loosened the tensenor for the timing chain, and turned the crank pully about 20 degrees,maybe alittle little more, chain got loose, but just not enough to get over the gear teeth on the water pump. anyone have a solution? anyone ever did one? any help would be great.

the water pump is pulled out just alittle, and moving it side to side is also outta the question. am i forgetting to do something?? ergent help NEEDED PLEASE!!

i need this done by tommorrow, for monday so i can get to work and school.

-rafal

 

bump. anyone?

 

Maybe if you remove the tensionner completely? Pay very much attention not to have the loaded spring and the piston in the tensionner pop out. Use a pin, then use duct tape or ragd as additinnal safety to catch the piston and spring, as extra precaution.

 

yeah that was going to be our next step, if not then just take off the whole cover and replace the timing chain as we are here already since it probally wasn't changed ever and the cars got 203,000 miles. wouldn't hurt. thank for reply.
-rafal

 

This is unfortunate, timing chains should last the life of the vehicule. But at 203000 milles this is a second life!

 

I just changed out my water pump, thermostat, drive belts about a month ago(still have scars on my hands lol). You will need to remove the tensioner, and DO NOT REMOVE THE WHOLE COVER unless you are ready to have your car out of commission for a little while. Be VERY carefull removing the water pump, you can EASILY damage the housing. I would only remove it using the 8M bolt method described in the FSM. You do know about putting the thumb tack in the hole that secures the depressed plunger on the tensioner...right?

 

ok now if i pull out the tensioner, i wont have any trouble putting it back in through just that whole, without taking the whoel shell apart right? just those 2 bolts? taking the chain tensioner out, the piston that im holding from popuing out, the pin is holding it?
im about ready to hand it over to mechanic

 

Ok, remove the two bolts(only bolts securing it) on the tensioner. pull it out. now, press the plunger in and when it is fully depressed place a pin, or thumbtack in the hole. This will hold the plunger in place(depressed). Now you should have enough slack in the chain to clear the teeth on the waterpump sprocket(gear). Did you understand what i meant by using two 8M bolts to remove the pump? If there is still not enough slack in the chain just play around with rotating the crank pulley back and forth until you get the required slack.

ps DO NOT TAKE THIS TO A MECHANIC. You WILL get raped. Plus you will feel GREAT when it's done, and you know that you did it all yourself

 

Don't wanna Scare you but I did the same thing last month, I didn't take the tensioner out, and the dam water pump wouldn't come out. You must take the tensioner out make sure you put a thumb tack in the little hole. Make a long story short I did everything the way I should have, But before I put the tensioner back in I turn the dam timing chain back 20 degrees. Meaning I screwed it up. Couldn't get my car back in time. Long story short I have a new motor in the car now a 1999 I30 motor with 38,000. Runs great but please be sure to be careful and you know something you might get raped getting this done with the dealer but it is worth it worth it worth it. to many people have screwed there motor up trying to do this them selfs. Even the dam Mechanics at the dealers have bent valves. Doing the same thing your doing. I'm not saying that you won't be succussful but it is dangerous trying to do this yourself, because this engine is a interferance motor. If it is off even one tooth you could hit the valves. BEcareful This just happen to me this month I have a mechanic At Courtesy Nissan in Tampa FL that did my install for 750.00 with a tranny flush and two new belts rear main seal crank pully seal motor flush. The motor is so clean inside looks like my uncles 2002 3.5L inside I mean when you pull the oil cap off it looks very clean you can see the silver not deposits.

 

Sorry for your experience. I make mitakes myself as well from time to time.

So you are saying the chain actually jumped one or more tooth when you turned the crankshaft back 20 degrees? or did you originally disengage the chain off the crankshaft pulley sprockets to gain slack, but were not able to reengage it in the exact original position, thus the mis timing?

 

ooh, that sucks it!
nice new motor though. The chain must have jumped the teeth when you were removing it, because LOTS of people turn the crank pulley too much or the wrong way with the tensioner off and they have had no problems. Getting the water pump out itself might be the easiest thing out of the whole project as long as you use two 8M bolts to force it out. Good luck with the new VQ bud (i'm envious)

 

Out of curiosity, those of you who changed the water pump, how long do the M8 bolts need to be? The Haynes reads 3 to 4 inches long. I think this is wrong. The only 3 inches M8 bolts I could find at home depot were threaded for about only half the length, making it realle a 1 1/2 in long threaded bolt.

Thanks

 

That will do just find 1 1/2 inch.