M62 engine noise, timing chain?

[peaktorque]

My E39 535 has a light rattly noise from the engine at idle which is only present at tickover, it clears if revved. The noise appears to be coming from the top of the timing chain cover on the near-side bank of cylinders. So I am guessing at a slack chain

The car has covered 140,000 miles and drives without fault. My question is whether this a common fault and can I just fit a new tensioner to the chain? What sort of job is this?

Thanks in advance

[SJobson]

Could this be the sound of a failing water pump? I can't tell from your description, though.

[peaktorque]

The noise does sound very 'slack chain' like, only on the near-side bank of the engine though. Is the water pump on that side?

[blackspider]

Hopefully its the chain tensioner-not had many fail though-its screwed in mid way down-32mm spanner if i remember correctly-its a simple swop when you get to it.

I did have a quite a few 535/540 with a chain noise which always turned out to be the 3 bolts holding the oil pump on coming undone-pump moves around chain for oil pump slaps-this is a sump off job.I'd get it checked out quickly if it turns out to be this.

need to get those cam covers off and have a look.

good luck

[peaktorque]

blackspider said:

Hopefully its the chain tensioner-not had many fail though-its screwed in mid way down-32mm spanner if i remember correctly-its a simple swop when you get to it.

I did have a quite a few 535/540 with a chain noise which always turned out to be the 3 bolts holding the oil pump on coming undone-pump moves around chain for oil pump slaps-this is a sump off job.I'd get it checked out quickly if it turns out to be this.

need to get those cam covers off and have a look.

good luck

O.k thanks!

Just so I know, how can I tell if it is the tensioner at fault as apposed to the loose oil pump?

[blackspider]

If you go under the car on a ramp and have someone blip the throttle you can hear alot of chatter around the crankshft pully sump area

[peaktorque]

blackspider said:

If you go under the car on a ramp and have someone blip the throttle you can hear alot of chatter around the crankshft pully sump area

Thanks again blackspider!

A job for this weekend! Annoying because the engine is near silent apart from this noise!