Just recently my 03 Cobra engine has developed a slight noise seemingly coming from the front of the engine. It’s difficult to describe, but it basically sounds like a brief rattling noise which occurs twice per second at 750 RPM (idle). If I raise the RPM’s, the frequency of the noise changes with the RPM, so if I rev up to 1500 RPM, the noise will occur four times every second. If I rev high enough, it seems to go away.
At first I thought it was the belt since it sounded exactly like the belt making two revolutions per second, but the belt seems fine. The only other thing I can think of is that it has something to do with the timing chain, maybe a bad guide, tensioner or chain.
Also, I seem to get a slight whiff of burnt oil shortly after I start the car when it’s cold. It’s almost undetectable, but I’ve noticed it now twice. I checked for oil leaks and found none. Not sure if it’s related, but it started at the same time the noise started. Are the timing chain tensioners on this engine hydraulic, filled with oil and maybe leaking?
The car runs perfectly fine and performs normally otherwise. Not sure if this is a clue, but I don’t drive the car much, so it sits in the garage for sometimes two weeks or more at a time. In winter it sits even more and is only taken out on nice days.
Anybody have any ideas? Are there any known issues with 03, 04 Cobra timing chains or related hardware? Not sure where to even start here.
At first I thought it was the belt since it sounded exactly like the belt making two revolutions per second, but the belt seems fine. The only other thing I can think of is that it has something to do with the timing chain, maybe a bad guide, tensioner or chain.
Also, I seem to get a slight whiff of burnt oil shortly after I start the car when it’s cold. It’s almost undetectable, but I’ve noticed it now twice. I checked for oil leaks and found none. Not sure if it’s related, but it started at the same time the noise started. Are the timing chain tensioners on this engine hydraulic, filled with oil and maybe leaking?
The car runs perfectly fine and performs normally otherwise. Not sure if this is a clue, but I don’t drive the car much, so it sits in the garage for sometimes two weeks or more at a time. In winter it sits even more and is only taken out on nice days.
Anybody have any ideas? Are there any known issues with 03, 04 Cobra timing chains or related hardware? Not sure where to even start here.