Sorry mate but that really does not sound like tensioner noise to me ! have a feeling you are wasting your money by buying one, If it was my car and I had the option to return it I would, in a heart beat. Cut your losses and walk away..

 

It does actually sound like piston slap. My old Trailblazer SS (LS2) used to sound like that for a few seconds on a cold start. Has the OP used a stethascope to try and isolate where exactly the sound is coming from?

 

put it on jack stands, gonna pull it and tear in and see what i find

https://www.facebook.com/drivetribe/videos/597674850612657/

 

Yup. Let us know.

 

where I'm not now, jack stands, air box, belt, alt off, compressor almost off, I took a break to use the s2k bat to make my riding mower work and cut the grass, not a part of it, but still important :P
PS: if you don't have lithium powered impacts, I'd highly recommend you get some.
PSS: please excuse my garage organizational skills

 

As much as I hate cutting the grass, I'd trade that in a heart beat to get rid of this darn snow pack we have and put my S back on the road.

 

The joys of 80 degrees in Florida

 

oh, boy. That doesn't sound ideal.

 

can you confirm you valve adjustment settings, and your method of determining the feeler gauge to measure (go no-go, snug, slides easily)

sounds like loose valves to me.

 

That's why I posted, it sounded top end when I bought the car but now i'm not so sure. In person the noise sounds like it's coming from everywhere. it's quiet when it starts cold and by the time temp reaches the third bar it's obvious.

angled feeler gauges,
intake 0.21-0.25 mm ( mine are for 0.008-0.010 in) set to 0.008 (0.203 mm) slides easily and 0.010 (0.254 mm) snug
exhaust 0.25-0.29 mm set to 0.010 (0.254 mm) go no-go

they were all off, 1 way out, about 0.33 mm

After the adjustment, the noise changed (different sounds in the videos) when verifying clearance, i had my friend check the clearances I had set by comparing to the FSM

the noise i heard after could be heard under the car and with the hood shut, I've been under the impression valve noise is muffled by a closed hood.

Also the previous owner did admit the noise started after it was run low on oil.

As of now the car still sits as it did from the last pics due to my work week, I was planning on continuing tomorrow.

Local dealer wants $100 for diag or $378 to do valve lash. at this point i'm probably only 45 min into tear down, if you think a dealer opinion is worth while, I can get their thoughts.