Rattling engine noise out of a 3.2

[kamaro]

I've noticed a "rattle" noise in the driver side of the engine (a Carrera 3.2 out of a 1986), I used a stethoscope to pinpoint it and found that its coming from the driver's side chain housing. Not too loud but diffidently noticeable, very similar to the noise in this vid. :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WezVgDurriE

Would that be a bad tensioner? how common for a Carrera tensioner to go bad? can I get away by just lowering the engine a bit to get access to get it replaced? I'm still driving the car around at this point, do I have to stop driving it until it got fixed?

I know I have a ton of questions but these engines got way expensive to get and to fix!

[proporsche]

well? drivers side on rhd 911 correct.To locate the noise of the chains you have to focus to the front of the engine not rear..make another video from the front and we could tell you ....
from this take i would say loose valve adjustment...

Ivan

[GaryR]

Is it an oil fed tensioner? I've had a few fail on me, relatively easy to replace.

[kamaro]

Originally Posted by GaryR

Is it an oil fed tensioner? I've had a few fail on me, relatively easy to replace.

Yes they are oil-fed ones. Have you replaced them with the engine in the car?

[GaryR]

Originally Posted by kamaro

Yes they are oil-fed ones. Have you replaced them with the engine in the car?

Yes, requires a partial engine drop IIRC, to give easy access to the chainbox covers. As soon as the cover is off you will see if it's the tensioner or not.

[Duc Hunter]

The tapping noise? Sounds like a valve to me...and pretty normal. Sometimes noises dont translate to YouTube well. When my tension went out is was a very obvious rattle on decelerations at about 2,100 RPM. At idle it was not there at all, and on accel it wasn’t really. On deceleration you could hear it VERY obviously. I did not hear this noise on your YouTube

[RDM]

No drop (partial or full) required for an SC. Just remove the rear engine tin. Not sure if a 3.2 is different.

[proporsche]

as i said and Chris ,your problem is not collapsed chain tensioner but valve adjustments....

Ivan

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by kamaro

I used a stethoscope to pinpoint it and found that its coming from the driver's side chain housing. Not too loud but diffidently noticeable

Chain tensioner noise will be profound at the chain cover. It will sound "so right there". It is unmistakable. You are just hearing noise transmission through the engine.

Duc and Ivan are steering you correctly.

On a side note, the tensioner is an easier repair than going through the valves.

[Oneredspyder]

Are you sure it is not the fan hitting the fan housing? It made a rattling noise on my 86 Carrara and had many cracks in the fan housing. The alternator may also need a new bearing that will cause the same noise from a loose fan. Any fan marks on the housing or broken fan blade tips?

[Rodsrsr]

I had stretched timing chains and worn chain ramps that made a horrible noise at start-up. Yours sounds more like valve adjustments, so I would definitely try that first.

[proporsche]

amen;-)