3.2 rattle

[94SHOgun]

just put about 1,300 miles on my 3.2 mtx(106350 miles when completed swap) and the top end started to rattle slightly in the rear head(towards fire wall) the rattle has gooton progreessivly worse and know you can feel it in the pedal and i am back firing out the intake..108570 miles....either i swallowed/bent a valve, valve lash needs to be done becuase i know it was no at 100,000, possible timing jump? need new belt and check timing, the cam sensor is brand new.. (i have a new crank sensor to install). oil has no water or coolant in it but coolant is "muddy" for the second time. i changed it about 2,700 miles ago becuase it was muddy. i am going to open it up on saturday any suggestions on what i am looking for.

Thanx

 

[rubydist]

Look at the timing chain and tensioner. Especially if the noise is more to the driver's side of the car.

Does the 'muddy' coolant look to have oil in it?

 

[94SHOgun]

it has that refined smell but still taste sweet. very very brown sludgy gelatin like. gross, could be oil in it. can the chain jump my timing if it is to loose? were is the tensioner? should i just replace?

 

[94SHOgun]

okay i finally had time to open up the top end. after finding TDC and alligning the timing marks on the chain gear side with the cylinder heads, all but one lined up. the rear cam closest to the fire wall is off set by what looks to be one tooth or maybe two. so making it out of time.... same cam that is connected to the cam sensor on the end. so really know what do i do in steps to correct this? what kind of damge should i look for?

 

[rubydist]

I expect you will find that the timing chain tensioner on the rear head is not functioning, which allows the timing chain to flop around and slipped a tooth or two. My service manual says that you must remove the 2 cams together with the chain tensioner to get at the tensioner to change it.

You will likely find that the tensioner plunger is sticky or the spring is bad in it, so that it doesn't exert enough force on the chain to tension it properly.

I would look for a good used tensioner or (if possible) clean up your existing one so it provides adequate force on the chain.
btw, the front and rear chain tensioners are not interchangeable.