Is some timing chain rattle normal?

[19jacobob93]

Hello my friends
I have a Ford Falcon with the 4.0 SOHC I6.
Here you can see the chain where I hear the noise

It has always had some slight valve train noise that's louder with some oils and almost inaudible with others. Having hydraulic lifters it can sometimes be a bit rattly for a few seconds upon cold start up, and at around 1,000-1,400 rpm when hot.
I just checked my oil now and then started the engine. I gave it a few slight revs to listen to the lifters and I noticed for the first half second after opening the throttle there was the distinctive buzzy rattle coming from the front where the timing chain is. Now obviously this is the timing chain rattling against the alloy guides but my question is, is this normal? I mean the guides are there for a reason right?
It only has 200,000km (124,000 miles) which is considered very low for these engines.
It currenlty has Durablend 10w30 in the sump which has 7,800km on it (on 10,000km/6,200mi OCI) because this oil made my lifters very quiet compared to everything else. It is in excellent mechanical shape, uses no oil in 10k and is very smooth and powerful but doesn't this rattle normally suggest lower oil pressure to the tensioner or is it normal and I was listening too hard? Haha
I'm worried because I had a Mitsubishi 2.6 that did it very loudly for a second on start up and that engine died not long after but it's nothing on that scale.
Cheers

 

[toneydoc]

Good looking clean engine. If its a very short lived rattle, I probably would not worry about it. Check for tightness and keep her running.

 

[19jacobob93]

Originally Posted By: toneydoc
Good looking clean engine. If its a very short lived rattle, I probably would not worry about it. Check for tightness and keep her running.

Thanks! Definitely seems in good shape but yes it's a very short lived 'buzzy' rattle, for maybe half a second on very light acceleration.
I was thinking maybe a 10w40 would give more oil pressure to the tensioner but I don't want to go above 10w30 yet since everything else is loving it!

 

[abycat]

put a new chain in it. They are cheap anyway. Might get some timing back from a less stretched chain.

 

[artificialist]

Unfortunately I can't see the timing guides, and that is a factor. Sometimes the guides will develop deep grooves in them, or they will crack. The chain wouldn't even need to stretch to cause a rattle or a major failure.

I hope replacing the chain and chain hardware isn't labor intensive or expensive. The USA never got a SOHC inline 6 that was made by Ford.

 

[andyd]

Isn't the in line 6 a treat to drive? My favorite is the old XJ6, they had an adjustable tensioner. Some have a tensioner that uses oil pressure to keep the chain tight. The M 20 in my 528e is belt driven. Makes for a smooth engine. I can change the 35$ belt and tensioner in an afternoon. So belts don't scare me. You mentioned an oil that quieted the noise to an extent. I would use this until the problem gets worse. Some noise is to be expected with a chain.

 

[19jacobob93]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Isn't the in line 6 a treat to drive? My favorite is the old XJ6, they had an adjustable tensioner. Some have a tensioner that uses oil pressure to keep the chain tight. The M 20 in my 528e is belt driven. Makes for a smooth engine. I can change the 35$ belt and tensioner in an afternoon. So belts don't scare me. You mentioned an oil that quieted the noise to an extent. I would use this until the problem gets worse. Some noise is to be expected with a chain.

It is! And I was reading an article written on my engine just yesterday that was explaining how because Ford owned Jaguar at the time, they dipped into the bucket of know how and borrowed a lot of tricks from the XJ6 that helped refine the engine to make it smoother quieter than the previous Falcon I6s.
I think maybe I'm being paranoid about the noise because it can only be heard with my ear up to the front on the engine and not at all under normal driving. For all I know they have all done it since new

 

[toneydoc]

Does not sound like something to worry about