what would be the most likely cause of a rattle in the timing chain area, it only does from 1300 to 1500 rpm, under is fine and over is fine.

surges a bit on idle sometimes.

ea 4litre eb engine.

I had a chain rattle from an original timing chain with 200,000+km on it. It stopped after a new timing kit was put in. After removing it, I found it was stretched.

Otherwise, it may be a broken chain guide or faulty tensioner.

It is more than likely a broken tensioner or or one of the lower guides. The tensioner when working will usually take up a little stretching in the chain.
The upper guide you usually get away with if its just the top broken off

thanks for all the replies,,but it turns out the noise isn't comeing from the timeing chain at all, the alternator was loose and was fibrating in its mount, i took it the mechanic i had it booked into for the 18th so he could have a listen, he said straight away its not the timeing chain, he's a ford nut.

so they took the alternator belt off and the noise all but went away, checked the bottom nut and bolt and they were loose.

so i changed the rocker gear, the tensioner and replaced what i thought to be a dead lifter all for nothing...