ok, so i just put in a newer ka and everything is working great except for a clacking sound coming from the top front of the motor near the timing gear/chain. I really don't know what it could be, only thing i can think of is that the chain might be messed up or the timing just off. The clacking goes away when the engine gets to higher rpm and then comes back and shakes pretty bad when it comes back. Any ideas on the problem?

 

Are you familar with the timing chain rattle?

 

no, i just read pretty much every thread on this entire website and i get it now. It would make sense that the guides wouldn't have been taken out since the engine only has 77,000 miles on it. I'll try it tomorrow before work. I'll post again on if it works.

 

Hope it does help, I'm fixing mine this sunday.

 

well my car does that too. but when I take off the chain cover, I can't find any damage on timing chaing bushing nor on ht echain cover...... so I don't know what happen

 

what? There's two timing chain guides you take off... the top one you can see with just the valve cover off, but the other you have to take the front of the head off... then you can see it... I just took mine off today, it looked fine, then I took it off, and it's all scrapped up.

 

its actually probably a better idea to replace the timing chain tensioner which is likely seized causing excess slack in the chain. removing the guides will make the sound go away but wont really fix the problem! if you have an earlier model 240, the guides are weak and have been known to break and some find it in pieces in their oil pan. newer models got stronger guides as well...

so to recap, replace the tensioner and replace the guides w/ newer ones! its probably not a bad idea to change your valve cover gasket and spark plug seals as well

 

http://garage.projectraine.com I wrote the guide in there, just in case you didn't see it in the "Naturally Aspirated" section.

 

just an update, i puelled the front cover off and it turns out not to be the guides, but rather the lower chain tensioner. Sucks, i just had the engine pulled 2 days ago, would have been much easier then...

 

well at least now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

 

true true, should have it done by friday when the parts get here