Have just started to get a ratling or noisy engine when I ist start car after been sitting awhile. It goess away within a few seconds.I Engine has 171kms on clock. Any ideas please. Thanks
morrisman1,
Feb 6, 7:28am
The SR20 engine has a hydraulic timing chain tensioner. When oil pressure goes away after you shut down the enigne, the tensioner doesn't go all the way back home, it will sit on a ratchet mechanism. Some models had a coarse ratchet, some later redesigns had a finer one with smaller steps.
It normal for a sr20 to have timing chain rattle on startup for up to a second as oil pressure builds and the tensioner takes the remaining slack out of the timing chain.
How long does it take for your oil pressure light to extinguish!
chutneyman,
Feb 6, 7:30am
Hi, light goes out almost immediatley,cheers
morrisman1,
Feb 6, 7:39am
ok. What generally happens is as the tensioner is getting closer to clicking onto the next step, the timing chain rattle will get worse, then when it clicks up a step it will get magically better. I don't know the time frame involved.
Have a look under the oil cap and see if it looks nice and golden, or black and sludgey with carbon build up. If its the later then you could have a bit of wear occurring from lack of maintenance. If its the former then don't worry about it.
Both the SR20 engines here do it, one is a sr20ve with 184000km, and the other is a sr20de with 220000km, both are in very good condition and have had good service history.
chutneyman,
Feb 6, 7:40am
Thanks for that info. Will check that out in the morning.
mrfxit,
Feb 6, 9:27am
LOL yep they sure do, they rattle like a monkey with a hammer in a hot cast iron potuntil the oil pressure gets up.
cowlover,
Feb 6, 10:04am
My friends Bluebird (SR20) has had that horrid rattle for 10 years yet my Primera (sr18) has never had it.Both cars well serviced.
johnf_456,
Feb 6, 11:32am
Totally normal, my friends one that I service does the same. Yet its done 310,000km and still going strong, they are good engine when serviced properly. Which is why they are often used a lot for taxis (bluebirds and primeras), they all use the sr engine range.
As long as it goes out after a few seconds when the oil pressure comes up its fine. If it made strange noises when up to temp and oil pressure is up, then i would be concerned.
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