Does this sound like the infamous timing chain tensioner noise?

https://vimeo.com/1029062563

Video is linked.
Recently had to get my timing cover resealed. My truck has sounded a little different ever since. It seems to whine when I first accelerate at slow speed (less than 2k rpm’s and 10mph or less) not present at moderate or higher rpm’s and a little whine while idling. Also this weird rattling noise popped up during cold start. Recorded this video in the morning while someone was over to help. It happens on and off. Had someone come look at it and they’re not 100% but thinking it’s something internal or the heat shield. After watching videos I thinking it could be the chain tensioner. My truck wasn’t doing this before. It was always the typical diesely sound without all this extra tick/rattle until recently.

 

Of course when I took it to the shop, the noise isn’t present and I showed the video and they act as if they can’t pinpoint it from the video. Weird how it produces this noise in my driveway but is gone by the time I take it somewhere.

 

Have someone professional check it. If it’s not your tensioner then maybe it’s your exhaust heat shield or something with your cats. The primary tensioner usually goes bad on these trucks and starts making those type noises. Not sure who did your timing cover. If dealer did it they should have checked if there was slack in the chains while having the cover off. As far as the whine you mention, it could be your alternator or power steering pump. Worst case could be trans but who actually knows but if otherwise your truck shifts out fine and no related issues.

 

Hard to tell. Maybe your heat shield??? Hopefully they didn’t leave nothing inside your engine. Have you figured it out?

 

Yep. That is the infamous timing chain rattle. Had same prob almost 2 years ago. Bought used 2012 from Chevy dealer. They took $5500 off their sales price. Got it fixed for $3800 using 'oem' parts. So far so good 13k miles later. Sucks Big Time. Can drop the $$$$ to fix and keep. Or just do tensioner and sell it. Only good news is you get to reseal the timing cover and valve covers but you did the timing cover already. Pray nothing else under that intake manifold.

 

That noise hasn’t came back since that day. However, after getting my whole engine bay checked out by a mechanic, missing bolts were found and the dipstick tube thing was loose. My exhaust heat shield is loose and the one above the starter has a missing bolt. Some things had to be corrected and had to get my ventilation hoses replaced. I also asked them if they could do the timing chain tensioner guides and stuff while doing my timing cover reseal but they claimed nothing was wrong with it. Told them at the dealership that I would have been ok with paying extra to have those replaced. Seems like they’re lazy and do lousy work. I only had the timing cover done because they said it was leaking, I really didn’t notice a drop in oil level. It was probably only a weep. My truck wasn’t making that noise until after I got it back. Just that one cold start morning. I wonder if it’ll come back again.

 

I have an attachment with my truck and not quite ready to get rid of it. My plan was to drive it til the wheels fall off. It’s been paid off for a few years and enjoy not having payments. I will get a newer truck at some point but just want to take my time choosing the right one.

 

My advice to you is to budget to have your timing components replaced. They should have been willing to do that while the cover was off. There’s no better time to do it while that’s off. Based on what you said it sounds like a intermittent issue. Just keep monitoring and listening for the sound and plan to get done pretty soon if you intend on keeping the truck for awhile. Who knows if the sound will ever come back. If you’re lucky, it could just be your heat shields but don’t rule out the tensioner.

 

I would say they did not want to do the tensioner and guides ONLY because, contrary to popular belief, timing chains are not forever. So IF they did tensioner and IF your chain(s) are actually stretched, then, they look like the Bad Guy. I would have at least told them to do the tensioners and I would try to convince them that they are not on the hook for a timing chain failure. I couldn't find a mechanic to do just the guides and tensioners ONLY. No mechanic (3 of them) I went to, did NOT want to touch the job w just a tensioner/guides replacement only.

 

Not that this helps, but I’ve done a ton of research and I have yet to see catastrophic failure of timing chain. Seems like the noise is a nuisance more than anything.