Did not use my 3.5 litre TJ for 10 days, then on start up ,there was a noise (clack-clack-clack type noise). I am sure it was from the timing belt, because at same time motor did not run properly. This lasted only for about 10 seconds. Exactly the same thing happened when I removed the top timing belt cover and pushed on the belt and the belt became slack. Has anyone else experienced this.

I might be wrong, but I'd say that because your car wasn't started for 10 days, the oil has drained away from the valvetrain, which will rattle a bit because there's no lubricant.

I might be wrong, but I'd say that because your car wasn't started for 10 days, the oil has drained away from the valvetrain, which will get rattle a bit because there's no lubricant.
I never agree with you..(JOKES.:)) But this time i will.. id say its a oil thing to after 10 days..:)

+1 to the oil having drained away from the 'top' of the motor and the valve train.

this very same thing happened to me the other day, but it was only after the car sitting there for about 5 days.

moral of the story: drive your car everyday! (for the good of the car of course...:D)

yeah there would have been no oil in the heads or the filter, no oil pressure!

lol my car does this a few times a week, sometimes it will do it for up to 30 seconds maybe a minute when cold, but generally its only for maybe 10 seconds.

I just ignore it and drive it, I figure its easier to ignore it than to spend money on it to find the problem. I also thought it was the timing belt so I removed the rear cover and the noise seems to come from the rear bank and not the belt as I suspected initially.

It's the hydraulic lifters. They've bled down due to sitting for a while and need some time for the oil pressure to bleed the air out of them when it is running.
Lifter doesn't pump up properly, valve train clatters, valves don't open proper amount, engine runs rougher.

Regards, Andrew.

im with everone on the oil issue, my car gets driven perhaps once a fortnight so i get alot of noise on first startup for like 3 - 5 sec then she's all good :)- ohh and a flat battery every time arrgggg

Cheeriiooo

Im gunna go against every one and say your muffler is stuffed and its just the echo you can hear comin back into your motor..:) Go to supercheap and order a 10" Cannon and you will never hear a noise in the engine again..:)

Im gunna go against every one and say your muffler is stuffed and its just the echo you can hear comin back into your motor..:) Go to supercheap and order a 10" Cannon and you will never hear a noise in the engine again..:)

LOL yeah that sounds like the best way 2 fix it lol

Don't believe it is hydraulic adjuster noise, Which I know well and have experienced and fixed on TR I used to own. It is a different noise and I got the same noise when I pushed on the timing belt and created some slack in it. Try removing the top timing belt cover and push on the belt, you will feel and see it go slack and then when you start the car you will hear the noise I mean and you don't need to have the car stand, you can start it immediately after pushing the belt and causing slack. Perhaps there is something wrong with my timing belt tensioner, or maybe it puts tension on the belt once the belt starts to turn.

Maybe the pre-tensioner?

My KJ AWD had a similar noise i think. Every now and then when i started it, she sounded like an old TN-TR ratteler for a few seconds and then went away.
This became more frequent, always going away after a while but in the end was doing it every time i started the car. Very embarresing for a KJ.

Ended up being the timing belt pre-tensioner was gone, had it replaced but cant give you a price as i had the timing belt changed at the same time.

It never effected how the motor ran, just how it sounded.

been a few days.Is it still doing it?
If not then must be the oil