Hi all,
My mum's Astra (1.8 SRI Ecotec from 2004) has developed a slight issue, the engine chatters quite loudly throughout the rev range. At idle you can hear it chattering/ticking quite loudly, even with the bonnet down sitting in the car. Driving it seems no different, except for the loud chatter through all the gears especially when its hitting above 3000rpm.

I think the cams have gone, its got over 100000 miles on the clock, has anyone done a cam change on one of these? Is it particularly difficult?

Are you sure it not a tensioner, idler or water pump etc about to disintegrate?

More likely to be cam chain as above, tensioner failed.

on some of the corsa/astra engines the tensioner bolts can come loose -- very important to check asap as catch it early and it is any easy fix.


The other big cause of trouble lube problems due gunge caused by not using fully synthetic oil

Thanks Guys, I think It was the tensioner pulley but ive had the water pump changed as well to make sure. The chatter is gone so hopefully problem solved!