Ok, Valves are adjusted, Injector timing was checked. The rattle this makes is almost deafening if you are in the garage with it. I thought at first I might be hearing what you guys call "nailing". Am I right in thinking that nailing is like preignition or detonation on a gas engine? Just for grins, I retarded the IP as far as I could turn it and started the car. Still makes tons of noise but now it also makes tons of smoke and doesn't run very well. I made me start thinking maybe I'm hearing something else. If I leave it in Park and slowly increased rpms the noise faded out at rough 2000rpms and by 2500 it was sounding pretty good as well as quiet. If I held it at 2500, it just purred along. As soon as I started to slowly reduce the rpms, at about 2000 the noise started coming back and by 1500, it was at "full rattle" again. I sat and listened to it for a few minutes and thought that the noise wasn't "in time" with the engines sounds (if that makes sense to anyone). It sounded more "random" and almost like something was hitting or even scraping on something. The more I listened to it, the less it sounded like diesel clatter and more like something was coming apart.

I checked the chain for stretch and it shows between 5 and 10 degrees. Can the chain make all this racket? The engine has 250k on it but the speedo doesn't work (found that out when I drove it last Thursday) so it might have a lot more. I have no way of knowing since the original owner passed away over 10 years ago and it's just been sitting since. Nobody else knows anything about it other than the injector pump was replaced. I'm thinking it was well maintained since the owner wrote the date and mileage on everything from the air filter to the fuel filters but any paperwork is missing (some parts were stolen off the car including the glovebox while it was sitting).

I've searched everywhwere I can think of but the only mention of noises I've been able to find was nailing. I'm already thinking about doing the chain and maybe the injectors (to be safe) but I would hate to replace all that and start it up only to have it be something else. I'm open to any suggestions!