I've had two of these trucks now and both of them had the 2.8L. The first one was an old rural mail truck that I got at 18 and had a ton of rattle in the timing chain but ran fine when I sold it 40k miles later. I still see the truck running around town at times and the new owner still loves it.

The second one I picked up at 140k and has developed a lot of rattle in the past two years but I'm about to cross 217k and she runs like a top. It annoys me with the sound but honestly I'd let it slide until she gives up the ghost and save for a swap.

That's what I'm doing myself and trying to find a 07 3.7 to swap. I wouldn't bother with the 2.9, if you're going to go thru the work just swap to the 5 cylinder it's the same work and a stronger engine.

 

I wouldn't bother with the 2.9, if you're going to go thru the work just swap to the 5 cylinder it's the same work and a stronger engine.

the 2.9 does pretty good in my CC even without a tune, so I’d guess its got plenty of power for a single cab running stock tires. Plus the hassle of swapping a 3.7 stuff and reprograming etc. to an 06 model truck = more down time …

Substituting 1qt of MMO in the oil helped greatly reducing the rattle and may clear the P0017. No code buys you time! just curious if there was any rattle when you changed the sensor last year?

From the mega hours of researching this issue, I think only 2 people had their engine stop on them. Most felt a decrease in power and mpg’s.. Mine has rattled (and still does) most of its 40k life, but with no code (aside from the dealer's "faulty" sprocket actuator repair). A few thoughts I’ve juggled the past few months if mine gets worse. I’m still up in the air on what to do also …

Used 2.9’s runs ~ $1000+, the one on Car-parts near you is a good price for 98k motor
Spend $3k on timing chain and have a 12/12k warrantee
Spend $4k plus change for a short block … GM 19169323 3yr/36k warrantee
Buy an extended warrantee … not sure if any are available since you’ve got 150k on the clock
Buy a good running donor truck for under 5k and swap motors, then resell it and try to break even. Most of the ones I’ve found are above 100k though …

update 9.29.2016 just thought I'd throw this info out there. I got a reply back from Pace Performance which sells OEM engine, for the 2.9L #19169323 @$4,200 dollars he offers a 3 year/100k mile warrantee provided its installed in the VIN matched vehicle ...

 

Sound deadening will help a lot. Windows up I don't notice anything.

If you're that worried about it, I would keep an eye out for an engine, and if you find a great deal snag it. Otherwise drive the current one into the ground.

My 05 3.5 has 205k and I'm going to drive it until something very major breaks and go from there.

 

I must be thinking of an 04/05 swap to an 07, something with fuel delivery to the motor being a hassle?

 

You're thinking of the fuel rail change from a return to a returnless style if memory serves. Basically you cannot run the 3.5 rail on a 3.7 if I remember right. The build thread is here in the forum listing everything you'd need to swap

 

I'd drive it until it dies....then swap it out. I'm doing that with mine. I have the P0017 code (Been solid for 2 years) engine is still running ok and my mileage is still decent. The exhaust solenoid didn't help my issue.

Between my '06 Malibu with a check engine light for a failing cat (car has 194,000 + miles and burning a little oil which is causing the failure) and my truck,I don't own a vehicle without a check engine light on.

 

I hope the little 2.8 Atlas in my 355 runs for a million miles...
I would love to have the drive train outta my 700 in Spidey !!! LOL
When are we going to see that swap ?? LOL

 

I'd love to get a hold of the diesel power-train (I know so would others) and put it in the 355. But since money is the object....lol

 

A little more info and update on my situation gents, here is my PM reply to NewColy:

Ahhh greetings Alfred! I've only noticed it within the past 5K miles I'd say, sometime after my last oil change, of which it's about almost due for another oil change at this point. As far as the rattle goes man, it's not bad when I crank it up in the mornings and it doesn't really get audible until it warms up honestly. Even after it warms up though thankfully it's not an overly overbearing sound, it reminds me alot of a diesel engine at this point. On particularly hot days after driving around a while it gets a bit louder, but again still not any worse than any diesel idling sounds I'd say.

I will say I have noticed a very concerning behavior/sound from the truck when I make right turns and perhaps leads further credence to the failure of the timing chain is actually the chain guides and tensioner failing, as they are on the right side of the truck to my understanding. I have noticed on hard, fast right turns there is a LOUD rattling from the engine for a moment or two until I let off the gas and straighten back out on the road. It only happens when I do this and sometimes it will even cause a "jerking" motion to the truck a bit if I'm doing a slow hard right turn. Again this stops immediately when I let off the gas, push in the clutch or come to a stop.

My other issue is the stupid engine stumbing on hard stops and if I drive over uneven ground/potholes getting oil warnings from the dash, even though I check it regularly and it's still got plenty of oil. I am suspecting the stumbling behavior is probably both the IAC sensor on the throttlebody and the oil level sensor in the engine going south and also need replacement, hence my desire to totally replace the engine at this point with a newer 2007 2.9L I-4 I've found here locally. Right now, time to get that done and the money to do it are my biggest obstacles of which I hope I will have both solved around Christmas time.

 

Wonder if the extra load/strain on the engine is amplifying the sound confirming the loose chain? It makes sense to go ahead a swap out with another motor considering the other issues going on. is there anyway to verify the year/mileage of the donor motor thru the engine vin#?

 

Ooooookayyyy, so I just had a utter stupid revelation shown to me today gents...

Yea, my truck's over the 5k mile mark towards my next oil change and yea, so I try putting some oil in it.

DUNNNNN dun DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN... Without further ado, my truck just needed some oil in it. I put nearly a quart in there and all the chain rattling, the engine stalling on hard breaking, oil light flashing on and off on bumpy road/ground, all of that nonsense is gone. The poor truck just needed some more oil, she's been burning it apparently, nearly a quart! GEEEEZ. *facepalm* Damn you GM and your lousy oil sensor!!! I'm still getting an atrocious rattling on hard right turns however, I'll have to isolate that later... But for the time being, the ole girl is back to being nice and quiet at idle, YAY! I'm using 10W-30 right now btw, I'm gonna change the oil in the coming months back to 5W-30 as that seems to work better in the coldest months (namely for cold engine starts) down here in Louisiana.

Hope this helps some of you guys out there with this issue!

 

that's the cheapest fix ever ! Glad you were able to figure it out and pass the info along, wouldn't have guessed just 1qt low would cause such a headache

 

Glad it was simple....but why the different oil weights? I use 5-30 all year and I an north of you a bit.

 

Easy, my truck is black and when the humidity kicks in here during the summer, my poor truck can get heat soak like a mofo. So yea, I like using 10-w30 during the long summers we have here, it's just a bit thicker, better for higher temps and apparently it also helps with the timing chain rattling noise, haha.

 

We get the hot long summers as well, just not usually the humidity as bad (except this year).

 

I assume you're in Arkansas, it's quite a bit higher in land elevation(especially up in the Ozarks, beautiful country up here ^_^) and nowhere near as bad humidity like it is here in the "swamps"/ Mississippi river valley during the summer. I've noticed this too in Tennessee, in the Smokey Mountains as well, it can be like in the 90's but the humidity still remains low enough to where it's not quite as "sweltering", blah.

My truck also always used to run like crap during this time of the year for years, that is until I finally fixed my stupid MAP and MAP wiring problems last year. It's amazing how much a difference in land elevation makes in average humidity and how it can affect our trucks due to it's cold-air intake system.

 

Actually, I am near Wichita, but lived 6 months in Springfield, MO. Moved back as there were no job prospects after a company moved me and then laid me off 6 months after the move.

 

Ouch, sorry to hear that Unfettered, yea MO is quite a ways up there from here in ole' Lousyana. Beautiful country up there as well, again particularly up in the Ozarks I hear. Yet another place I need to visit before I leave this world one day...

Welp, thanks again to all for your help and advice,(and hijacks haha) I think this thread is done. Potential personal disaster averted, back to snafu status! (situation normal, all f00ked up)

My prayers and thoughts are sent out to my fellow East Coast 355's, ya'll stay safe and I hope your homes and businesses dodge the bullet that is Matthew. See ya'll around... :thumbup:

 

I have a 2010 Colorado with only 160,000kms brought it to our chevy dealership and confirmed timing chain is loose. quoted 3062.00 to repair. I will be doing it myself but the question I had is do I just replace the chain, chain tensioner and chain guides? or should I replace cam phaser , and all gears and chain? the truck sounds quiet even with timing chain loose. I just don't want to spend money on items I don't need to buy. thank you

 

I brought it to our chevy dealership and confirmed timing chain is loose. the truck sounds quiet even with timing chain loose. I just don't want to spend money on items I don't need to buy. thank you

can it be loose and quiet at the same time? ... were there any codes? what circumstances to think a loose chain?

 

The cam sprockets are excellent quality and usually have no appreciable wear and the cam timing actuator is pretty bulletproof too. Normally the timing set is all that you will need. Someone posted a while back that they couldn't even find a new timing actuator & were looking for a used one. You will probably find that the plastic wear guides are badly worn.

 

Craig there is a youtube video I think it is Degoots garage. "What were they thinking" in regards to the timing chain replacement as well as him doing the replacement. I appears that it is a 20 hour labor job which include doing the counter shaft chain. Something you may want to look up.
Luck

 

Craig, to change a cam timing set on a 4 or 5 cylinder requires removal of the air resonator, TB, intake manifold, valve cover, fan & water pump, crank damper, timing cover, and oil pan. Some trucks also require removing some steering components to drop the oil pan though my 2wd did not. While it isn't fun work the only difficult part is finding the intake manifold bolts and removing and reinstalling the crank damper. You need lots of 1/4" wobble extensions for doing the intake and some version of a "Compact damper puller" to remove the crank damper without removing the radiator or A/C condenser. I couldn't find a correct puller anywhere locally but did find a great deal on an OTC Compact Damper Puller at Zoro Tool online. You also need something to reinstall the crank damper, I use a piece of metric 10.9 all-thread with heavy 10.9 hex nut, and a very heavy washer which were all purchased from McMaster-Carr online. It works perfectly.
Your 160,000km is equal to 100,000 miles so in addition to a timing set you should also consider changing the upstream 02 sensor, MAP sensor, water pump, serpentine belt, and sparkplugs too. If I had to do this on my 3.5 I would guess it to take me 5-6 hours.
Good Luck

 

A lot of these engines have chain rattle only on start-up and others have gone many miles with noisy timing chains without setting any codes. Assuming you engine has good oil pressure, the camshaft actuator solenoid is good, and the timing chain is quiet, then the problem (P0017) is probably the crank position sensor, exhaust cam position sensor, or the PCM. Very low oil pressure also could create problems with either the timing chain hydraulic tensioner or the exhaust cam timing actuator. You might want to experiment with higher viscosity oil like straight 30W or 15W-40 to see if it still codes.
Oil pressure is important because it takes the slack out of the timing chain and it provides the hydraulic pressure to advance the exhaust cam.
P0017 means that the PCM thinks that the relationship of the exhaust cam position doesn't match with the position of the crankshaft.
If the crankshaft position sensor is disturbed or replaced then a crankshaft position relearn procedure (at dealer) is required.

 

Ok so i have a 2005 z78 with the 2.8l. this is the first one that i have owned and it just feels really bogged down. It did have the timing rattle when i first bought it at 150,000 miles it now has 218,000 miles and less power than when i purchased so i gave in and spent the $1500 doing the chains with no prevail on increasing power or mileage. I have raised this concern with the chevy dealer that did the work and get the run around that it because i have 218,000 mile and i have 18" rims with a 265 tire??? Now take it easy on me i am a Ford technician so I have already checked compression and found all cylinders within 10 pounds of a new truck so mileage shouldnt be the factor. how do all the other 2.8l perform???? to give aspect to what i am talking about when i go down the highway every hill i come to the truck has to kick itself into passing gear to try and maintain my speed at 70 and most of the time it still slows down and cant hold it?? when i hard take off it will down shift hard and rpms jump to around 5k but the truck barely moves like a turtle i had a nissan sentra with a 1.4L that had more power. What am i missing??

 

Oversized wheels/tires is basically like changing rear end gearing. If this started when you changed to taller tires, there's your problem. I have no idea why everyone here is so quick to diagnose their noises and performance issues on timing chain. What's the life expectancy of a timing chain? The life of the motor. Now, that may be the answer because most folks would just get rid of the vehicle if the timing chain needed to be replaced. There's probably a hundred posts here where someone thought that they needed a timing chain, but realized it was actually an idler pulley or water pump making noise. Also, there are at leas a hundred posts here where an upgraded oil filter cured the noise at start up. Look for an oil filter that has a anti drain valve. The timing chain tensioner uses oil pressure to create tension and take the slack out of the chain. Finally, change your oil regularly. Use the recommended viscosity. Thicker oil will not cure the problem! Thicker oil will not flow as well, especially on start up when it's cold and thick.
Timing chains stretch. That's why there's a tensioner. If you read the suggested steps to take for a P017 code, it mentions that the most common cause is wiring issues. Next, is sensors. Then the timing chain. Why does everyone jump immediately to timing chain?

 

Well I must not have been clear I did do the filter 1st then the solenoid, and checked wiring my chain was way stretched and guides were practically non existent. With the new chains the rattle is gone. And the lack of power was right from the start at day one that I bought the truck I did notice more difference putting the new wheels and tires on but it did have the same drivablility concerns prior to that, I broke down and did the chains hoping that maybe I jumped time a little and that was the cause of the lack of power that’s why I came to this forum hoping to get insight on exactly how much power these have since it is my first one. My son has a canyon but with the 3.5l and it will run circles around my 2.8l????