Timing belt went on my 92 maxima with the vg30e engine. I replaced it and now its running like crap so I'm sure it bent some valves.

Has anyone had this happen, and does it just require rebuilding the heads or does it usually destroy a few pistons too?

What are the estimated costs on parts and labor? I checked with Courtesy Nissan and they said at least 2500. The car isn't worth much more than that so I'm thinkin now might be a good time to bail if theres not a cheaper fix in sight.

 

first thing you need to do is a compression test on the engine. if it shows to be good, then you don't have any bent valves or messed up pistons (which may or may not have happened).

if you're lucky, you've just got the timing belt a tooth off or something.


If it IS the engine, then you can buy complete used ones from a junkyard for around $3-400. install the new timing belt on it while you've got it out of the car, and you've got it it back up and running for not TOO much money.
definitely cheaper than trying to sell a car with a bad engine and buy another one.

 

looks like the 3rd cylinders got no compression, I didnt check all of them, but now I know its broke

I think I'm just going to take what I can get the way it is now and get something decent, not this halfass engineered crapanese stuff

 

hmm.. funny..
how many miles did that crapanese engine have on it when it died?
how many miles was it since the last time the timing belt was changed?

 

No need to go that way. I know you are mad, but there are many people on this board with a load of miles on thier crappy imports.

 

If you had done the required maintenance and changed your timing belt, you wouldn't be in this predicament. The last time I checked, no one makes an interference engine that can survive the valves bouncing off the tops of your pistions.

You only have you to blame for your timing belt failure.

 

lol you registered on my birthday last year. i just wanted to see your history cause your status is newbie.
anyway, matt's given you some good advice and the reason why other people are flaming you is because your calling the car crap when its not the cars fault at all. as long as you treat your car with respect, it will be happy. i think this is true for most cars, but all our cars ask for is regular maintence and such.
later
MrGone

 

oh yeah i forgot to mention, nice jeep. i try that with my maxima but the results are usually not good. i was bad today, i went "mini-muddin" in the max. it was really just gravel with pot holes and muddy water in them but still, i got the whole off road look on the max, i used to do that soo much (we have a section of gravel parking at school, kids like to peel out in theyre trucks...). anyway, just though id mention that.
MrGone

 

Your timing belt did not break, if it broke the engine would not run at all, so it was installed incorrectly. Did one of the cams turn when you took it of or what? I would buy a junk engine like Matt said then buy another car, the VG is one of the most reliable engines ever made by any car manufacturer.

 

He said (in the first sentence) that the belt broke and he's already replaced it. NOW the engine is running poorly.

 

Good luck, maxima's with non working engines run for $300-900 tops. You should just unplug the cylinder with no compressions injector. Believe it or not its your fault the belt broke.

 

the belt was replaced less than 40k ago, and the engine only has 136k on it, thats less miles than any other car I've owned (a few of which have even broken timing chains and survived.)

the belt didnt break, the teeth sheared off of it. The tensioner looked fine, replaced it anyway. Since the teeth sheared off rather than snapping the belt I'm thinkin something else is going on here and I dont want to be there if it happens again.


I guess its my fault that I didnt take the timing cover off every 5k to check it out

 

so the teeth on the belt sheared off?
basically the t-belt was slipping/skipping?
did u notice any power loss before this happening? that's something i've never heard a t-belt do...and you said the tensioner looked fine..maybe not enough tension on the belt itself?

 

I am new to the Maxima scene,(had the car less than 24 hours now), teh 1993 DOHC has a timing chain correct? IF so, I don;thave to touch it until it starts to make noise correct? IF it has a timing belt I should check it every 5k miles as ANY car with a timing belt. I have been told if I buy a Maxima or 300Z I should just replace the belt right away for peace of mind if it indeed has a belt and not a chain.

Thanx

Brian

 

the 92-94SE have VE30DE engine with timing chain

89-91SE and 89-94 GXE have VG30E with timing belt

for basic questions like these, check out the archives by using search

 

i had a friend change my belt at 68,000 miles for $100.00 plus parts. ($275).nissan wanted $650.00. i went the cheaper way.after he changed it, my wife said it was not running right. i took it back. he said it was fine. 2 weeks later the belt broke.$ 2,300.00 later it is running good again. this friend was a mech. but i guess he wasn't!!!!

 

Have fun, my timing belt broke about 7 months ago. The cheapest fix is a used engine.