Tundra 5.7 Cam Chain Tensioner

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JXW

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Apr 11, 2010
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286
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Milford, MI (USA)
122,000 Miles and the noise on start up, cold, has been identified as the cam chain tension (Plunger) which is leaving slack in the chain for about 2-3 seconds on cold starting.

Wanting to know if anyone has experience with this specific issue, has it proved fatal in part or whole to engine failure and has anyone repaired this? Please.

Any details from the board would be much appreciated. Please.

This is an earlier build 2007 and I do like the truck but I am anxious that I might lose the motor in the future as this may have been contributing. Lastly, oil analysis should reveal plastics from the tensioner and or metals from the chain drive, sprocket etc.

Peace to all
 
My Toyota 4Runner engine is sensitive to startup noise as well, it's extreme picky on the type of filter I use. I believe that the 5.7 uses a canister filter so no ADBV in the filter itself. Is there a way to service whatever provides the ADBV action in the canister filter of your 5.7? That's where I'd start. If not, and the timing tensioner is a known failure point (which I'm not aware of but my knowledge of the 5.7 failure areas is nearly non existent) then you're left with few options other than drive it and hope for the best or replace the tensioners of which I suspect there is at least one per bank with an associated shoe/guide. Replacement will be very costly be the entire front of the engine has to come apart to fix it.
 
The timing chain tensioner is all metal & I've never seen one cause the cold startup rattle. The intake camshaft VVTi actuators (cam gears) do bleed out oil & rattle until they buildup oil pressure. I've replaced many cam gears for this issue but it won't lead to engine failure. Many Toyota models have a cam gear rattle on cold startup & some have service bulletins & some don't.
 
The service manager told me the tensioner is very thick plastic shoe. He did ask me about my filter choice, stating that Toyota filters were the way to go. I might have used WIX the last time...
 
The tensioner is metal, the timing chain guides are plastic. As the guide wears, the tensioner tightens up the extra clearance. The guides are always under tension so I can't see them causing the rattle noise. I'd pull the passenger side valve cover & see how much, if any wear is on the plastic guides. You can see them easily with the valve cover removed
 
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