Timing chains - now im confused

[hobbsy 0]

My vr6 has done 90k and is beginning to sound quite rattley, after listening to a sound clip on vortex I was convinced that the chains needed doing. Yesterday I took the rocker cover off to have a look and found that the top runner was in good condition and the top tensioner was the ok, checked my history and there is no mention of the top runner being replaced. Does anyone have any pics of what the top runner should look like at 90k or got any ideas if anything else could be causing the rattle? Is it likely that the bottom tensioner is knackered if the top seems in good nick? Any help would be appreciated as I need to get this sorted before a roadtrip to Italy, sods law the chain would go down there!

[Seademon 0]

Me & Sankysvr6 changed our top tensioner bolts a few weeks ago and it cured the noise - I would have thought that if your top tensioner looked ok then the bottom should be the same as you have to take the gearbox off etc to change the top one so if they have been done before there wouldnt really be a reason to not do the bottom one but it does depend on how bad your rattle is, mine was only slightly on idle really. The top tensioner bolt costs about

[hobbsy 0]

I had the top tensioner bolt out yesterday and it looked fine, was the correct length as compared to another thread and held the chain nice and tight, Im just wondering if there is anything else that could be making the engine sound rattley, it is all the way up the rev renge with a slightly louder noise at 1200 rpm, which is why I thought it was the chains. Perhaps Im just being paranoid??? But the thought of the chain letting go halfway across europe scares me, thats a long tow back!

[mightyvr6 0]

the hydraulic lifters? These get noisy at around the 100k mark. Your chains sound ok if the top tensioner is only slightly worn . The bottom tensioner barely wears at all. Cases of the chains snapping is very rare.