Is this Timing Chain Rattle?

[uberkillerz240]

Hey everyone. Just prior to pulling my 240 off the roads for the winter, I started to hear this rattling sound coming from what I thought was the timing chain. I have a redtop sr, just putting that out there for people who don't know.

I never got around to fixing it this winter, but I am prepared to go ahead with the fix. Ive heard remove the top guide and replace the tensioner with the revised one? Is this correct for the SR? I know about all the writeups for the KA, but is what I said above correct? Also, I took two videos of it and tried to capture the sound. Please give it a listen. Doesnt really occur during startup when it is cold outside. It really only appears when it is at normal operating temperature or if it is already a warm/hot day. Thanks. PS. It is really obvious on the video because i held it right up to the valve cover. Allbeit it is quite noticeable when revving it up a little bit and also letting it fall, it is harder to hear when idling except after it has warmed up.

http://s255.photobucket.com/al...0.flv

http://s255.photobucket.com/al...1.flv

[Drift_S13s]

my sr has this same problem take off your valve cover and look at your exhaust side timing chain guide, the black one that curves with your timing chain and see if that front bolt that holds it on is loose, also stick a screw driver down there and see if you can move it excessively. I also bought a new timing chain tensioner from Nissan and took the top guide off.

[uberkillerz240]

Yeah, im going to go ahead and do this asap. Im going to get rid of the top guide and go ahead and order a new tensioner. do you still have the rattle or have you fixed it?

[Drift_S13s]

i still have it but not nearly as bad, and thats only because of the guide on the exhaust side, and the only way to fix that is to do some front cover work, meaning you have to drop the cross member you lower and upper oil pan and everything else it takes to get to that bolt behing the front cover...... ive just been monitoring it and so far all its really done is sound annoying.... its not chipping or breaking and the only time i really hear it at all is about 18-2200 rpms.

[uberkillerz240]

Sweet. yeah was going to get around to doing it earlier on in the winter. but as things progressed I got hit with a lot of work. o well. thanks

[cody180sx]

yeah just pull the guide off and check the chain it should give a little. Then go from there.

[uberkillerz240]

K. So I pulled the guide off, and I am trying to order a new tensioner just in case anyways. Just one final question, when I put the valve cover back on do i use either

a. No gasket and only rtv the whole thing?b. Gasket and RTV?c. just reuse gasket and no rtv?

[cody180sx]

for the love of god gasket and rtv. The stock gasket are not that great but you won't have to use so much rtv. You reminded me i needed to rtv mine

[uberkillerz240]

lol. cuz there are two different writeups. one is all rtv, the other is both rtv and gasket. and i threw the no gasket in as a choice cuz some crazy guy said he never has used a gasket on any of his cars ever (which i think is total bs). thanks

[cody180sx]

you don't have to use the gasket if you use the rtv. it just makes a mess using that much rtv

[uberkillerz240]

How could I check for poor tension on the chain, by just pulling on it? Or is there another way

[Drift_S13s]

check to see if there is any slack on the tensioner side of the chain also see if there is alot of slack between the cam sprockets...

[uberkillerz240]

There is not really any slack between the cam sprockets. Still have to take off the camshaft sprocket cover so I can get a better look at the tensioner and the other guides. Hope its not something worse, so I will drop the oil pan also to check for any other problems.