A brief update on this one.

The new cam just wouldn't settle down. After 400km it was still running absolutely rough as guts. Seriously, it felt like the engine was trying to jump off it's mounts and out of the engine bay. After plenty of head scratching and ignition system checking, we compression tested it last weekend and it was lacking compression on cylinder six.

Did some work last night, pulled the timing gear off, checked all the shims, re-bled the lifters, replaced each pair of aftermarket shims with an extra factory shim instead and re-assembled. After some screwing around with the timing chain tensioner, we kicked it over. To my relief, it ran about 1000 smoother than it had previously. Only thing was, at idle it made a horrid noise as if the timing chain wasn't under tension....

Off came the power steering pump and the rocker cover, adjust the tensioner again, check the tension of the chain. With the serpentine belt removed, we ran it for a few minutes and it was sounding beautiful. Problem solved, we reassembled everything once more and it was off to maccas for a thickshake and a test drive.

The car ran like a dream, exactly as I imagined it would when I was planning the job. I was happy as a pig in s**t and had a great drive home.

The only trouble now is, when I started her cold this morning, the loose chain sound was back.

Any ideas what it could be coz I know the chain is tight.....

my car and 2 of my mates cars make the horrid chain rattle...
my car has brand new timing gears and chain, tensioner is brand new and released yet it still makes noise.

glad to here you solved most of the problem Matt

Unsure on what could bve causing the "loose chain" Noise - could your timing chain tensioner be buggered and keep loosening off?

matt,
i thought about the tensioner after i left last night
and i had a feeling that the noise might of come back this morning.
as nicko says i think we should get a new tensioner and i reckon that will solve our little probloem.


geez it was great when the alarm clock went of this morning at 6am
since by the time i got home and showered it was 2 this morning.

got to love these little problems that come up late at night

Alrighty then, I'll check if the noise consistently goes away when it warms up. If not, I'll order a new tensioner.

cheers guys

glad to hear it soundign good!