loose chain symptoms?

[Daston]

Hey guys

I fear my timing chain may be loose. I seem to be getting a metal on metal chatter from the engine bay (louder on idle goes quite when under load). It also feels a little lumpy and almost as if the timing is off at lower speeds (around 30).

[ian_r]

sounds like it. i had this on mine. maybe worth removal of your rocker cover first to check for "witness" marks on it. mine had this so i adjust the top timing chain. tried it and sounded better but not right. still had a rattle and could hear it from the bottom. so i adjust the lower timing chain and all is well!

[Daston]

cool she's going in for a service at the end of the month so will leave it to them to sort. Will it cause any harm to drive say 30 miles to dulford?

[billynomates]

ian_r said:

sounds like it. i had this on mine. maybe worth removal of your rocker cover first to check for "witness" marks on it. mine had this so i adjust the top timing chain. tried it and sounded better but not right. still had a rattle and could hear it from the bottom. so i adjust the lower timing chain and all is well!

Is the lower chain adjusted the same way as the top ie a cam screwy thingy ?

And if so could you give me some pointers to it's location please ..Ta a lot

[Daston]

out of interest is there any "how to" guides on removing the rocker cover and adjusting the chain?

[billynomates]

Daston said:

out of interest is there any "how to" guides on removing the rocker cover and adjusting the chain?

This may help or not I really can't remember .

See here
http://www.varleyhyd.com/FJ062.asp

[Daston]

cheers thats a little help. From reading it am I right in thinking the rocker cover just covers the plugs and cam pulleys and not the cams themselfs?

[yzf1070]

A common fault with the S6 engine is this.

If your car has done 35K + miles you may want to ensure that there is enough material left on the top tensioner. It looks a lot like a brake shoe and the slip material is riveted on in a similar way. The slip material wears away down to the rivets and then the metal shoe. The metal filings in the oil does the rest. However if yours is a low mileage car then its possible the tensioner has simply worked loose.

Good luck

[Daston]

cheers she has just covered 22k miles. Does anywhere do an aftermarket tensioner that dosn't fail under 40k miles? Dont like the idea of metal in the oil. Also is the sump plug magnetic or will that not work as its dry sumped?

[Night Rider]

Daston said:

Also is the sump plug magnetic or will that not work as its dry sumped?

You may want to do some more research into the basic workings of engines. A dry sump doesn’t mean it’s dry with no oil. Yes the sump plug is magnetic...well all the ones I have removed anyway.

Seek help from a professional mechanic for the timing chain adjustment if you are not 100% sure of what you are doing.

[Daston]

Night Rider said:

Daston said:

Also is the sump plug magnetic or will that not work as its dry sumped?

You may want to do some more research into the basic workings of engines. A dry sump doesn’t mean it’s dry with no oil. Yes the sump plug is magnetic...well all the ones I have removed anyway.

Seek help from a professional mechanic for the timing chain adjustment if you are not 100% sure of what you are doing.

Cheers I feel like I have some bed time reading to do.

[T450t]

Does this help.

[Daston]

Ok I am confused.com

After wheeling the car out of the garage and getting the bonnet off (what sick twisted man invented that thing!!) I started her up. No noise at all purred like a kitten, well ok idle seems a little low so purred like a slightly coughing kitten. I had a good poke around and found the top offside bonnet catch very loose and it looks like it has taken chips out of the paint below it. Could this possibly be the taping noise I am hearing at idle????? Going to take it for a run when traffic clears and see what shes like. If its just a simple fix like this you may hear the crys of joy from the somerset area...

[billynomates]

Daston said:

Does anywhere do an aftermarket tensioner that dosn't fail under 40k miles? Dont like the idea of metal in the oil.

Try Racing Green they have them

For some strange reason RG reckon the tensioner is on the right weird.

Edited by billynomates on Friday 8th August 18:47

[Daston]

I supose it is looking from the drivers seat.

Cheers for the heads up will have a look.

Well bonnet is back on and fired her up and she dosnt sound right. Going to do the old screw driver trick tomorrow to see if I can work out where the tapping is and then give dulford a ring.

Feel quite miffed as I havnt really got to use it in anger and the summer is quickly disappearing

[T450t]

Daston said:

I supose it is looking from the drivers seat.

Cheers for the heads up will have a look.

Well bonnet is back on and fired her up and she dosnt sound right. Going to do the old screw driver trick tomorrow to see if I can work out where the tapping is and then give dulford a ring.

Feel quite miffed as I havnt really got to use it in anger and the summer is quickly disappearing

May I suggest you get a service before you do the "old screw driver trick" as that will probably give you the answer your looking for.

[Daston]

however I dont fancy driving around 30 miles to my independant espcially not at motorway speeds just incase something lets go.

[T450t]

Daston said:

however I dont fancy driving around 30 miles to my independant espcially not at motorway speeds just incase something lets go.

Do you know anyone who has a trailer.

[Daston]

yeah I do as it happens, good thinking. Failing that I think my insurance break down covers me for that sort of thing.

[Daston]

Just a quick update. Noise is coming from the back end of the exhaust cam and gets louder when hot. Any ideas what it could be? Cam, figure followers, tappet, valves, or all of the above?

If she needs new cams is it worth going for uprated ones?