kmb

My '94 SE started making a ticking sound a while back. From inside car, sounded like plastic fan hitting metal. At first my local shop thought valves, but one of the owners owns a Max and had had the VTC problem, and this shop couldn't do the repair. I checked here and read all I could find. ANYWAY, I just paid $800 to a Nissan dealer to have two new rebuild kits installed. Traveled 30 miles to a dealer in a different town because the local Nissan shop is crap.

I think I still hear some ticking sound after cold start - and it sounds the same to me. It doesn't last as long - I'm wondering if it takes a moment for oil to get up to the system?

In general - what is going on? Is SOME 'ticking' type sound normal? Did they not get it fixed? Is it valves or something else that they wouldn't have touched during the repair?

Bryan91SE

I spoke to a Nissan tech who said that often after he rebuilt the VTC's, they would tick for a few miles until broken in. I don't understand why.

I just grounded the VTC's out on a 92 SE and I still get ticking for like 2 seconds at startup. It's annoying, but not near as bad as it was before, where it would tick for 10 minutes until warmed up.

I would take your car back and tell them it still isn't fixed. A proper rebuild involves cleaning the oil gallies so that the sprockets are lubed easier and faster. Do you know if they did that?

eric93SE

iTrader: (1)

You should be using a high quality oil filter with an anti-drain-back valve. Alot of people on the org like mobile 1, I think the AC Delco duraguard gold is excellent (from Pepboys) ~$10. This keeps oil press. up the gallies and to the lifters.

kmb

Thanks for the replies.

The Service Manager thought they should be broken in by now. He said if the ticking is the same thing and it is still happening, they'll open the engine back up and see if the spring in the rebuild kit is still properly positioned against the gear. They won't charge me that labor again, but if the rebuild kit didn't fix it, I'll have to pay for the new part. He said all looked fine when they put it together, but if the wear behind the gear is bad enough the spring won't push hard enough.

He said they checked the oil flow, etc, before putting everything back together.


My main question is: if all is working properly, can there still be some ticking? Or does ANY ticking at all (of that type) mean the VTC needs work? I'm a bit overwhelmed with information right now (plus being ****ed that I may not get out of this for "only" $800), but I thought the service manager said there should be NO ticking.

Thanks again for the information.

HoJo

I think your VTC is fine. It sounds like your getting lifter noise, which isn't all that bad. Like eric sai you should use a high qualith oil filter that hads a valve in it so the oil won't drain back to the bottom of the engine when not in use. What kind of oil filter are you using?

kmb

Right now I'm using whatever filter my shop puts on. They are a good shop (not the Nissan dealer) - if they have the choice between a good part and a better part, they'll tell you about the choice but recommend the better part. They won't do any sort of half-assed repairs, etc. The shop is owned/run by a father and son and the son drives a '92 SE.

But certainly I've learned that I need to make sure to use a better filter. I've seen a Toyota recommended here, and also a Mobil 1. I believe they use Valvoline oil. I'm going to start buying the better, anti-flow-back (?) filters.

I'm competant at tracking down and buying correct parts, but if anyone can tell me the EXACT model number or part number for the filters I should look for, I'd appreciate it. And I'll have to ask at the shop - I don't know if they'll let me bring in parts or not.

Thanks.

Bryan91SE

Just to confirm, the Nissan oil filter for the VE engine has the anti-drainback valve.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Much info is contained in the 3-gen stickie at the top of this forum.

Czar

The rebuild kits rarely work.... mine worked for 3 mo. before they started ticking again.. I ended up just replacing the whole VTC. MAKE SURE THEY ALSO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS AT THE SAME TIME.... If this isn't done the ticking will continue/be back.........