Chain rattle I think?

jasper53

Member
Hi all, have just bought a 1971 2000sc and have had a good look over the car, changed oil and filter, checked levels etc. Have read on here somewhere the timing chains jangle a bit on idle. Think it was a Harvey post? Have checked through the filler neck and the top chain is fine and the tensioner pad is still there. Have a rattle on idle only, somewhere on the front end I think so assume it is one of the chains? Any little increase in revs stops the noise and the motor sounds sweet. Car has done 67k, oil light pops straight out on start up so don't think it's the bearings yet? If this rattle is normal I will leave it alone for now, but don't want tokill the motor if it needs sorting. Car will be coming off the road in the winter anyway for a full paint job, as someone has sprayed it with an underseal gun I think! If it needs looking at I can do it then. Cheers
 
If it’s a ‘tinny’ sound, it will be the chains. Not a worry if it stops as soon as you apply a little throttle.
 
Thanks, that's good to hear. I'm old enough to have worked on a lot of old Minis and other A series engines with the single row timing chains which rattled from just about new. This sounds very similar and goes away will very little throttle. Will leave it alone and get on with enjoying driving the car once painted this week.
 
The bottom chain jangling is common. It can be various things causing it, from the adjuster plug having fallen out of the bottom tensioner, to worn main and big end bearings, with quite a few other things along the way.
 
A couple of times I've seen the lower guide/damper (long plastic covered rail that runs beside the chain) with a broken mount, which will make the chain pretty noisy. But those engines were constantly noisy, regardless of the engine speed.

Yours
Vern
 
A couple of times I've seen the lower guide/damper (long plastic covered rail that runs beside the chain) with a broken mount, which will make the chain pretty noisy. But those engines were constantly noisy, regardless of the engine speed.

Yours
Vern

I had one of those a couple of years ago. Ended up welding the mounting lug back on and it's been okay since.

Dave
 
As we used to say years ago, when our now classic cars were the everyday cars, if you hear a noise you don't like, turn up the radio a bit!
 
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