Engine knocking, possible VVT issue?

[ProChargedLS2]

MazdaSpeed Forums Presents: YouTube

MazdaSpeed Forums Presents: YouTube

Engine started making this noise after I put it back together from the turbo exploding, comes from the passenger rear side. I got about 100 miles on it before this noise started. Thought it was a heat shield so I took them off one by one, and without any heat shields on it continues to make this noise.

After that my first thought was it's my timing chain. Popped the oil cap off and tried pulling on it, and my chain is tight as hell like it should be. Waited until the following morning to check and the chain is loose because no oil pressure, started it up let it warm up and it's back to being tight.

In every video I've seen of bad VVTs, the car started and has a loud knocking/ticking sound that varies with RPM. Mine is the occasional tick at idle, and doesn't go up in RPM at all. In fact it doesn't make any noise different than idle when I go through the gears. The only other noise is like a metal belt driven fan vibrating sound you'd hear when you let off the gas or push the clutch in.

I can't find the cause of this, every bolt is tight and my belt is tight as it should be when warm.
How much slack should there be when the motor is bone cold? I know it gets its pressure from oil so it will be somewhat loose when the car has been sitting for a while, but idk how loose. I've done a few pulls to get some data, and all of my numbers look fine for the most part being on a base map. No knock, no stray voltage or spikes in anything. No mechanical hiccups driving it, I don't feel it at all, I just hear it every now and then.

Is this an early sign of needing a new VVT kit? I was almost certain I'm fine because I have proper tension in the chain... but now I don't know anymore and can't figure it out.

[ProChargedLS2]

MazdaSpeed Forums Presents: YouTube

MazdaSpeed Forums Presents: YouTube

here's the driving sound you hear. It honestly sounds like there's a screw loose, or hell even a socket is lost in the engine bay and vibrating. I've never heard a bad timing chain before, but as tight as mine is I don't think that is the culprit.

I also don't think it's the VVT system because my sound is intermittent, and random(ish). VVT is consistent, so I'd hope it isn't my VVT going. I wouldn't push it past me if it was though, but I just don't think it is because of how random the intervals of the sound is. Took me quite a few tries to get a video of it because it wouldn't tick sometimes.