I am hearing a rattling noise that seems like it is coming from under the distributor cap. Any ideas on what the problem could be?

r/Mark

 

have you replaced the cap and rotor lately?

 

loose rotor, bad bushing

 

Also possibly a poorly tentioned timing belt. It sometimes sounds like the noise is coming from the distributor.

 

yes...timing belt is a tad on the loose end that causes the distributor chatter.

 

Checkit:
Open upper timing cover screws, pry ajar... No slack allowed -->dangerous if slack exists. Pushing the belt (use big screwdriver) down between rollers with 20pound force, belt should bend a little, max. half inch.

Tensioning:
Take wheel plus shields out. Somehow one has to get to the tensioning roller lock screw and loosen it, rotate engine backwards little bit. then tighten the tensioning screw. Now measure tightness again: belt is as tight as it should.

Gettin there:
Getting to this tensioning hex screw, one needs to implement a new hole in the cover - in a strategic point [yes I know this is heresy] -or- the whole cover with accessory belts etc. has to be taken out [this is heresy for me]. Afterwards tape the hole closed if u wish...

 

If the timing belt is loose, it should be replaced, not tightened. it is loose because it is worn out= Soon the valves and pistons have a meeting, but the meeting will not end well.

 

After few yrs - it is loose, not yet worn out. Tight belt never jumps... Checking will never harm.

When the belts arrived on the market in 80's, it used to be a standard procedure to tighten the belt after 1k miles.

Nowadays all 'engine sellers' just hillaryously place bets on the grand meeting

 

if your belt does have slack, check that the tensioner is functioning correctly.

 

I am only at maybe 20,000 miles on this belt. Any other things that cud be simplier to fix. I put my ear to the distributer while the car was running and the noise is definitely coming from there.

 

pull the distro cap off and try move the rotor.. see how loose it is. shouldn't be able to move more than a tiny amount. any more, and the rotor/dizzy is done.

if it's not that, then it's likely the timing belt is loose. at 20k miles, it's okay to inspect and tighten it. make sure the belt is in good condition visibly though- chekc for cuts or tears or wear on the edges or leaking oil/coolant that could cause the belt to soften and stretch. if none of those, simply retension the belt and move on with life. should solve the problem.
.

 

LOL, nice... But while were on the topic, id like an education. Why were belts introduced in the 80's, what was used before them? Also, why so some cars still use belts, why not the superior timing chains? Why not implement the longer lasting one, aside from more money in mechanics/dealers pockets when it comes time to change the belts.

 

Belts are quieter when running and cheaper to produce.

What I would like to know is why any engineer worth two farts would design an interference engine with a timing belt instead of a chain. How many friends have you know that have or had a Honda that became a giant paperweight?

I've had timing belts on non-interference cars and the worst thing that can happen when their belt breaks is that you coast to a stop without your cell phone and wallet in the desert. You can sit there and crank your engine all day long til the battery dies and you'll do NO damage.

Timing chains on interference engines can go 200K easily and usually your engine will be running so badly that you'll take it to the shop (or sell it or fix it yourself) to see what's wrong before it actually breaks or causes damage.

 

Just Opinions :
1. Clunking heavy chains, vanished = super fiber material belts arrived, cheap...

2. Not superior - inferior: needs 100% lube all the time... Means leaking. More costly assemblies. Noise. Hydraulic tightening wears out, starts clunking...

3. Belt system lasts forever if guidelines observed, no lube problems. Cheap to replace...

4. Belt means more money in the short run. If chain has lube problems, all will be destroyed and fast, and this means REAL costs. At 200k, try and swap all worn chains parts - and figure the costs. At marathon, Belt wins 10:1.


if guidelines observed ---> here is the weakest link. This is in nobodys interests. Every used car has "belt just replaced", even documents given with [ORIGINAL] stamps. This is a blatant LIE: when u buy a used car, whatever is said, assume nothin has been never ever done. Make do this your starting point, do meticulously all maintenance and youl'll be happy - even with Honda -or- live like a blondie, and complain always the 'bad luck'...

 

My biggest problem with the timing belted vg is the difficultly of accessing the belt.

If the manufacturer wants to put one on, fine, but design the freaking thing so it can be replaced easily!

 

Guidelines for almost EVERY production belt system states to replace it between 60000-85000 miles, That's no where NEAR forever.

What lube problem on a timing chain? Maybe in the 50's there may have been, but things have progressed. I have not heard of a lubrication failure of a timing chain in recent years. I certainly haven't heard of that being a problem on the Nissan 3.0L engine family.

Okay, how is the timing belt labor any cheaper then the chain labor. As far as parts? See below.

Parts Prices for 92 Maxima @ Autozone

Timing Belt $14-32
Tensioner $37-51
------
Belt Parts Total $51-83

Chain $28-59
Guide $ 9-29
-------
Chain Parts Total $37-88

So parts costs are not that different.

 

Read carefully: I mentioned SYSTEM, you speak of the belt. In a belt SYSTEM, only belt is to be changed... In a chain-system, also teeth-pulleys wear out.

Lets read only what I stated: Try running chains w/o lube. No way. The system has to be designed into a tight housing, to be lubed always.

Put on the table whole system repair 'at 200k', multiple chains, guides, rollers, seals... =ALL ... then compare to three belts.

The chain system is technology from 1930's. From my DIY point of view, I think belt is better: seen, repaired both. And will keep my opinion, because of that experience.

Dont worry, be happy. End Of Opinion.

 

Absolutely. The designers should be hanged.

 

because an interference motor is running tighter tolerances and can therfore make more power
case in point 93 VG
in maxima it had more power than in the quest. same motor, only 1 was non-interference.

 

Wiki have a article explain interference engines and mentions Nissan.
If you don't like it, edit it you dang self
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_engine
By the way, what sounds the distributor was making? Can you describe it?

 

Inside the distributor there seems to be a rattling noise. That's the best I can explain how it sounds.

 

I did repalce the rotor and the cap. I am still getting the rattling noise. Where are the bushings located, and can I replace them?

 

Who knows? Later only you can tell... I guess youre better off with a replacement from junkyard.

Take the distr out, rotate with hand. Only free rotation allowed, no free play or sticking.

 

My vg does the same thing, and i replaced the dizzy with a known good j-yard unit, same noise was still there..

I'm thinking t-belt tensioner rattle maybe.

 

your VG?
not no mo

 

Heh...

I do still maintain the car.

 

is a rattling or more like a bunch of pops like spark jumping from the rotor to the cap or the contact on top of the rotor touching the cap?

 

Timing belt labor is 3-4 hours, including R&R the water pump behind the belt. do that every 60k miles and the engine will last nearly forever assuming you keep oil in it.

Timing CHAIN requires the engine to be removed from the car. to change the lower chain on the VE, the heads have to be removed because the head gasket also seals the timing chains. I made a minor assembly mistake while putting mine together and ruined a set of head gaskets because I forgot to put the timing chain cover on before the heads. doh. pull it all apart and start over.
look at the labor for removing an engine from a Maxima. you're looking at something around 20 hours of labor to replace the chain and gears.
there are three chains at about $50 each, SEVEN gears, three tensioners, and 3-5 guides (I forget how many). the stuff to replace all of that costs about $1800 new from the dealer (VTCs are part of the intake cam sprocket, so you have to replace the whole assembly if the teeth are worn- at $480 each)...

thus, a timing belt is a very effective way to go. less noise, no chain slap means less vibrations in the engine, lower rotating mass, and theoretical higher RPM capability.

shall we go on?

 

Still not going to buy an interference engine with a timing belt. I have nothing against timing belts.

 

and a belt weighs less then a chain

 

Currently I am at the very bottom of this food chain of buying cars - even engines - this means the chain of food will drop tingies for me.

I buy a car diggin its history, thorough inspection,,, then check later if there was a chain under my belt... Later I decide if I like it or not

I like my VGE and its cheap belt - hate the blk belt job waiting...

 

(this coming from a VE owner no less!)

 

Matt likes to change things up like that sometimes.

In a thread next week he will defend the chain ve like it's his child

 

if you are replacing the gears on a VE timing setup, your motor is way beyond shot.
same thing goes on most motors timing gears. the only exclusion being when they make them from plastic or fiber.

 

That may be generally true. Some stories tell that smtimes the lube fails, and then...

As the chain is more complicated and costly to design & mfg, I guess the chain would not have never re-appeared w/o the human factor... as belt typically lasts double what mfg promises. The basic human laissez-fare, my life 'style', where any preventive maintenance is copy pasted with lies.

How easy it would be to paint the belt (yellow) so that color wears out as belt is about to die, easily verifiable from a peek hole. No guessing, no fear of breakup... BUT. Still the user(s) of the broken engine(s) would advertise the world, with straight face, how "poor the belt interference engines are"...
(Interference = allows pistons and valves to share their more confined space. More confined = more compression = pwr)

 

The noise under the distributor cud be a bunch of pops like spark jumping from the rotor to the cap or the contact on top of the rotor touching the cap. Is that usual? If I accelerate it seems like the rattle get louder. Almost sounds like bad bearings in an A/C compressor.

 

Where is the bushing on the distributor?

 

in the shaft between the housing and the distributor drive shaft