FYI: rattling up front isn't always timing chain/tensioner

[s_ribs]

Along with most (not all, but many) on here, I assumed that rattling I heard from the front of the engine was a chain tensioner or guides. Found that's not always the case! I got lucky and my friend noticed a slight wobble in the engine fan. Further inspection showed the bearings on the water pump had some play.

Moral of the story:
Check your water pump for play too.

Looking forward to replacing the water pump this week and having a quiet engine! Will be adding a puller fan and ditching the engine fan at the same time. This little M42 needs every single hp it can get.

[sennasixty8]

was it rattling all the time, or on cold starts, warm starts, rpm-based or ... ?

[///digitalme]

true that!!! my old engine rattled a bit once in a while, i changed the tensioner, and now that i swapped engines the old waterpump had a lot of play

[kenika65]

The water pump and Tstat are a normal maintinace item and should be changed with millage intervals to prevent this...

[s_ribs]

The water pump and Tstat are a normal maintinace item and should be changed with millage intervals to prevent this...

Indeed they are. However sometimes they wear out prematurely like my case (35k miles on it).