Timing Chain Rattle?
07-11-2003, 02:55 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1
Timing Chain Rattle?
Hello all,
Long time lurker, first time poster here. I have a problem that I've been struggling with for over a year. I have a 98 Max SE that has 84,000 miles and it makes a noise like the timing chain is rattling. Here is the situation, it only happens when the air conditioner is on. When you are about to shift from 1st to 2nd or are accelerating above 2K rpm it will sound like the chain is rattling for a second before the tranny shifts and the rpm's decrease. It does not do this with the A/C off. One dealer said it was a heat shield and another claimed they couldn't even hear it. But its plainly evident. So I've searched and read alot of posts about the tensioner being bad on that year of Maxima but most people hear noise at start-up when the tensioner is bad. Any idea what my situation is? Its strange that only the A/C being on causes this problem. Thanks alot for reading my situation.
Long time lurker, first time poster here. I have a problem that I've been struggling with for over a year. I have a 98 Max SE that has 84,000 miles and it makes a noise like the timing chain is rattling. Here is the situation, it only happens when the air conditioner is on. When you are about to shift from 1st to 2nd or are accelerating above 2K rpm it will sound like the chain is rattling for a second before the tranny shifts and the rpm's decrease. It does not do this with the A/C off. One dealer said it was a heat shield and another claimed they couldn't even hear it. But its plainly evident. So I've searched and read alot of posts about the tensioner being bad on that year of Maxima but most people hear noise at start-up when the tensioner is bad. Any idea what my situation is? Its strange that only the A/C being on causes this problem. Thanks alot for reading my situation.
12-08-2013, 10:16 PM
#2
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1
mine does the same but my maxi is a 5g but i hear the rattle with the ac off i went with a friend who is a mechanic and he changed the timing chain tensioners etc but everything stayed the same have u figured oit whats ur problem?
12-09-2013, 07:49 AM
#6
12-09-2013, 09:08 AM
#7
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 298
12-09-2013, 05:54 PM
#8
100,000 miles is the recommended service interval for replacing the guides and tensioners.
200,000 miles is the service interval for replacing all the chains, sprockets, guides and tensioners.
12-09-2013, 06:50 PM
#9
12-10-2013, 01:04 PM
#10
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: south east conn.
Posts: 253
If a vq has been maintained very well, is it extremely necessary to do the tc guides and tentioners at 100k...?im at 111k now and dont think i hear any noise so far.
12-10-2013, 05:39 PM
#11
nope, that's what they recommend. just keep your ears open and read my post above. i keep the fluids fresh and keep her tuned when needed. otherwise, it depends on how you drive and maintain your max.
12-11-2013, 04:41 AM
#12
Where is this timing maintenance coming from? For years, I have heard that the system requires no maintenance... except for when you hear a rattle which you replace the main tensioner. That was not mentioned in the manual also but the newer VQ's still have it listed as maintenance free and modified the system so that the tensioner is not only spring loaded but you can lock the piston in place.
12-11-2013, 06:59 PM
#13
Where is this timing maintenance coming from? For years, I have heard that the system requires no maintenance... except for when you hear a rattle which you replace the main tensioner. That was not mentioned in the manual also but the newer VQ's still have it listed as maintenance free and modified the system so that the tensioner is not only spring loaded but you can lock the piston in place.
100,00 mile kit: http://www.courtesyparts.com/bundle-...783_7664_7665&
200,000 mile kit: http://www.courtesyparts.com/bundle-...783_7664_7665&
I also believe I read this in my 1999 I30 maintenance logbook, I will have to double check.
12-13-2013, 04:55 PM
#14
I have seen those kits before on that site but even my parts guy at Nissan said if you have a lot of rattling noise, just replace the main tensioner and all guides which is all you need. You would need the other stuff if it was never changed before like water pump, thermostat, crank oil seal, etc...
12-14-2013, 12:26 AM
#16
dude, as i tell tons of op in here, i have 254,000 with original chain and tensioners/guides water pump. no need to worry, some parts are plastic on the guides and it will rattle on a cold day, ( hell, mine rattles on a warm day 
) so as long as the rattle goes away after warm up, i would'nt worry about it.
) so as long as the rattle goes away after warm up, i would'nt worry about it.
Last edited by max ride 41; 12-14-2013 at 07:39 AM.
12-14-2013, 05:20 AM
#17
dude, as i tell tons of op in here, i have 254,000 with original chain and tensioners/guides water pump. no need to worry, some parts are plastic on the guides and it will rattle on a cold day, ( hell, mine rattles on a warm day ) so as long as the rattle goes away after warm up, i would'nt worry about it.
) so as long as the rattle goes away after warm up, i would'nt worry about it.
12-15-2013, 12:35 PM
#21
Mine has 145k and I get the normal morning start rattle and a constant funky noise. Also a nice noise when I rev it at like 4k rpm. You can't put all the tensioners in the world. That's not the problem. The plastics guides are. I'm looking junkyard motors just for when the day comes. Not really worth putting new guides in a motor still in the car so just put up with it.
12-15-2013, 12:57 PM
#22
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 53
Tensioners die around 100K on all cars. They are warning their owners for awhile.
Bearings are about $3-5, but you or somebody have to replace bearing in tensioner pulley.
When AC is on, load on tensioner is much higher.
It will seize, destroy belt and all components using this belt will stop working. Broken belt will jump around possibly destroying another belt, running power steering.
If you cannot diagnose it yourself, go to a good mechanic.
Bearings are about $3-5, but you or somebody have to replace bearing in tensioner pulley.
When AC is on, load on tensioner is much higher.
It will seize, destroy belt and all components using this belt will stop working. Broken belt will jump around possibly destroying another belt, running power steering.
If you cannot diagnose it yourself, go to a good mechanic.
12-15-2013, 02:46 PM
#23
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 298
Tensioners die around 100K on all cars. They are warning their owners for awhile.
Bearings are about $3-5, but you or somebody have to replace bearing in tensioner pulley.
When AC is on, load on tensioner is much higher.
It will seize, destroy belt and all components using this belt will stop working. Broken belt will jump around possibly destroying another belt, running power steering.
If you cannot diagnose it yourself, go to a good mechanic.
Bearings are about $3-5, but you or somebody have to replace bearing in tensioner pulley.
When AC is on, load on tensioner is much higher.
It will seize, destroy belt and all components using this belt will stop working. Broken belt will jump around possibly destroying another belt, running power steering.
If you cannot diagnose it yourself, go to a good mechanic.
12-15-2013, 06:20 PM
#25
Tensioners die around 100K on all cars. They are warning their owners for awhile.
Bearings are about $3-5, but you or somebody have to replace bearing in tensioner pulley.
When AC is on, load on tensioner is much higher.
It will seize, destroy belt and all components using this belt will stop working. Broken belt will jump around possibly destroying another belt, running power steering.
If you cannot diagnose it yourself, go to a good mechanic.
Bearings are about $3-5, but you or somebody have to replace bearing in tensioner pulley.
When AC is on, load on tensioner is much higher.
It will seize, destroy belt and all components using this belt will stop working. Broken belt will jump around possibly destroying another belt, running power steering.
If you cannot diagnose it yourself, go to a good mechanic.
12-16-2013, 12:58 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,292
Mine does the same thing, 95 with over 248,000 miles, chain rattles whether its hot or cold, untilthe car warms up, been doing it since I bought her at 217,000. Regular oil changes help to minimize the noise if your car does it until its almost warm.
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