Pre-cat 4.3 engine rattle

[holmbush]

Help required with a rattle diagnosis please. Out for a good blast today, having given the old girl a bit of a leg stretch!! On slowing down heard a distinct rattle from under the bonnet. Pulled over for a dive under the bonnet to be met with a very obvious rattle from the front of the engine. First thought was water pump but no coolant loss and no play in shaft. Drove home the twenty or so miles very slowly listening for the worst but got home OK. Further investigation seems to confirm noise coming from timing chest area i.e rattling timing chain. I am not at all familiar with the RV8 and have no idea how the timing set up is arranged. Is it likely that the tensioner has failed or should I expect other problems? Any comments would be welcome.

[chris52]

The timing chain does not have a tensioner. It may though have a vernier timing chain (not sure if the 4.3 had this fitted though) If the allan bolts holding the top cog together have come loose you will get a distint rattling from the timing cover area. But be warned if it is this and it the bolts come out its goodbye engine.

Chris

[Barkychoc]

It might be worth taking the fan belt off and starting it up for a few seconds to rule out the water pump.

[RFC1]

chris52 said:

The timing chain does not have a tensioner. It may though have a vernier timing chain (not sure if the 4.3 had this fitted though) If the allan bolts holding the top cog together have come loose you will get a distint rattling from the timing cover area. But be warned if it is this and it the bolts come out its goodbye engine.

Chris

Mine is a factory 4.3 Big Valve and it has a vernier set as per the build sheet for the engine...dont know if this helps ???

Sandy

[spend]

4.3 probably std timing gear, 4.3BV likely vernier timing gear... but you can't really bank on anything

[RFC1]

spend said:

4.3 probably std timing gear, 4.3BV likely vernier timing gear... but you can't really bank on anything

Well you can, *IF* you ask TVR power for a build sheet on your engine..................

[spend]

.. then the IF is 'has anybody changed anything' since it left Foleshill ....


..which we see far too often TBH

[Hoover.]

RFC1 said:

spend said:

4.3 probably std timing gear, 4.3BV likely vernier timing gear... but you can't really bank on anything

Well you can, *IF* you ask TVR power for a build sheet on your engine..................

Depends on

1. When it was made (mine seems to be from just before records began)
2. Quality of info on the build sheets....... have you actually seen some of the early build sheets? some don't actaully have a lot of info on them and back of a fag packet springs to mind.

3. as Spend says.... whats been done by others in 18yrs of the cars life