I just started to notice this noise from my engine bay. it sounds like its comming from my timing belt. It sounded like it was rubbing aginst the side of the timing belt cover. I took off some of the bolts to the timing belt cover and looked in.

where the timing belt goes over the gear on the top closest to the cabin and also on the one on top closest to the head lights it looks like its trying to come off. I can see the steel gear. it makes this flopping sound when the cars on.

I wish that I could describe it a little better. I know that I need a new timing belt. but do you think that my timing belt tensioner pulley could be going bad? what do you think is causing my timing belt to make this noise?

Thanks for your help!

 

the tensioner really should be changed at the same time as the belt.
yes there are times that it will go way longer, but to me it's cheap insurance against future labor and problems

 

so do you think thats whats causing my timing belt to be comming off and making that noise?

 

isnt the max tensioner different than say,... honduh? its not a self tensioning one right?
which is the hard part of t-belts on maximas you have to set the tension yourself
...too tite and snap(ive not experianced)...too loose and the belt "jumps teeth"the car runs ****ty etc.(this happened on my first max: 92 gxe)i did a t- belt inspect it was loose and off a little and old so i swapped it and just set the tension where i found it and i guess that was a little too loose and 5-6 months later and timing was jumpy,backfire through intake,drove decent sometimes other times barely driving ...although it still idled smooth my point is this tensioner seems to me to not need changed every time
its just a bearing with a hole in it and the spring on the back doesnt seem like it wouldnt do anything the factory manual says "just check that the tensioner spins smoothly and the spring looks o.k." what do you think?

 

where the timing belt goes over the gear on the top closest to the cabin and also on the one on top closest to the head lights it looks like its trying to come off. I can see the steel gear. \\\


you should take both covers off and get a GOOD look in there
if your just peeping in from a small crack up top it might look like theyre commin off cause the cam gear is wider than the belt

 

ON THE VG>>>> CHANGE THE TENSIONER AND BELT!!!!!
I had the EXACT same thing happen to me. The sticker read that the belt was changed 20,000mi ago.. so I thought I'd change it before winter right? WRONG.
I had stopped to talk to my folks who were working in the yard. And we heard this weird rattle rattle clunk.. then.. nothing.. humm.. weird...
Didn't think much of it... Got to the line at Mc'ds for breakfast and heard a belt squeeking.. (Thought to my self what jerk has a squeeky belt?... turned the car off and it's me :0 ) so I got to the shop and pulled all the normal belts.. Started it up.. Still squeeking.. Oh $hit it's the Timing belt.. Then My skin kinda got clammy and hairs stood up on the back of my neck.
The VG is a Interferece fit engine. Meaning that if the belt launches pistons hit valves and everyone has a bad day.
NEW.. nissan tensioner is 60.00 Belt is 20-30.00 FACTORY PARTS ONLY HERE!!!!
Replace BOTH every time.. Don't skimp. I replaced my camshaft seals and crankshaft seals at the same time but it's not manitory. IF you've had a small oil leak it's the rear camshaft seal. Check your water pump while your in the area.. it's not driven by the timing belt but it's alot easier to do while you've got'r torn down. If your not comfortable doning the work Call some one that can It's not complicated at all. The VG's are one of the easiest engines to work around I've done.
E-mail me anytime with questions..
Good luck~Scott

 

why were you thinking about changing your timing belt before winter if it only had 20,000 miles on it? you want an easy engine? ford focort. electrical is a different story though.

 

I was going to change the belt to start off fresh. I bought the car for 1000.00 and was not sure if the person who did it performed it correctly. Which it was not because the tensioner was not replaced!!!! And that almost was the demize of my engine!!!
There's some Ford's I'll work on but general I realy don't care much for them.
But thanks for the offer.

 

first off I have tried to take off the timing belt cover but I just cant seem to get it off. the cover seems to just disappear into the engine and I cant seem to be able to find the whole cover.

I was going to have nissan change the timing belt for me. they were going to charge 360 for the timing belt then 75 for the pulley. I know this might sound like a dumb question but would the water pump have anything to do with my heat not working correctly when Im at idol?

 

The water pump should not cause that problem. Low coolant or the block off valve there on the firewall staying closed might or blockage in the core could too.
I was just stating to use factory parts.. not use the dealer for service. That's not a terrible price. Wish you'd be closer I'd help you out. I've been out to your area to help a guy with his S-10 before neat area...
Mail me with questions if you need anything
UR50SLO@aol.com
Scott~

 

ok I think what I want to do is just buy the FSM and try to change the timing belt, tensioner pulley, and water pump myself with the instructons in the FSM. do you think that this would be a job that I could do myself with the FSM. I have never changed a timing belt but I am usually very good with directions.

Thanks for you help.
Nathan

 

just have patience, and PBBlaster

 

the fsm is confusing to me when it shows how to set tension on the belt... i wish it was self tensioning any tips on setting tension?/? boosted max?

i m gonna do a t belt inspection on my current maxima(91 se 5 sp)
and hopefully the teeth will look good and itll all be lined up and the belt wont look to old

cause then ill leave the focker alone and wont fox it up

 

FSM _is_ confusing in the part how to install tensioner. The rule of thumb is that on VG30 for the new timing belt the tensioner should be positioned at 11 o'clock or 5 o'clock - in either position tension would be the same. 5 o'clock looks more resonable to me because of the spring direction.

 

Remember to change the tensioner BOLT also. I've read more than one time that the bolt broke and fubar'd everything.

 

it's actually a stud..the part that breaks often is the smaller stud the spring pushes on...but its a good idea to swap both out if possible.

 

i messed up my engine cause of the tensioner pulley...it was probably the bolt that snapped...i didnt really get to take a good look at it...i will once i go back to schol next week...bent 8 out of 12 valves...and messed up a couple of the valve guides...happened while i was drivin about 75 mph down the highway...timing belt was shredded when i got the cover off...bought the car for $1000 engine had 220,000 on it...plus i had a spare max so i didnt care too much

 

Ugh... I don't understand... When tensioner is already secured in place the spring doesn't do anything. It only suppose to help to keep tensioner in the position until the bolt is torqued. So how can be that stud so critical?

 

looked to me that the "spring didnt do much also"

 

aaauuuhhh good. I changed my tensioner when i did my belt. I felt a lil crazy at the time because the old tensioner looked real good, though there was less engine noise when it was changed.

 

Anything loose there is critical. Some VW's used to have such open cover that kissing a snowbank would bang the belt as snow migrated between teeth...

But the tension, HOW is it on u engine At The Moment? Just before u replace the belt, 'measure' the tension. How is it? I bet its way off from being optimal, and just losening the tensioner bolt (letting spring do its job) will tighten the belt.

I bet its like this - tell me if I am wrong.

Thatswhy theres a hole on my cambelt cover, just to loosen/tighten the bolt through it, time to time: keeps belt tension at the spring tension 'all the time'... Its nice if its tensioned right in the beginning, but whats the use if its looping slack even one day before change?

In other words: not the top speed, but constant speed counts when u reach u goal.

 

Well, I think this is not exactly how it works. According to FSM the tensioner bolt should be tightened up to the specs (pretty tight - don't remember exactly), and it doesn't leave a chance to the spring to do any job.
Again - our TB tensioner is not self-adjustable...

Don't remember such a hole in my cover...

 

That's not the case on the MAxima. you set the tension on the belt when you change it, then you don't touch it again.. It takes an hour to get the timing cover off, as you have to pull off all of the accessory belts, crank pulley, AC tensioner and bracket, a couple coolant hoses, and some other stuff. then there's abotu 15 little 8mm bolts that need to come out.
once all that's done, you can get to the tensioner.
and you don't use the spring tension to set it.. just to make sure the thing turns the right way when you install it. the directions in the FSM are off the Z31 tensioner from what I've been told. the picture shows the allen hole in the front of it pointing the wrong way.

Aside from the direction it's pointing, everything else is correct. put the belt on, stick a feeler gauge of xxx thickness between the belt and tensioner, then you turn the tensioner from roughly 5 o'clock to 8-9 o'clock and tighten the bolt. it's been a while since I've read it, but that's pretty much it.

 

I know this is 'wrong' way to do it, and I am not saying anybody should do this way. I had not clue how to do it at the time, and it was done as I explained.

The hole is there, I made it, no problim with that...

My question was:
"Its nice if its tensioned right in the beginning, but whats the use if its looping slack even one day before change?"

----> In other words, what is actual tightness on the old belt u take off?? Who has measured???

Tightening the belt after 1k is std measure on any car, no harm done.

 

well Boosted Maxima is comming down here on saturday and hes going to help me change my timing belt . I got the tensioner pulley, water pump, and timing belt that we are going to put on. Im prob going to go on and change the alt. belt, ac belt, and power steering belt.

I will post and let everyone know how it went.

Im just looking forward to seeing his max Its going to be awesome to see a turbo max!