my engine compartment emits a loud pinging sound on startup. the sound is definetely coming from the top of the engine. the sound only lasts for about a half second. could a weak or improperly adjusted cam chain tensioner be to blame? also, the car will not start in very cold weather. not sure if that is related though.

thanks for any thoughts u might have

 

the sound is often refered to as sounding like a desiel.

 

Yep I had to replace my cam crank tensioner. It started with the symptoms you describe on start up but,after a few weeks it did sound like a diesel at idle. Was not cheap to replace,Ifound the part anywhere from $600-800 and if you can DIY you'll save a ton on labor.

 

any write ups on that diy ^^^^^

 

If it's only happening at startup then thats normal. The tensioner is pressurized by oil, so after sitting the chain developes some slack. There is a tech bulletin addressing this issue. I think if it lasts longer than 4 seconds it would need replacement, but you should look it up to be sure. If it only lasts a second or two then it's normal.