V6 Start-up rattle

[ieatglue]

I've read about the noisy lifters and did the 2500-3500 rpm thing as mentioned. I think this may be another problem. The rattle is REALLY loud. Is this the rattle everyone is talking about? Here's a video I took. I had my phone orientation lock on (sorry)

It sounds like it's coming from around the timing cover area





If I turn the engine off and back on, the sound goes away

[GTSportty01]

I have a loud rattle too on cold start ups. Once warm it goes away. It also ticks like a lifter tick but from the bottom end/side of the motor. My dsm used to do it too but it was from from the top end. I'm running 5w30 and it seems to have gotten worse with that in it so am I experiencing cold oil causing a lack of lubrication or something like that?

[ieatglue]

I don't know what it could be. The sound will stay there until I turn the engine off and back on. Could it be the AC compressor clutch trying to engage?

[Silvertune]

You're going to want to pull the front bank timing cover, it sounds to me like a cam gear is hitting something. Make sure the plug on the right side of the head and the distributor are both still installed tightly. Those both hold the cams in place, if they get loose the cam can work it's way back until the gear hits the head producing a sound like the one you're observing.

[ieatglue]

I'll check that this weekend! Thanks for the input. I hope that's it

[Newmanfan]

My car used to do that exact same thing, it would go away once the car warmed up.

When I had the timing belt job done, the problem went away never to return!

Frank

[ieatglue]

I need to replace the timing belt/water pump. I think I'll just do it this weekend. Did you replace the tensioner too, or just press in the pin and release it upon re-installation?

Check this out. Rock auto has the belt/tensioner combo as follows

GATES Part # TCKWP259 $82.86
ACDELCO Part # TCKWP259 $101.41

Rebranding for an extra $20??

[galacticoa3]

i have the same problem, with 10w30 oil and the noise still there 5 minutes,when change to 20w50 the noise was lower, then i add Lucas oil treatment but the sound still there but now just 2 minutes, i was thinking in change again but now 25w50 and add The Lucas oil again what you think about it? ,could it works??

[galacticoa3]

Originally Posted by galacticoa3

i have the same problem, with 10w30 oil and the noise still there 5 minutes,when change to 20w50 the noise was lower, then i add Lucas oil treatment but the sound still there but now just 2 minutes, i was thinking in change again but now 25w50 and add The Lucas oil again what you think about it? ,could it works??

my timing belt was changed 4 months ago and just when the temperature is lower have this noise

[j0rg3]

20w-50 esta super pesado para este motor we...vas a acabar con los metales de biela/bancada.

[galacticoa3]

Originally Posted by j0rg3

20w-50 esta super pesado para este motor we...vas a acabar con los metales de biela/bancada.

De cuál traes tu?? Tomando en cuenta que mi carro trae 194000 millas cual me conviene usar ?? Además las temperaturas en Chihuahua ahora están bajo 0 grados C

[vai2iant]

I have this too! I thought it was my transmission! Sounds common not so worried anymore.

[galacticoa3]

Originally Posted by vai2iant

I have this too! I thought it was my transmission! Sounds common not so worried anymore.

why do you consider that is the transmission if the transmission is on the other side?

i have the same issue, and i had to change the motor oil, i installed 20W50 semisyntetic and the noise stay there and add lucas oil and doesnt worked, the wednesday i was changed the motor oil again but now syntetic 5W30 and the thursday my car worked really good, then today in the morning the noise come again.
I drained again and add lucas oil and i dont now if that works
and a new issue my car start to expulse smoke.
Now I dont know what need to do ?

[GTSportty01]

Mine does it more when it's colder out. Could be why it comes and goes.

[galacticoa3]

I think so but i need to know which are your miles and motor oil viscosity on your car just to compare it

[ShotsFired911]

The funny thing is I have 2 Eclipse's now and had 3. Do you know all 3! made this noise . 2 Different mechanics told me its the lifters in the engine. I bought the stuff to quiet them down but I of course added it right before I needed an oil change . Its recomended you do an oil change first but before adding the new oil add the lifter stuff. See if that helps

[galacticoa3]

Originally Posted by ShotsFired911

The funny thing is I have 2 Eclipse's now and had 3. Do you know all 3! made this noise . 2 Different mechanics told me its the lifters in the engine. I bought the stuff to quiet them down but I of course added it right before I needed an oil change . Its recomended you do an oil change first but before adding the new oil add the lifter stuff. See if that helps

you change the lifters in the engine and the noise gone?

[ShotsFired911]

Pretty much

[GTSportty01]

I have 104,000 on mine and I just put pennzoil 5w30 in it.

[ieatglue]

I finally started taking apart the engine front end to replace the timing cover and I saw this...



The ring with fins (crankshaft sensing blade) fits on the crankshaft and in between a groove in the engine casting and the crankshaft sensor. Behind that and to the back of the crankshaft pulley assembly is that thick metal washer (crankshaft spacer).



Now I think they have come disconnected over time and that's been causing the rattling. Maybe when the engine heats up, the two dowel things that hold them in place heat up and expand, locking them into place. You can see the 2 holes where those 2 pins hold everything together



I also noticed that my camshaft pulley and camshaft sprocket are both fused together (like mentioned in another thread)



Could that be the cause of the rattle? I'm soaking my sprocket/pulley in some oil and I hope to get them separated tomorrow. I really don't want to buy new ones

[ieatglue]

Update:

I got the sprocket and pulley separated, replaced the timing belt components and water pump, and put it all back together. After starting it up, the sound returned. I'm starting to believe it's something inside the heads

[ieatglue]

Is my timing off? The belt is taught. All I need to do is install the tensioner tomorrow when I pick it up.

It looks like the right bank sprocket is off by a tooth, but I'm not 100% sure

[Bitter]

front cam does look a tooth off.

[ieatglue]

I'll adjust it accordingly tomorrow morning. Always good to get a second opinion

Thanks!

[ieatglue]

The crank sprocket was a tooth off. Both cams were 1/2 a tooth off, so I rotated them to line up with the marks and pulled the belt tight and around the crank sprocket. Changed out the tensioner today too. Problem solved!! Smooth as buttah

Here's the faulty tensioner. Enough play to make the belt do the harlem shake




^ Click for video

And here are the parts I replaced

[Danielv2008]

The cam was off because you were installing the belt with the marks on time. You usually can't do that, you either rotate the crank pulley clockwise 1 tooth or the rear cam gear counter clockwise one tooth. The one tooth extra lets you take up the slack and be on time when the belt is tightened. Just a future timing belt installation tip.

[ieatglue]

That's what I ended up doing. After an hour of trying, I figured there was a trick to it

[Danielv2008]

Originally Posted by ieatglue

That's what I ended up doing. After an hour of trying, I figured there was a trick to it