MajorCommonEngine

Mitsubishi Delica: 4B12 Timing Chain Tensioner Wear — Cold Start Rattle

4B12 Timing Chain Tensioner Wear — Cold Start Rattle is a common engine fault on the Mitsubishi Delica on the 2007 onward cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $850 to $2,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 18 documented faults on the Mitsubishi Delica.

Vehicle: Mitsubishi Delica
Engine: 4B12
Years: 2007 onward
Fuel: petrol
Gearbox: cvt
System: Engine

This page covers the Mitsubishi Delica as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mitsubishi Delica faults18 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The hydraulic timing chain tensioner on the 4B12 2.4L MIVEC loses oil-film retention after extended service intervals or high mileage (typically above 150,000 km). On cold start, oil pressure takes several seconds to build, leaving the tensioner unable to maintain chain tension. This produces an audible metallic rattle from the front of the engine for 3–10 seconds before settling. Repeated cycling accelerates chain and guide wear. If left unaddressed the chain can skip a tooth, causing mistimed valve events, loss of power, and potential valve-to-piston contact on this interference engine. Grey imports arriving at 80,000–120,000 km Japanese odometer readings may still have original tensioners that are near end-of-life by NZ standards.

What you would notice

Metallic rattling from engine front on cold start, disappearing within 5–10 seconds
Check Engine light with cam/crank timing correlation codes (P0016, P0017)
Slightly rough idle immediately after cold start
Increased fuel consumption as timing drifts

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine, behind timing cover on the accessory-drive side

Start the engine cold and listen for chain rattle from the front cover area for the first 10 seconds. Ask for service history showing tensioner or chain replacement. If a workshop inspection is possible: Retrieve OBD codes for P0016/P0017. With engine warm, use a stethoscope on the front timing cover to check for chain slap.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$850 to $2,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the timing chain tensioner or chain assembly ever been replaced?”
“What is the documented service interval history — oil changes every 5,000 km or less?”
“Has any engine rattle been noted on cold start?”

Now check the Mitsubishi Delica you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Mitsubishi Delica buyer questions

Is 4b12 timing chain tensioner wear — cold start rattle serious on a Mitsubishi Delica?

We rate it major and common on the Mitsubishi Delica. The hydraulic timing chain tensioner on the 4B12 2.4L MIVEC loses oil-film retention after extended service intervals or high mileage (typically above 150,000 km). On cold start, oil pressure takes several seconds to build, leaving the tensioner unable to maintain chain tension. This produces an audible metallic rattle from the front of the engine for 3–10 seconds before settling. Repeated cycling accelerates chain and guide wear. If left unaddressed the chain can skip a tooth, causing mistimed valve events, loss of power, and potential valve-to-piston contact on this interference engine. Grey imports arriving at 80,000–120,000 km Japanese odometer readings may still have original tensioners that are near end-of-life by NZ standards.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mitsubishi Delica?

$850 to $2,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Mitsubishi Delica years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2007 onward Mitsubishi Delica. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.