No but I did take it apart 11 months ago and inspect it and checked the spring and pin and made sure the tension was there. I've heard of people adding more airing tension and having success. I did not find that to help this cause. But if you can correct the issue cheaply go for it

@@MyHomeGarage Yes for sure. The Spring- Start kits are cheap, brand new spring and if you need them brand new seals.

@@spring-start thats awesome I'll pin the comment only issue is tooth wear and actually actuator plate wear. But if it's a low milage and a kit like that can get you going that's great news.

I tried the spring-start kit replacing the vtc spring and it did not fix the issue. 12/20/2023 Update: I can confirm that the @spring-start upgraded extreme spring kit resolves persistant hard to resolve vtc cold start rattle issues on 2014 honda cr-v vehicles. I was battling this rattle on cold start issue for a year and originally installed the somewhat weaker spring-start originally provided which unfortunatly for me did not fix my issue. Upon further discussion with spring-start's amazing customer service and feedback we determined that my vehicle likley needed a stiffer/higher rebound spring and spring-start mailed that out to me in their complementary kit. After tearing appart the vtc gear again and installing this even stiffer spring the rattle on cold start has not happened again and its been a bit over a week since replacement. @spring-start is the real deal and I highly recomend anyone battling with this rattle on cold start issue with hondas to reach out to them and give their vtc replacement springs a shot. They are always willing work through resolution till a solution is found and they have some of the best customer service I have experienced!! Highly recomend!! Knock on wood my issue is finally resolved for good with their extreme extra stiff vtc great updated spring kit!! Whooohoo

@forestpassineau yeah I had tried also giving the spring some extra tension no change. I also have some oil bleed out theories and actual wear on thr actuator that sometimes prevents pin engagement. I donno. Fun story I was actually @ Honda training facility in the 2010s doing my courses and I remember vtc sitting on counters apart. And they themselves the top guy saying we donno why these are failing yet. I don't think they will ever know lol

Yeah the first time it’s removed it is tight.

There's actually a tool from Honda to measure chain stretch. It goes in-between the cylinder head and the exhuast sprocket/chain. And it measures stretch. Regardless. Measuring how many teeth on the tensioner are out when vehicle is in tim is a very good indicator of chain stretch. In my opinion. Regardless yes metal expands when it heats up. There is actually not spec for chain stretch by any manufacturer because there selling point for going from timing belt services to chains was cost savings to the consumer clearly in most manufacturers cases especially vw audi that has not been the case. There is no service interval for chain stretch measurement or replacement. Fun fact.

@@MyHomeGarage In a technical sense, chains do not stretch over time. The pins and barrels wear making the chain longer. But nothing actually stretched. Yes, the chain does sort of 'stretch' when they get hot do to thermal expansion but contract again when they cool off. Not giving you crap, just thought you'd like to know, and maybe you do know.

Manufacturers call it chain stretch so that is what I call it. If you look in service manuals that's the wording they use. Maybe it is used to simplify

@@MyHomeGarage No, I get it. People, including myself use that term all the time. It would be awkward to say that the pins and barrels on your timing chain are worn so the chain is too long. 🙂 But I think it's interesting that that's what actually happens.

@@ToddKing for sure makes you wonder why for example MB chains never stretch, bmw 1 or 2 engines, audi vw all lol, honda rare, toyota rare, some American brands do some engines but not really. I find the topic I Of why some do and some don't interesting.

I have heard of a instance where the chain stretched enough and there was engine damage because the engine went out of time. Very rare. Also causes excess wear on the cam gear teeth. Just a bunch of little things that could become bigger issues.

It is possible to just change the vtc there are methods I believe dealer book time is like 3.1 hours. But everyone cheats it the actual method is to remove the intake camshaft so you can tighten the vtc on the cam loose before its locked. But no one ever did it because then you had to do a valve adjustment after. Honda claimed that's why they were failing premature. That's why I did everything this time. And as you saw the chain had some stretch. Look in the comments some are claiming spring start company can resolve issue with just a repair kit.

Thanks for your reply.!@@MyHomeGarage

I can confirm that the @spring-start upgraded extreme spring kit resolves persistant hard to resolve vtc cold start rattle issues on 2014 honda cr-v vehicles. I was battling this rattle on cold start issue for a year and originally installed the somewhat weaker spring-start originally provided which unfortunatly for me did not fix my issue. Upon further discussion with spring-start's amazing customer service and feedback we determined that my vehicle likley needed a stiffer/higher rebound spring and spring-start mailed that out to me in their complementary kit. After tearing appart the vtc gear again and installing this even stiffer spring the rattle on cold start has not happened again and its been a bit over a week since replacement. @spring-start is the real deal and I highly recomend anyone battling with this rattle on cold start issue with hondas to reach out to them and give their vtc replacement springs a shot. They are always willing work through resolution till a solution is found and they have some of the best customer service I have experienced!! Highly recomend!! Knock on wood my issue is finally resolved for good with their extreme extra stiff vtc great updated spring kit!! Whooohoo

$1000.00 in parts between around 7 hrs labour @ 100-180/hr

No problem.

2012 Honda CRV it is going to be hard to replace a car that bullet proof. It’s only flaw being that rattle. If the body is in good shape and it isn’t giving you any issues other then that. If the tires are good. I would spend the money and fix it right with Genuine Honda parts and be good for another 12 years.

As a former platinum certified technican at Honda. I can undoubtedly tell you that will return. But usually not for a few years. It progressively get worse and more often. There are few reports of thr chain skipping and causing engine damage. This is the 2nd time I've replaced thr vtc actuator. But the first time I replaced the timing components along with it. We are thr original owners of the car. So we have been with it from the beginning. When the rattle returns I will post a video. Hopefully there will be no video for a long time.

I can confirm that the @spring-start upgraded extreme spring kit resolves persistant hard to resolve vtc cold start rattle issues on 2014 honda cr-v vehicles. I was battling this rattle on cold start issue for a year and originally installed the somewhat weaker spring-start originally provided which unfortunatly for me did not fix my issue. Upon further discussion with spring-start's amazing customer service and feedback we determined that my vehicle likley needed a stiffer/higher rebound spring and spring-start mailed that out to me in their complementary kit. After tearing appart the vtc gear again and installing this even stiffer spring the rattle on cold start has not happened again and its been a bit over a week since replacement. @spring-start is the real deal and I highly recomend anyone battling with this rattle on cold start issue with hondas to reach out to them and give their vtc replacement springs a shot. They are always willing work through resolution till a solution is found and they have some of the best customer service I have experienced!! Highly recomend!! Knock on wood my issue is finally resolved for good with their extreme extra stiff vtc great updated spring kit!! Whooohoo

@@forestpassineaudid you replace the chain itself?

@@matthewmoneta7906 no new chain. Just replaced the vtc gear spring with a stiffer higher rebound rate spring and issue fixed ever since. Hasn't rattled in a few months now where before was rattling every start.

Well cold start rpm should be right. But it should idle between 750-900 rpm while idling in drive.

The actual special tool indentation on the pulley to counter hold while you loosen the crankpulley broke off a piece when I was using the tool to loosen bolt. Yeah. Otherwise I would never have a reason to replace it. Although on the sabotage element build I did the dampened rubber part of the harmonic balancer was separating so that is good reason to replace also.

www.hcrv.net/honda_cr_v_2006v_2011_service_manual-1602.html all k24 engines are the same. If you need more detailed you can do on alldatadyi and download the specific manual for 30days

​@@MyHomeGarage Thanks

That's when it gets real bad lol.

I would personally quote 7.5 hours of labour. The end price depends on labour rate. And always use oem honda/acura parts. So labour wise $750 - $1100, parts are around $800-$1000 so on the high end $2000cnd low end $1600cnd.

8ft lbs or less just need to compress rubber gasket

@@MyHomeGarage 😬i torqued them all to 15lbs plus

Then it wasn't a actuator. Friend of mine at Honda said that sometimes the serpentine belt tensioner failure causes that noise

@@MyHomeGarage It normally only makes the noise once a day at first start. Do you believe that the belt tensioner could still be the culprit? Thanks.

@@raebbb if you want to confirm. Remove belt. And when you have your first start and you don't hear noise you'll confirm it's thr tensioner. If you hear it it is thr vtc or thr installed it in properly or something else is up

@@MyHomeGaragethanks for all the info

@@raebbb thank John@open road Honda for pointing that out to me this past year. So it has happened before.

Parts are almost a %1000.00 cnd from dealer with a small discount. Labour wise is probably 6hrs so if your paying $100/hr. $1600 plus tax cnd. Depends where you live obvious in the US, it would be less for parts and labour.

Sorry brother. Most important part is setting thr crank and locking the Cams with those pins. And when you install you new chain all the coloured links on the chain line up with thr marks on thr crank hub and thr cams. Pull thr tensioner pin turn thr motor and make sure you cams and crank still line up with eachother and your golden. It's scary for sure have a service manual with you.

It's 100% not normal. Toyotas are caused by the pin in actuator wearing out and thr material the plate is made of wears out prematurely. Hondas have a factory defect. Trust me not normal. Honda just can't figure it out. There are small cases wear engine damage occurs by chain skipping because all the back and forth on start up causes excessive sprocket wear. I only worked at Honda for 15 years and knew people in the technical department who can't explain why these actuators are failing left and right after a few years.

There is a difference between lifter noise on cold start as the lifters fill up with oil if it's been sitting and a cam actuator that should be locked on start up to prevent rattle and movement intill the actual computer takes over control with oil pressure usually

@@MyHomeGaragewell, they all seem to do it and they're millions of K 24 engines out there that seem to be running fine without blowing up. Mine is a split second noise on startup on cold days. Your engine in video is clearly another problem that is more concerning

@@lazyrider6918 that's the noise you noise you get when it gets to its worse. This is the 2nd vtc in this car. But I proved the chain has stretch after 13 years. And alot of starts short trips. The car been noise free ever since repair. I did 100s when I worked at Honda. Sometimes 2 times same car. What do I know I worked there 15 years lol.

@@MyHomeGarage isn't it better to wait for a p0341 code rather repeatedly fix issue? Timing chains stretch no matter what, just like a bicycle chain that was well lubricated. I have 109k on my Cr-V and will do a repair if it progresses past occasional cold start up noise like your video. It is inevitable with enough miles. No?