I have had an on going problem now for about 4 months and have been working at correcting the problem since. I started to notice that there was a rattle/roaring noise coming from the passenger side of the engine. I had some people listen to it and they said they thought it might be the timing chain was loose.

I removed the valve cover to check and see if there was any play in the chain. It seemed pretty tight to me. The next suggestion was to check the balance shaft chain by removing the access cover to the water pump. I removed the cover and stuck my finger in to check. It seemed a little loose so I tought I had narrowed the problem down to something with it.

I spent last weekend tearing into the engine to be able to remove the engine cover to see what was going on. Once I got it open I could clearly see that there was some slack in the chain as shown in the picture below



I was able to push the guide with my finger and remove the slack to I figured the tensioner must have been bad



I replaced the tensioner and put everything back together. I even installed a new serp belt as it had never been replaced and was starting to crack. I started the engine and still noticed noise. On the plus side it didnt sound as bad in my opinion. Again I took the valve cover off and to my surprise this time there was slack in the timing chain.

Yesterday I replaced the timing chain tensioner and the chain is nice and tight again. I started it up and still had noise. This is really starting to **** me off at this point. I look everything over on the car and notice that I had forgotten to tighten up the water pump bolt on the cover. I tightened it down and fired the engine back up. Still the noise is there

I know the timing belt is tight so I took off the cover for the water pump again. I noticed that it seemed pretty hot inside the engine as there was smoke coming out of the access hole when I opened it up. I reached in to feel the chain and it feels a little loose but it may be within spec I am not sure.

I am wondering if the balance shaft chain had been stretched and even with a new tensioner there is still too much slack. I guess I shouldve replaced every damn part when I had it opened up lol. My only other thought is that it may be the water pump as the engine seemed hot. I was also wondering about the oil pump not sure where that is located. Maybe its just not getting enough lubrication. I have posted a link below the recent video I took of the noise. Hopefully someone can guide me in the right direction. I am about to either just take the car to a mechanic and pay out the ass or get rid of it

20130612_100636.mp4 Video by killazincorp | Photobucket

 

Good luck, sub'd for ensuing answers.

Not sure if its your problem, but if it it, you can get a whole new timing set on crateenginedepot. (might be LSJ only though)

 

streched chain

 

Well i decided to take everything apart again to take a look at the balance shaft chain. Not sure if there is too much slack or not. Took a video to try and show how much the chain moves. Not sure if its suppose to be this way or not. Let me know what you think

20130612_155044.mp4 Video by killazincorp | Photobucket

 

Corect me if im wrong but the waterpump chain tensioner is hydrolic and fed off oil pressure so not running it will be a little loose. I can verify mine is little loose as ive timed mine when i did my main chain tensioner. Hope that clears that up. Have you checked all the guides they are known to break the bolts.

 

Thanks for that bit of info I now that its spring loaded but it could also use oil too. I will check to make sure they are all tight. If one did get broken how hard is it to repair? Hopefully you don't have to drill it out. If the tensioner is ran off of oil pressure could there be a chance that the oil pump is bad or clogged and isn't putting out enough pressure?

 

always a possibility of oil pump but I doubt it. if the guides break bolts break off then yes you do have to drill out the remaining part. I have not had that issue but other have threads about it. hope you find out something good luck.

 

I checked all the guides and bolts today. Everything is nice and tight so that doesnt seem like the issue

 

I was just at a local shop this afternoon picking up a vehicle so I asked the guys working to listen to the video posted above. Both of the guys behind the counter said that it sounded pretty bad and that they thought that it sounded like not enough oil was getting to the top end. I also showed them the video of the balance chain as it sits now. They said it didn't look like excessive slack to them. May have to tear into the oil pump to see if there is any build up

 

Just took apart the oil pump housing and didn't find anything out of the ordinary. There was a little bit of dirt build up in a couple of the passages but both gears were in tact an moved well. I cleaned everything with some break clean and then put some new oil on the parts and put it back together

 

I would find the specs and how to check the actual oil pressure the gears can look ok but there fine tolerances if worn could lower pressure. Maybe mr b will chime in and help you out there as i have never done it knock on wood.

 

who is mr b? maybe you can PM him with a link to this thread. I have thought about putting it back together and then installing a mechanic oil pressure gauge just to see. This was also recommended by the guys at the local shop today. I have a gauge setting in the garage I just need to get the adapter that fits the block. Also thinking abaout taking the spark plugs out and then putting the crank pulley back on and turning it by hand to see if I can see anything out of place

 

Took a look at the car again today. I took the spark plugs out and was turned it over a couple time by hand. I couldn't see anything visibly wrong so I was going to just put every thing back together and install an oil pressure gauge. I thought well before I do that Im gonna take one last look at every bolt again. I got about half way threw the bolts when I found one that seemed a little loose. It was for large timing chain guide just to the right of balance shaft chain tensioner. I tried tightening it and it wouldn't tighten. I took the bolt out and found that about 1/4" of it was worn down and there was a hairline crack in it



The guide doesnt seem to want want to fully come out either. I think I probably need to take the tensioner out again to be able to get the guide back in place with a new bolt. Not sure if this is what is causing the problems or not but definitely doing to put a new bolt in.

 

Well finally found out what the noise was that I was hearing. At least 1 rod bearing spun. Cylinder 1 rod cap was very loose. I took it apart to find a spun bearing which some significant damage. Cylinder 4 is also loose but not as bad. Hoping that its not spun as well. Haven't taken it apart yet to find out

Crank Journal


Bearings and End Cap

 

Yikes. Mine had the same problem. Spun bearings, cracked piston rings, leaking coolant into the intake (from the intercooler core thing that's in there). The bolt in your picture (top timing chain guide bolt) broke and then all hell broke loose.

New engine and clutch and she's happy again, for now. Ticking time bomb these engines are.

-Jamie M.

 

Wow that sucks whats the plan now? Can you put new bearing in and be ok? Ive never dealt with bottom end bearing so not sure. You def caught that chain guide bolt in time good catch there.

 

my engine makes all sorts of noise... this is making me scared :/

 

I know right..... Makes me want to get a set of stock bearing to know im fresh......