Hey guys, I have a quick question.

I have a 2001 Chrysler Sebring Lxi 2.7L V6 engine with 215,000 miles and 5w-30 pennzoil platinum synthetic oil with a fram high mileage oil filter.

My car makes a loud almost like a knocking noise when I first start it in the morning. It does it for about 2 seconds then its perfectly fine. The car doesn't lose oil nor does it lose coolant, and it runs great with a lot of power and no roughness.

At about 150,000 miles I had to replace the water pump, and I replaced the timing chain tensioner as well since I broke the first one trying to reset it. (man was that a fun job).

It has a flickering oil light the comes on at idle after the car has warmed up, I am pretty sure that started around 175,000 miles. I did a whole bunch of reading and found out about all the engine problems with oil sludge and the excessive heat, so I switched to the full synthetic oil.

I am almost positive it is the timing chain tensioner losing its pressure while the car is sitting and once it the car starts the oil pump puts the pressure back in. Could this be right?

Now my question is should I be worried that I am doing damage to my engine, also what would cause this problem? (maybe a bad oil pump, which would also cause the low oil pressure?)

Also it seems that the colder it is outside (less that like 40F) the louder it is and it almost goes away when its hot out.

Thanks for any input guys and for your time. Also I will post a video as soon as I am able to get a good one. I just gotta find someone to hold the camera for me at 6:30 in the morning

 

when u did the timing chain job that sound that when u first started the engine up after the job was done does it sound like that noise? if it does then more then likely the tensioner is loosing prime yes.

 

Ya it sounded like that only the first time it was way worse I was scared to death that I screwed something up. Lol

Here is a video you have to listen really close for like the first second after its started almost while its starting to hear the noise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctMf...e_gdata_player

Is it just a bad tensioner or could it be something else?

Thanks so much