is it possible for a timing chain to partial break?

my car has a crazy internal knock, but it idles fine-no smoke-great oil pressure-no miss-no code-. there is a really bad metal to metal grind when the car is shut off. its not the valve train. i have checked all of that. it doesnt sound like a crank bearing. anything else to check?

 

double roller or stock chain?

 

stocker

 

I wouldnt think so with a stocker. It would be flopping pretty loose and probably hitting the front cover if only half of one of the links was broken. I would think anyways.

 

and thats saying that it would actually stay together and on the gear....which it would probably come off the gear.

Is that where the noise is coming from? The front cover?

 

its pretty difficult to determine the exact location, but when i start to tear it down thats where im going to go first. the noise is louder from the top than the bottom; there isn't anything up there but the valve train. thats why my next guess was the timing chain, but also i dont think it would idle fine if the timing was off. agree?

 

in my older car in college, i had a performance block built - lasted 100 miles (was rebuilt under warranty). the sound your describing sounds like the sound i had.. rod bearing