i have a 96 cavi and when its cold you start it it is as quiet as can be. once its warmed up you can hear the timing chain. the chain gears tensioner is all new. less that 7000 old. i bought it just recently and thats what the guy said and i trust him. you can also see signs that it was recently done. it runs fine no negative symptoms. i just am trying to figure out what would cause it if its the tensioner why does it work cold and not warm? please help. thanks a bunch btw im new to here and so far really enjoy it thanks guys.
It would really help if we knew what kind of engine it had.
I know on the 2.4's that if you dont get the slack right when replacing the chain that it can cause this, maybee the guy that replaced it just messed that up.
its a 2.2l says that in the title
not the ecotec either its the ln2 ohv
oh OK my bad, the all caps on the last word must have messed with my eyes.
You have a LN2 then. That engine has an in block cam so you have the simple two gear timing chain on the end of the engine.
You never know the slack could just be off or something could be installed a little wrong.. assuming it actually is the timing chain your hearing.
You'll probably just haven't to take the cover off and check.
yea i probably will although i dont want to. if it isnt the chain it could be lifters. the noise sounds like its coming from the front of engine i took off the belt and listened that way to. i put my stethascope up to the cover and it doesnt sound bad you hear a whirling sort of noise but i figured that would be nomal . i didnt hear any roughness or clattering. but without the stethascope you can hear it best in the passenger side fender well. say it was lifters how could i check to find out? and thank you for all your help. sorry bout the title i put it in caps like that hoping it would catch someones eye.
If you have a lifter ticking you might be able to find it by removing your valve cover, turning the engine over by hand, and checking for to much slack in the push rods... With the valve fully closed the rods should be able to rotate but not have any up and down play.
i checked that yesterday they didnt have any movement. everything was very clean only odd thing was the rocker bolts were loose. im sure the noise is timing chain now but dont understand why since all the gears chain tensioner and all was replaced not to long ago.
Well without being there all I can do it ques, but since I am. I would ques that the person the replaced it just forgot to remove all the slack on the side without the tensioner or didnt set the tensioner quite right.
If your lucky and if thats the case you could probably fix it without replacing any parts... but like i said thats just my best gues with what info I have and not being there.
would that cause it to be noisy when warm and quiet when cold though?
Have you tried yelling at it?
That usually works for mine.
Seriously though. It's most likely the lifters. It is common, And your last description pretty much explains it.
Mike could be right too.
Is it a tick or a chatter?
Take a video of it so we can hear it. Although if you do remember that if you get to close a camera will pick up all the other engine noise and make it hard to hear.
well ive been bouncing different thoughts around in my head. the noise is loudest in the passenger front wheel well. its runs great besides the noise. whats a sure fire way to know which one it is without tearing it down. i have a stethascope and can put it on the end of the timing cover between water pump and ac while running i dont hear anything out of the ordinary maybe a little tick but it sounds pretty normal. i had the valve cover off and everything looked ok and i listened while it was running with the stethascope you could hear a little tick kinda like fuel injector tick. but it soundeds normal. nothing was obviously out of wack. what should i be listening for or anything i can do to narrow it do. also can you explain why lifters would make noise when warm and not when first started. thanks i really appreciate it.
Hydraulic lifters are less likely to tick when warm soo.
A chain can get warm and expand a little bit (but not much)
Like I said record it, if we can hear it well enough we should be able to tell just by sound hopefully.
Also check your coils and make sure they arnt arcing.
i have a video how can i upload it on to here. i can send it to email just fine but cant figure out how to put it on here.
you'll have to upload it to youtube or photobucket or something and link it here
its on youtube under cavalier timing chain noise . has 9 views i think no comments.you can go there and hear it if you dont mind. ill see if i can figure out how to link it to.
on youtube if you type in cavalier engine noise HELP!!! itll pull right up.
You meant this?
That sounds more like an exhaust leak near the manifold then anything, at least on camera.
It could be a lifter ticking also, they sound a little different filmed but that seems way to loud to be a timing chain, they usually dont make that much noise especially at idle.
Im voting lifter if you dont have a hole near or in your exhaust manifold / gasket, or at least in the engine bay some where.
Most likely a lifter though.
hey just uploaded a new video took it right inside of the passenger wheel. it has gotten quieter since i bought it using marvel mystery oil and has gotten quieter yet since switching to 10w3, castrol syntec. i can hear it in the car at idle with everything off noise goes aways once revved up some probably 1500rpms. i dont have a tach so i cant be exact. to see the vid type in on youtube cavalier engine noise 2 and please let me know what you think. btw the car does have a glass pack so i you hear any exhaust noise thats it
sounds like timing chain tensioner to me.
FU Tuning
well its all new but i agree with you i think thats what it is. how big a deal is it. ive had some say it can last forever making that noise and others saying fix it asap. ive drove it 2 thousand miles since i bought it and it hasnt gotten worse its actually gotten better. what do you think. that video on here the first one when i just bought it not long after anyway. now you can barely notice it and probably wouldnt unless you were really paying attention.
Well we narrowed it down to a couple of things, now its pretty much up to you.
if your 100% the oil treatment really made a difference I'de want to think it was a lifter since that wouldnt effect the timing chain... but all we are doing is guessing now.
im almost 100% sure its chain. but what im not sure of is if i shouldnt worry about it or if i should tear it down and fix it. ive had severeal people say something different. what you guys think?
