Avensis 2017 Timing chain rattle?

[Bigszu]

Hello, I've got a strange rattling sound from my engine. Could this be a bad timing chain and abd tensioner or bad vvt gear? 1.8 petrol, 40k miles, very well serviced.

 

[Konrad C]

10 hours ago, Bigszu said:

Hello, I've got a strange rattling sound from my engine. Could this be a bad timing chain and abd tensioner or bad vvt gear? 1.8 petrol, 40k miles, very well serviced.

 

Remove the engine cover. I have the same engine 1.8 Valvematic 2009 ('58 plate), that has just pass 100,000 miles and is mostly quiet. There was a known issue with the cam tensioner for some engines and it is not a difficult fix. Other issues could be the water pump. I had that fail, so replaced that myself. By removing the auxiliary belt and running the engine for a brief period will eliminate the water pump, alternator and air-con pump. Also check the pulleys for play including the crank pulley which is a inner and outer ring with a rubber filling between. This is known to delaminate and cause a rattling noise. 
Hopefully it is not serious or expensive fix. 

[Derek.w]

Also check the exhaust pipe for rattling as a heat deflector plate may have dropped down onto it at the front of the engine.

Easy stuff first.

[Bigszu]

So I took my car to the dealership. I'm quite surprised. They have found that both camshaft seals are leaking, crankshaft seal is leaking also. Plus timing chain rail guides are worn... So they need few days to get it done. Anyway for this mileage and service history I'm very disappointed... Car was always very well serviced and never abused.

[Konrad C]

On 8/4/2022 at 4:28 AM, Bigszu said:

So I took my car to the dealership. I'm quite surprised. They have found that both camshaft seals are leaking, crankshaft seal is leaking also. Plus timing chain rail guides are worn... So they need few days to get it done. Anyway for this mileage and service history I'm very disappointed... Car was always very well serviced and never abused.

Can you confirm what actual engine/car/year you have? For example I own a MK3 T27, 1.8 2ZR-FAE Valvematic Tourer TR spec. '58 plate registered January 2009. It has just gone over 100,000 miles. So I have the electric parking brake, unlike the previous models, to be clear.

I think you are just unlucky.

I would be surprised that the engine has worn so far, and you say it has a good service history? Sometimes a service history may not tell the full story! Just because it is stamped as being serviced does not mean every aspect is covered, done properly, with correct oil, on time or to how the car is used. Low mileage cars doing short gentle local journeys, can actual cause more wear on the engine than a car doing some fast road journeys.
One item that should be looked at and replaced, is the tensioner. If they are replacing the guides, then the tensioner may have failed causing the chain to slap against the guides. Hopefully the mechanics should check this. 

Good luck and if the car has some form of warranty, this will keep the cost of repair down. 

[2009joe]

2 hours ago, Konrad C said:

Can you confirm what actual engine/car/year you have? For example I own a MK3 T27, 1.8 2ZR-FAE Valvematic Tourer TR spec. '58 plate registered January 2009. It has just gone over 100,000 miles. So I have the electric parking brake, unlike the previous models, to be clear.

I think you are just unlucky.

I would be surprised that the engine has worn so far, and you say it has a good service history? Sometimes a service history may not tell the full story! Just because it is stamped as being serviced does not mean every aspect is covered, done properly, with correct oil, on time or to how the car is used. Low mileage cars doing short gentle local journeys, can actual cause more wear on the engine than a car doing some fast road journeys.
One item that should be looked at and replaced, is the tensioner. If they are replacing the guides, then the tensioner may have failed causing the chain to slap against the guides. Hopefully the mechanics should check this. 

Good luck and if the car has some form of warranty, this will keep the cost of repair down. 

Is those BMW engines in those 2

[Bigszu]

It's 2018 avensis with 1.8 petrol engine 2ZR FAE, milage is slightly above 40k miles. Serviced at dealership. Whole timing kit will be replaced, tensioner, guides, chain, seals etc. Plus new oil and new belt that drives water pump.

[TonyHSD]

That sounds strange but not sure if anything to do with tensioner. Usually tensioner is hydraulic and apply tension as oil pressure builds up, if it goes wrong you will noticed rattling on cold start only. If vvti gear is at fault also sounds different. This sounds like a bad water pump to me or an alternator bearings. Sorry I don’t want to confuse you, but best to be 100% sure it’s from the chain and tensioner before you replace parts. These parts barely goes wrong even after many more miles. 40k miles is very low mileage for issues around the timing. 

[Bigszu]

It was timing related. Dealership replaced whole set, chain, guides, tensioner and now the rattling noise is a history. Engine sounds nice and smooth.

[Konrad C]

On 8/6/2022 at 11:31 AM, 2009joe said:

Is those BMW engines in those 2

No Joe, the engine Bigszu has is the same as mine 1.8 Valvematic 2ZR-FAE. He say his is 2017 which is fairly young and only covered 40,000 miles! My car is 2009 and on 100,000 miles. Hopefully his car should be under warranty. Very rare and unusual fault, but can happen.