Our Doblo is rattling on cold starts.
It is a 2006 1.3 Multijet and has 86,000 on the clock.
Am I on the right lines suspecting that the timing chain/tensioners are on their last legs as the noise does appear to be from the general area of the chain.
If this is the case, is this a DIY job or would I be best in a garage - if so what labour charges would I be expecting. I have replaced timing belts before but that was years ago when cars were simple.
Also, when doing the chain (assuming this is the issue) is there anything else recommended to be replaced whilst in that far?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

I've got the JTD and had the belt and pulleys replaced at about 50,000 miles. Perhaps I should have had the water pump replaced too as this is considered normal. I've done nearly 90,000 now and can't decide whether to keep spending money on the thing - the last expense was a pulley and engine mount, or get shot! Still deciding....it might be a clutch and rusty brake pipes next. Other than that it is a good car. But the rear tailgate lock has stopped working on the remote and the rear wiper motor has been dead for years. What to do? Anyway...

I should think that at least the tensioners and pulleys need looking at and if one has gone I'd want them all replaced at the same time. My ancient Uno had a chain drive that rattled and needed replacing at 80,000 miles. Perhaps this is the life of chains because even chains don't go on forever?

Having said that, the 1.3 Diesels in other Fiat models are sold on a maintenance free life span of 250,000km.

If you take it to a main dealer they will charge about fifty quid just to look at it, but this might be money well spent.

Timing chains can start rattling as the vehicle reaches the higher mileage, but its hard to diagnose rattles without hearing it first, but your problems sound really familiar to a customer who had their car fetched in via another garage. Bit of a long shot but is your car black?

david baxter said:

Timing chains can start rattling as the vehicle reaches the higher mileage, but its hard to diagnose rattles without hearing it first, but your problems sound really familiar to a customer who had their car fetched in via another garage. Bit of a long shot but is your car black?

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No it is blue - but you have me intrigued as to what was wrong with the black one?
As for my car, the noise is there for 2 or 3 seconds on startup only, then it goes away for the rest of the day.

well the garage brought it in for oil pressure light coming on when car is hot, so i stripped the sump and found the chain catching the top of the oil pick up so im guessing the chain had stretched over time but i think that vehicle had been clocked. I eventually took the oil pressure switch out and found a s*** load of swarf in the cam cover, then the other garage took it away