salukijac

Just like the title states, what are the symptoms of a bad chain tensioner or a bad chain? Would the car run sluggish without any noise coming from the engine? Or would there be some knocking sound coming from the engine?

theiceman

usually you can hear the chain rattling against the chain box at idle.

Amber Gramps

My engine makes a sound at idle, that to my ear, is the sound of loose chains.....but my engine is anything but sluggish. "Sluggish" would make me think stock chip, low octane fuel, or clogged injectors.

salukijac

My car was dying out but never did. It started right up but when I would start driving, it would start cutting out.

My mechanic tends to think that it can be the CHT sensor but he also said that there is 'rattle' sound as well.

iFox

I drive a 78' everyday. I got it in March and a month later I noticed a rattle.. a dragging of a chain on metal sounds about right.. but it would go away. To describe it fading away sounded to me like closing a window. The sound would suddenly disappear above 3000rpm. it would make itself heard somewhere around 1500-2000, this would happen during traffic or short commutes.. but would go away for quite a while after a sustained drive on the highway. The noise started to come back with greater frequency. When I took it in they thought maybe an exhaust leak, but it turned out to be the tensioners. The noise seemed to be on the passenger side. I have the upgraded tensioners installed now and the car definitely runs much smoother. Lucky for me the seller paid the bill.

ALSO.. mine was never sluggish.


Sher-

rusnak

When the tensioner fails on the old design (non oil fed), it sounds like a chain being dragged out of a garbage can, with the links of the chain scraping against the rim.

The newer design tends to not fail as completely, and you'll hear a noisy chain or sprocket, letting you know that it's time to have a look at the chain tensioner/ and or chain. Also, when the chain is worn out, the tenstioner will have to extend further to maintain tension.

salukijac

I never heard any noises when I was driving the car so I was very surprised when he mentioned it to me. I'm hoping to get an update this week.

Amber Gramps

There is also a very common rattle that occurs in the shifter linkage between the seats. some cars have had rubber bands placed on it or sound mat stuck to the linkage that mutes it.

09mageec

I'm getting a very subtle almost scraping/rattle coming from my car, however, I have upgraded tensioners. Its not all the time, but happens once the car settles to idle and only happens at idle.

I keep thinking it sounds almost like the impeller is scraping against the housing as it spins, just lightly enough to hear it. Though this probably isn't the case and could be anything, does it sound familiar to anyone?

It resembles taking a piece of steel to a Bench Grinding Wheel, but very faint, and it fades in and out.

-Cam