so... how can I tell if I exactly have a timing chain noise? I know its a silly question, but my engine had a different sound than that of examples available on youtube...

I have the 2.0L inline four and am thinking that I'll buy a kit from rock auto and giver a go myself, however I'd like to be certain and would like to know if I can drive it until the sprint, when I can find the space and time to do such  a job.

I thought alot of the noise my engine was making was the result of the timing chain before, as it was always present, and it turned out to be the fan clutch and tensioner...

replaced that (after $370 in parts!, thanks suzuki ) and I'd say 80% of the noise has disappeared

now... when I start my car cold in the morning, there is no noise... but after driving it lets say a good 15min |removethispart|@ 3k (highway speeds) and I get to a side road

I'll get a rattling sound under 2k until it drops down to about 1200rpm

Under load, no sound, just when downshifting or dropping ot idle...

it seems to get more noticable the longer I drive... i.e. after 100 mile trek somewhere |removethispart|@ highway speeds

Get a stethoscope (or chassis ear) and find the location of the noise - if it's the chains it'll be the front of the engine.

Having answered your question - I don't think that's the chains - you're most likely to get chain noise on a cold start, with it dying away over the first few seconds or minutes of engine operation - the longer the rattle lasts, the more urgently you need to fix it.  My suspicion would be a heatshield.

My first "run-in" with start up rattles, which scared the crap out of me, because I thought it was the chains, was a harsh angry rattle that lasted for around 5 seconds after startup, but turned out to be the idler & tensioner pulleys on the front of the engine - remove the belts and spin them by hand - they should spin silently & smoothly - any noise or roughness is an indication that they have failed.

I currently get a very faint rattle at startup, that lasts maybe 3~5 minutes and does come from the timing chain area - I've sourced the parts and will probably have the work done early in the new year.

By the way - the bearings in the pulleys are usually replaceable - no need to buy the entire assembly from Suzuki.

X2 on the idler and tensioner pulleys.  They make a heck of alot of noise when they are going bad and the fact they become noisy AFTER the engine starts running would point to them.  I found a replacement bearing for the tensioner but not for the idler bearing.

The idler takes a 6005-2RS bearing - any bearing supply house should be able to find you one.

Thanks, Fordem!

You're welcome - this is why forums exist.

its not the idler pully nor the tensioner as I replaced those when one died on me...

it drives fine, and if I'm just warming up my car... there is no noise, until the temp of the engine reaches optimum... where I think you're right, there must be a head shield somewhere causing the noise, but it does sound like its in the the front of the engine.

Funny you should mention that, I have a heat shield right now that at certain sppeds especially around an idle is making a racket, it could sound like  a timing chain.

its not the idler pully nor the tensioner as I replaced those when one died on me...

it drives fine, and if I'm just warming up my car... there is no noise, until the temp of the engine reaches optimum... where I think you're right, there must be a head shield somewhere causing the noise, but it does sound like its in the the front of the engine.

Did you replace the fan mount itself? 

On this vehicle, the fan doesn't bolt to the front of the water pump as it does on many cars - it has it's own mount, with a bearing, and it pretty much freewheels until the engine comes up to operating temperature - it's fairly easy to check - remove the fan (because it has it's own bearing & clutch), remove the belt, and spin the hub that the fan bolts to - it should spin free & silent.

That bearing is staked into the pulley pretty solidly - I haven't been able to get it out.

Along with this discussion, I too had some noises coming from the front of my engine at start up and during idle after start up.  I had already replaced the idler pulley and tensioner pulley.  The noises got much quieter but still there were noises I could not pin point.    OK... so about two months ago I added about 2 ounces of Sea Foam to my oil.  Didn't notice anything for a few hundred miles... but then it occurred to me one day when I was driving that something was different.  

I changed my oil and again added about 2 ounces of Sea Foam to my oil.  After about 1,700 miles all the 'weird', hard to pin down, noises literally have disappeared to INCLUDE the noisy lifter I had at start up.  I'm talking cool winter mornings when there is frost on the windshield too. Seriously, my engine is 'normal' at start up now.  I think the Sea Foam took away the slight gum-tarnish build-up on the lifter/s that had accumulated over the years.  When I look into the oil fill opening, the top of the head is noticeably cleaner too.  I have to believe the Sea Foam also did the same on the hydraulic tensioner on the front timing chain as well.  I'm serious.  It is NOTICEABLY quieter.  No rattles or tapping at start up now.  I was considering changing my timing chain, tensioners and guides but everything sounds extremely smooth running now.   I don't think I would run Sea Foam in my oil during the hotter summer months, but during these cooler months I'm good with it and it made a world of difference to how my engine runs.   Wonder if I could sell this testimonial to the Sea Foam company?

Has anyone else used Sea Foam in the oil and had similar results?  I'd recommend trying the Sea Foam additive and see if your strange noises go... away before you get into a timing chain replacement.  Around here a 16oz bottle of Sea Foam sells for $9.00 ($10) but occasionally I get them buy two get one free at O'Reillys. A 16oz bottle is two - two ounce adds to your oil plus another 12ozs to dump into your gas tank to clean the injectors a little as well.

2000 Gv 2.5 work for me also.   

2000 Gv 2.5 work for me also.   

seafoam has fixed my noisy lifters but... I think has now caused my engine to burn more oil due to affecting valve seals

Is your engine burning oil regularly or... did you just notice you were a half quart + low for no noticeable reason?  I ask because Buster will periodically (like every 4,000 miles +/-) will suddenly be about half a quart low on oil.  I top him off and continue driving and he uses virtually no oil at all for several thousand more miles.   I don't notice a difference in the oil use with various driving (in town versus inter state) either.  ?  I don't worry about it.  He doesn't leak one drop of oil from the pan or seals and if a half of quart of oil is all he asks for between changes, I'm totally good with it.  If he started using a quart plus of oil between changes I'd have a bit of a problem with that.  Castrol oil is over $4.50 a quart.  I haven't noticed any differences in the engine oil use since I began using Sea Foam, but as I indicated earlier after my next oil change I probably won't be adding Sea Foam in the oil for a while cause you can only clean so much varnish off the metal surfaces.  The lifters appear to be happy now and apparently the chain tensioners up front are liking their newly found freedom of movement too.

mine had a noisy lifter before, i have changed the oil and then it stoped. then i have looked inside the pan witch i have drain my oil into and found a a tiny grey film....SLUDGE!!! the oil changed have terminated the noise but i will have to change the oil and filter more often to try to clean the inside of the motor. they sell stuff to clean it but its no good. it cleans the engine good alright, it will drop the sludge in the oil pan then plug the oil pickup (happend to me before) avoid additive inside an engine. to clean sludge

now i got a very bad rattle witch can only be heard for the half of a second wen cold started. and its from the front chain cover...

Sometimes, the oil filter you use can make a difference. I use Purolator Pure One filters. If I use a cheaper Fram or similar, it will make noise on a start up. I think the more expensive filters don't drain down overnight like the cheaper ones.