Timing Chain Rattle

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RightTool

New Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2017
Messages
4
Car
C180, 2 Litre Petrol, 2001
Hi guys

I'm hoping someone here can help me.

I'm getting a rattling noise from the engine (C180, 2Litre Petrol, 2001. 111 series engine). The noise is akin to marbles in a can.

It only occurs at idle however.

I've recorded a 30 second video and put it on youtube.

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

Can anyone confirm if this noise is from a worn timing chain? Or maybe the tensioner?
Would it make sense for this noise to only occur at idle?

Thanks for any help!
 
Sounds like timing chain rattle to me. Get the rocker cover off ASAP and check it. Does not sound healthy!
 
Thanks for the reply pembssurf.

I'll take the cover off this weekend and have a look. Being completely honest I haven't got much experience with timing chains but I'm interested in addressing this as a project!

If I take the cover off I'll see the two cam sprockets and the chain across the top. Is that enough to tell if the chain is slack?

It's the M111.951 engine. I know the later M271 was more prone to wearing out timing chains.
 
Can anyone offer any further advice on this? I'm pretty certain the chain is slack. Does that indicate a worn chain or a worn/faulty timing chain tensioner? Would it be worth getting a new tensioner and fitting that first to see if that fixes the problem?
 
It could be the timing chain, but it also sounds like a failed alternator clutch. I am just not sure if one was fitted to your car.
Does the alternator pulley have a flat plastic cap fitted or can you see the retaining nut ?
 
Could also be the water pump failing
(When did you first post this???)
 
Looks like January 2017....19 months ago. it's either blown up or fixed by now I should think. :dk:

Yep, but he has posted the same problem yesterday so has the rattling returned or was it just pushed back into a garage and forgotten for 19months.[emoji15]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Yep, but he has posted the same problem yesterday so has the rattling returned or was it just pushed back into a garage and forgotten for 19months.[emoji15]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
No idea, but I hope we find out soon, can't bear to wait another 19 months , the suspense will kill me :p !
 
Sorry about the delays guys!

The car is used once or twice a week, it’s not my daily driver.

I don’t think it’s an alternator or water pump issue, because I’ve never had problems with a flat battery or overheating.

I’m just unsure as to whether or not it’d be worth buying and fitting a new timing chain tensioner and seeing if that stops the noise? (Right now I’m thinking the current tensioner is no longer operating correctly and the sufficient tension isn’t being kept on the chain) do those chain tensioners fail? Or is it more likely to be the chain has stretched to the extent that even a perfect tensioner can no longer take up the slack? The car was born in 2001... so the chain & tensioner are a few years old at this stage
 
Last edited:
Sorry about the delays guys!

The car is used once or twice a week, it’s not my daily driver.

I don’t think it’s an alternator or water pump issue, because I’ve never had problems with a flat battery or overheating.

I’m just unsure as to whether or not it’d be worth buying and fitting a new timing chain tensioner and seeing if that stops the noise? (Right now I’m thinking the current tensioner is no longer operating correctly and the sufficient tension isn’t being kept on the chain) do those chain tensioners fail? Or is it more likely to be the chain has stretched to the extent that even a perfect tensioner can no longer take up the slack? The car was born in 2001... so the chain & tensioner are a few years old at this stage

Did you ever get anyone to take the cover off to check the chain? If you haven’t even done that then I don’t know what you’re waiting for.
For what it’s worth and if you want to keep the car change both chain and tensioner as a preventative measure. Otherwise wait till it goes pop and write off the car.
 

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