Can someone please tell me what this noise is? just replaced alternator and battery, only started doing it recently. was low on oil yesterday but i filled it all the way up after only driving it 5 minutes down the road.

 

Sounds like excessive play in timing chain. How many miles are on the engine? Ever had the timing chain replaced?

 

the timing chain was replaced once before and it has around 160,000 miles. could it be the tensioner?

 

Yes. What was the mileage when the previous replacement was performed?

 

I don’t know the previous owner had it done. Is there a chance it’s a lifted or the timing chain tensioner? is it safe to drive a little longer?

 

I wouldn't drive it. The N12 doesn't have lifters; it's an overhead cam design, but it could be the tensioner.

The more you drive it, the more expensive the repairs will be.

 

i appreciate the help. i’m just hoping it’s not something major like maybe the valves need adjusted? i just need to drive it an hour back to my college then i’ll get it diagnosed. i hope i make it

 

Don't do it.

 

i don’t really have a choice i have to get back for classes in the morning. if it’s the tensioner i can still drive right?

 

update: on cold start it doesn’t make this noise at all. what does this mean?

 

That means it's probably not a dropped valve seat ... a good thing!

 

If, as indicated by your brief video, the noise is at that end of the cover you might consider the vacuum pump? It can seize and cause catastrophic damage to cam, valves, etc. Hard to check it other than being source of noise. It has a tiny oil feed and can get starved, especially with low oil level or dirty oil.

 

you could be right. i did end up driving it about an hour and it drove pretty normally, and actually ran a little cooler than earlier! here’s what it sounded like at the end of the drive: i’m just confused. maybe the oils working its way through?

 

thats a relief! at the end of the hour drive i opened the hood and the engine was a lot less hot compared to when i took that first video. here’s what it sounded like after an hour drive: what do you think? maybe the oils just making its way through?