Replace timing chain tensioner without ripping apart timing cover?

[Fummins]

If this question to me, I am not sure. Technically the ratchet part of the tensioner should keep the "push rod" as close to chain as possible while engine doesn't work, which is obvious. But it is not in my case. Some time there isn't nose at all some time a second on cold start. I did have old Pajero with 2.6L 4G54 engine. There was a tensioner similar like we talk about but without ratchet. I had exact the same noise on cold start.
I replaced oil recently, found and installed a better oil filter and Looks like got better.
Would be interesting to pull tensioner out some day and take look closer on it.

Look at your timing cover, you might have a tin plate with 2 bolts holding it on. Behind it is the tensioner. It'd be easy enough to look at it. My 2014 had that plate, 2015 and newer engines don't have it from what I've seen. I have one laying around the shop somewhere. I'll try to post some pics.

I've seen a few posts of people with the same ideas, thinking the noise on some start ups is the timing chain flapping around. I often here noise on first start up after an oil change. Not every time but more often than not, I wonder if it's the same noise you're hearing?

[Fummins]

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I guess the plunger does have some play in it when I push it in. But I don't know if that's causing the noise on start up. Maybe? Regardless, a new tensioner will still have similar play in it.

[Fummins]

Here's one from the other day, first start after an oil change. Engine was warm. It's kinda hard to hear but the Rattle stops around the 7 second mark then the damn ac compressor kicked in just as the rattle stopped.

[Mark]

Here's one from the other day, first start after an oil change. Engine was warm. It's kinda hard to hear but the Rattle stops around the 7 second mark then the damn ac compressor kicked in just as the rattle stopped.

These cars just do this, & I don't think there is anything one can do to change it. The Mirage has a few quirks, & this is just one of them.

Some may think a better oil filter may make a difference, but I highly doubt it. The oil will drain out of the center of an oil filter regardless of the anti-drain back valve. I do find parking the front end downhill may help some, because I don't think the oil filter drains out much.

My Forester oil filter, however, is mounted on top (oil filter opening on the bottom). Yet, it doesn't have that first start chatter.

I don't sweat things I can't change!

The joy of manual climate controls is the A/C compressor never turns itself on.

[Top_Fuel]

I occasionally get that same rattle on startup. It's not consistent...which makes it even more annoying. It might happen when the engine is cold...but it might happen when it's warm, too. I've probably only heard it once this week. Like Mark said...I kinda just chalk it up as a quirk at this point.

I have also noticed (what I think is) piston slap. This time of year when the car is cold, I get a very light knocking noise out of the engine until it is nice and toasty. Based on some of the teardown pics that Fummins has posted, I assume it's piston slap.

[Fummins]

Yeah I fired one up this morning that’s been sitting outside for weeks. It was clacky, not wrist pin clacky like the one I recently replaced but probably the same as what you were hearing but it shut up after less than a minute. It warmed up so much his morning was -20c/-4f!

[TheProfessorKMB]

Does the 2022 Mirage Hatchback have a timing chain or a timing belt?

[Fummins]

Timing chain. I've seen posts and video's of people saying these things have timing chain rattle, I don't think that's what it it. I saw a video of someone showing timing marks for a g4, in the comments someone posted that they had rattle at startup like all these cars seem to have so they replaced timing chain, guides and tensioner. It still made the same noise after lol.

[foama]

The famous rattle at startup is the no oil rattle!
When the engine is off, the oil slowly runs back down towards the pan due to gravity, and thus upon startup the channels and filter are partly empty of oil. It rattles until the bearings get enough oil. If you listen to the sound of Fummin's video further up, you can tell.

If you really want to prove the point, just replace the oil filter and then start the engine. It will rattle quite a bit longer than usual because the oil filter is full of air instead of oil and the oil needs to be pumped. If you then let the engine run normally for a little while and turn off the engine, and restart it a few moments later, there will be almost no rattle. Point proven.

Its not the timing chain tensioner causing no-oil-startup-rattle! The tensioner piston (plunger) has a ratchet that prevents the chain getting slack while the stationary engine has no oil pressure. You could take the top cover off and check the chain's tension on the stationary engine, then you would see for sure.

[Fummins]

I’m wondering if the rattle is the cam phaser? I find they don’t always rattle on start up after and oil change. Sometimes they do,
Sometimes they don’t.