Engine Rattle

[Vic Sorlie]

Rattle on startup is an indication of lack of oil flow. Have you been running petroleum oil or synthetic? If petroleum you could have some sludge buildup that's restricting oil flow. I recommend an oil system flush and changing to synthetic oil. AMSOIL has products for both. Your local fast lube will also have similar flush service. Synthetic oils will clean away sludge, but since it's hidden you don't know how much is there; if large amount then the oil filter gets plugged enough to go into bypass - by design. Then unfiltered oil is circulated, usually resulting in high oil consumption.

 

[Yardsale]

You haven't provided "everything I have tried and eliminated so far". We can't eliminate possibilities if we don't know the current status.

Rattle on startup is an indication of lack of oil flow.

Maybe. On start-up there is no oil flow for a few seconds, so ya, one could argue that is the problem. The timing chain tensioners are designed with springs to address the start-up no, or low, oil flow period. A common cause of rattle on start-up is lack of spring tension in the timing chain tensioners. In this case, the rattle typically quiets after a few seconds when the oil pressure builds-up. (Someone posted a link with regard to this above.)



What is the oil and filter change frequency?

 

[Duane Foster]

At 115,000 miles, I'd get it fixed rather than replace the truck. Yes, it's expensive, but how much can you sell the truck for knowing it needs engine work? And what 115,000 mile vehicle are you going to replace it with for the same amount of money (selling price for the truck + repair cost) that's guaranteed to be better? You have a truck that's never given you a problem until now. You know what you have. When we buy used vehicles, we never know what problems we're buying into.

 

[Robert Howell]

The cassette tensioners are an easy 2 hour fix. If it is the cassettes themselves it is about a 20 hour fix as the engine has to come out to do both cassettes as well as the timing chain and balance shaft chain.

Resealed all gaskets when I did this, head gaskets as well, new thermostat housing, EGR, water pump, engine mounts and spark plugs. Parts ran me about $2100 from RockAuto and another $350 for the timing tool.



I did all of the work so it worked out much, much, much cheaper than getting a new truck.

:banana::banana: