Hi all,

As mentioned if the car sits for a week or two there will be a rattle from the motor for about a second. I'm almost sure this is one of the tensioners losing oil pressure slowly over time then re pressurizing on startup.

I've heard people say this is normal and don't worry about it. What's the consensus here?

Car drives flawlessly afterwords. I'd rather not spend over the cost of or near the cost of a new long block in repairs I don't need.

Thanks

 

I suppose it all depends on your specific situation. If the Z is high mileage (150k+) and never had a timing chain service, then I would bite the bullet and get it done. If it's lower mileage and the chain rattle at cold start isn't too bad, then you can safely ignore it for a while. Eventually though, a timing chain service will be required. Chains and guides are consumable/wearable items, you can minimize the wear by staying on top of maintenance (not skipping oil changes, using high quality oil, checking oil level and topping off if you have a burner). In you situation, where the Z is sitting for 1 to 2 weeks, I would use "clear flood" mode to crank the engine without starting for 10 seconds or so to build oil pressure prior to starting it. This is fairly normal behavior and I wouldn't be concerned.

Other items to think about when doing a timing chain service...
1) Valve Stem Seals
2) Water Pump
3) Replacement CAM buckets if lash is out of spec
4) Aluminum valve covers + gaskets
5) Idler puller delete
6) New radiator + hoses + thermostat

It's a big job, but something that only needs to be done once every 10 to 20 years, so really not that bad when you cost average it out.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

Car has 149k on it.

I don't rely on the car for transportation so there's no urgency here.

I think I'll just ride this one out. I'd rather buy a newer lower mileage motor than dump that much more onto this one.

Assuming this isn't a complete timebomb