Thread: Timing chain tensioner - WOW!

OK, So I've owned my 2006 Azera Limited for just over 2 weeks. I noticed about a week ago that there was a rattle from the engine when I started it. Nothin sever, just a 2 second long "rattling chain" noise coming from the engine when I started it.

So I took it back to the dealer where I purchased it to have them diagnose, turns out it's a shotty timing chain tensioner. Now, my car has about 22K miles on it and of course that's under warranty. So I stop in today to get a few things out of my car while it's in service (BTW - they gave me a nice loaded sonata to drive while it's in the shop... which suprised me becaue I was expecting an accent or some other cheap-o loaner).

Anyway... when I look @ my car the engine is completely out of the car sitting on the ground next to it!!!

Turns out the way the engine/car is designed the ONLY way toget to the timing chain tensioner is to remove the enitre motor! I talked to the service rep who told me that if this wasn't a warranty repair it would have cost me upwards of $2000!!!!!! Thank God for Hyundai's warranty but good god what a horrible design, if that part was located in a better, more accessible area that would be a much, much cheaper repair.

Shades of the early VW bug! It was easier to just pull the entire motor to work on a lot of stuff. Put the Bug on a lift and one mechanic with an hydraulic shop jack could drop the motor in a few minutes...

Wow that surprizes me that this uses a timing chain instead of a belt. I noticed the book did not say much about changing anything with the timing. Is the chain good for 100k miles?

Welcome to the forum! I'd say a timing chain would likely be good for the life of the engine, maybe 300,000 miles or more...

I think it may have just happened to me. My 2007 Azera was towed away. I'll know Monday. 25,000 miles. No warning.

Yep it was the tensioner. Two days to get the parts and two days to fix it. Glad it is in warranty.