guitarmick

Well, I heard a bang while driving the other night. It sounded like a wheel weight hit the underside of the car. The car developed a rattle. I figured it was a heat shield or something. Days later, I investigated the noise with the hood up and it turns out to be the valves. They don't rattle on cold running, just after the car is warmed up.
Thinking back I notice that the car has lost some power and the check engine light blinks for 5 sec. after initial start (doesn't stay lit).
Here's a vid [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EidVkwIauko [/media]
Is this common, and am I likely to be looking for a head in the next few days?
I planned on visiting the meet this sat., but I guess I won't drive the s2000 down there.

NVMY4N

check timing chain tensioner?
VID - DIY

how to

Sounds like it to me.

ez fix

breakneckS2k

they don't rattle running cold? sounds like a TCT, but to the best of my knowledge, they typically quiet down after startup. correct me if I'm wrong though.

are they noisy on startup?

Spa_Ap1

You need to find a way to pull the codes from the CEL, that will help you figure out what is wrong. As far as I know blinking CEL is bad Mm'kay.

breakneckS2k

guitarmick

NVM, I think you are right. I was too impatient to wait for autozone to open the next day, so I spent the night taking off the valve cover (harder than it should have been) and removing the airbox. I found that the timing chain (expected a belt) had chewed through part of the head casting and has some scrape marks on the chain itself. After reading the links you posted, I'm convinced. Thanks to everyone who posted, you guys already saved me a ton of worry and troubleshooting!

guitarmick

I was going to post a pic of the damage, but get an error when I try to upload a pic to an album. I read the step by step, but couldn't get it done. In any case, I'm thinking about changing the chain while I already have some stuff removed, but I've only done timing belts before and I notice that the chain is surrounded by the head. How on earth do you get it out? I have 94,000 miles and this seems as good a time as any. Thoughts?

NVMY4N

^ no clue.

sry, its a big ass job that I'd pay Chris (SlowS2K) to do

BTW Bookmark this: Forum DIY

breakneckS2k

what CEL codes were you getting? know anyone with a diagnostic tool?

Dark_Sub_Rosa

wow.. your tensioner must have been making some noise for a while if it actually failed and the chain was rattling against things. Sorry to hear man, I wouldn't trust many people with my S to change out the chain.