehow prime the new tensioner since it is hydraulic. you'll hear it rattle like hell a little and after a second or 2 the noise should be completely gone. some minor noise is common from low oil temp. let it warm up and you shouldn't hear anything but the chain itself rotating. Sorry I don't have any diagrams or anything.

Thanks for the info. I hear a tick at cold start up but nothing once it's warm. I DO hear a rattle when i drive by barrier's and threw tunnel's I haven't narrowed it down but the tensioner is a good start. Plus i have a random misfire that can be seen on a tech 2 but has never set a code. You can hear it at idle it will make a puffft noise every 20 seconds or so.
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Old Mar 27, 2009 | 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by rukkee
Thanks for the info. I hear a tick at cold start up but nothing once it's warm. I DO hear a rattle when i drive by barrier's and threw tunnel's I haven't narrowed it down but the tensioner is a good start. Plus i have a random misfire that can be seen on a tech 2 but has never set a code. You can hear it at idle it will make a puffft noise every 20 seconds or so.
Yeah my 07 has the same rattle when i drive by barriers and through tunnels i dont know what it is either.
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Old Mar 28, 2009 | 01:10 PM
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timing chains are just generally noisy. This stupid 70 dollar bolt can even effect your performance by huge numbers. Like I said change it now even if it's not noisy because it IS still broken. It's the wrong tensioner!
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Old Mar 28, 2009 | 05:12 PM
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Is ther anyway i can tell if mines been changed mine makes some noise at startup but then seams to go away thanks
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by TRANSAM197781
Is ther anyway i can tell if mines been changed mine makes some noise at startup but then seams to go away thanks
that's pretty normal. it's probably the old one though. the old one has a rubber grommet around the middle of it, the newer ones have a grommet/washer near the threads.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 05:00 PM
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yeah my car makes this noise as well...it is bad on cold startup...i hear it the most when i am in like a drivethru next to the wall lol...the dumb thing is i have brought it to two dealerships and neither could RECREATE it...and god forbid I go in there with the TSB on it...so it is time to bring it to my mechanic friend and have it done right
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by SEMAJ07
yeah my car makes this noise as well...it is bad on cold startup...i hear it the most when i am in like a drivethru next to the wall lol...the dumb thing is i have brought it to two dealerships and neither could RECREATE it...and god forbid I go in there with the TSB on it...so it is time to bring it to my mechanic friend and have it done right
Yeah I know the feeling the dealership is a pain. Let me know if that fixes the noise.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by SEMAJ07
yeah my car makes this noise as well...it is bad on cold startup...i hear it the most when i am in like a drivethru next to the wall lol...the dumb thing is i have brought it to two dealerships and neither could RECREATE it...and god forbid I go in there with the TSB on it...so it is time to bring it to my mechanic friend and have it done right
don't even think about boosting til you fix that man. it may feel like a **** factory tune idk exactly what you have but that knocking at high rpm's WILL break something. If you have an interceptor gauge, watching the knock retard can get pretty scary with a loose timing chain.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 09:50 PM
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I was watching my interceptor gauge and i was getting 2.5 to 3.0 kr in higher rpms it would blip for a sec then go away then blip again. What kinda kr were you getting whit youre old timing chain tensioner.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 10:22 PM
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i know i have the old style...makes tons of noise at random times but i have no KR at all. its already been ordered by the dealer but its on backorder
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 10:26 PM
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Do you happen to have a part number how long is it on back order
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 10:29 PM
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Originally Posted by BLAZIN07SS
i know i have the old style...makes tons of noise at random times but i have no KR at all. its already been ordered by the dealer but its on backorder
Is your car a very early 07? What was the build date?

I was under the impression that they started using the newer design mid-year 06, meaning only a couple months before the 07s were built/sold.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by ff_drift_lol
There is no need to remove the valve cover. Remove the existing "tensioner" with a 32mm 6 point socket, look out for some oil. Check out the new tensioner. It has a spring loaded actuator inside that can be pulled out. it should be locked down into place if not, push it closed with your fingers and rotate it clockwise til it locks back down. keep it out of the cylinder and line it up with the timing chain tensioner inside the hole you've just opened, try and twist it a little and once you feel it stop twisting you've seated it correctly. put some oil on the rubber grommet seal and put the cylinder over the inner actuator. tighten it to 55 ft-lbs. crank the engine a little try not to start it, if it does turn it off right away and start it again. you need to somehow prime the new tensioner since it is hydraulic. you'll hear it rattle like hell a little and after a second or 2 the noise should be completely gone. some minor noise is common from low oil temp. let it warm up and you shouldn't hear anything but the chain itself rotating. Sorry I don't have any diagrams or anything.
Is this the part you replaced?

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...P2216C133.aspx

And do I need this part also?

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...P2394C133.aspx

Thanks for all the info! Mine has been making noise on cold start up at idle for about 2 years now. No KR and it goes away at about 2k rpm. No loss in power.

Is the change out very hard? I know you described it but I really have no clue how this works.

Thanks again! I apprecite it!
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by ItalianJoe1
Is your car a very early 07? What was the build date?

I was under the impression that they started using the newer design mid-year 06, meaning only a couple months before the 07s were built/sold.
dont know the build date right now but the dealer i got it from received it november of 06 so it has to be an early model
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 10:40 PM
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On GM Parts Direct .com I got this diagram and a couple different parts listed.


CLICK LINK ^^^

Parts listed as Number 20 and 30 are Tensioners
Parts listed as Number 23 and 31 are Tensioner Guides

I am wondering what part we need to replace and how hard the job will be?

Thanks again!
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Old Mar 30, 2009 | 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by leviticus88
On GM Parts Direct .com I got this diagram and a couple different parts listed.


CLICK LINK ^^^

Parts listed as Number 20 and 30 are Tensioners
Parts listed as Number 23 and 31 are Tensioner Guides

I am wondering what part we need to replace and how hard the job will be?

Thanks again!
#20 is the part.

You can see it on the back of the head, you can get to it directly without removing anything else.

Proper procedure for replacing it also includes removing the valve cover, which is much more work than the tensioner itself, but i'd say 1.5-2 hours for a first timer. Not a bad job at all.
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Old Mar 30, 2009 | 07:38 PM
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So doing it the way the original poster of this thread isnt the right way. Just trying to get the correct info dont wann break my car lol.
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