Toyota Yaris camchain tensioner

The one that my SIL has had from new has no noises or rattles that I've noticed. It's about the same age/milage as your wife's.

First thing I would look at is an oil/filter change.

Chris

I dunno what Toyota uses but most have the coarse adjustment done by the oil pressure using a ratchet arrangement - the fine tensioning being done by spring pressure. To stop noise on a cold start until the pressure builds up. If it didn't work this way there'd be a danger of a slack chain jumping a tooth if the engine kicked back on starting.

The dealer did the 20k service before we bought it.

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Thanks Dave, I'll try and find out a bit more about the tensioner. I might have to register with one of the Toyota web forums.

Paul, I have a feeling there was a Toyota TSB about these, which involved a new chain and modded tensioner - you should check with the dealer. In any case, It should NOT rattle (i.e. the chain be loose) to that degree on a practically new engine.

Insist the dealer shows you another car on the lot that does it if they initially wont play ball.

Tim..

In message , Tim.. writes

Thanks Tim, I'll check it out with Toyota and see what they say.

lots on the net about this such as:

"My 60,000 mile X-reg 2000 1.0 Yaris has had a "rattle" from the timing chain at idle and low revs for a while. My mechanic cousin reckoned i was just a gunged up oil feed to the belt tensioner. He told me to use one of those "flushing oils" to flush out all the built up gunge in the oil pipeways at the next oil change. I did that and then used a good fully-synthetic 10-30 oil as a replacement and the noise has totally gone. I too thought I'd be replacing timing chain tensioners and /or the chain itself and it wass just a partially blocked oilway - and before you ask, I've had the car from new and its always been serviced to schedule with good oil. He reckons thjat over six years and 60,000 miles you always get a build up of oil deposits that can partially block some of the narrowest oilways. The noise was worst when the oil was cold & think and got quieter when it was warm and thin - which was when it could get through the oilway better. Also, it was worse when I used a 10/40 oil instead of a 10/30. As both are fine for UK temperatures, I'll be using a fully synthetic 10/30 again next time.... "

the above sounds very like your symptoms, however I reckon the dealer should be sorting it, not you. I wonder what oil they used at the 'service', if any!