I took my car to get checked up for a leaking problem, and my mechanic tells me that the water pump is leaking. I trust(?) the guy, so I tell him to go ahead and fix it.

3 days later, I come back and the leak is gone. It dosen't take me long to realize that there is a huge loss in Torque, but on the free way the car's power dosen't seem to be affected. So I take the car back to him, and now it's almost a week later and he's saying that the timing chain needs to be replaced. This raises a few flags for me.

First, isnt the timing chain supposed to be replaced at longer intervals? My car is a 1996 5sp with about 90k miles. Second, if the timing chain is the problem, and I certainly didn't have problems with power before the water pump replacement, is the mechanic liable for possible damage to my chain?

On the flipside, the timing chain could be a plausible problem if the motor's timing is off, correct? This is where my knowledge about cars fades. Can anyone clarify???? Thanks

 

How soon did the timing chain start to go bad after you got the water pump replaced?

Timing chain going bad around give or take 100K isn't far fetched.

It could be just bad luck, I don't think a reputable Mechanic would risk his buisness over a couple of hundred bucks.

Then again there are alot of greedy people out there. It could also be just your tensioner and your mechanic just trying to milk you for more cash, like when a mechanic tell you too replace the whole CV joint intead of just the CV boot. So if you could get a second opinion get it.

 

Timing chains aren't supposed to be changed like timing belts, they should last for the life of the engine.

 

I noticed this problem the next day. As i was first driving the car there was some indication of a problem but I wasn't driving that hard so its negligible. Another thing about the car in the condition I left it, the intake was noticably louder than it used to be. All i have is the ghetto airbox mod with a k&n and it sounds like I put a frankencar on the damn thing!

How loud would a rattle coming from the timing chain/tensioner be? I never noticed a rattle from the motor by just sitting in the driver's seat and here i have him mentioning hearing a rattling noise from the car.. is it a noticable sound?

I see. I also entertained the idea of the tensioner. I might swing by and ask/see what's up.

 

it's a really LOUD rattle if you can hear the rattle from inside the car with your windows up your tensioner needs to be replaced ASAP, if you let it sit in there too long it will screw your timing chain, and when you screw your timing chain you'll also screw your oil pump, and so on....get it fixed ASAP or face the consequence$$$$$.

my guess is he's trying to score a few bucks off of you by also changing the timing chain, but if he only want to change the chain, he's a dumbass and i'd suggest going to another mechanic because the chain has no reason to go bad aside from the tensioner (and maybe poor oil circulation...)

 

Ever heard of the dane cook joke where he said all mechanics screw people over he said that you go to the shop and ask what was wrong the guy said "Well yea the roof was peeling back and resenting the rest of the car so we had to replace that and you also had a tiny unicorn poking holes in your exhaust and ****ting in your filters" Dane said "No Way i didnt know i had a tiny mythilogical creature ****ting in my filters about how much is this gonna cost?" Mechanic says "about 7000 dane said Oh, 7000 yea i was think it would be 7000 thats a good number" but i thought of that cause of the topic post

but, what i would do is take it to another mechanic and see what he says and price and what not if its same hes not Bsin you

 

I would have to agree that some mechanic's try to screw their customers, it happens in all business. But your analogy is off, IMO.

The cost b/w replacing just the boot, or the whole axle is all in the price of the parts. Which would only be about $60 or less. For that extra piece of mind, it makes sense. It should probably take the mechanic LESS time to just swap an axle, rather than to have to disassemble the cv joint to replace the boot and repack the grease.

Anyways, I agree with you, I was just bored and wanted to nitpick.

 

i've been quoted 350 to replace both boots and 750 to replace both axles, the CV joints were perfectly good so the mechanic was just being lazy. I flipped him off and changed the boots myself on a 3-day weekend.

 

Well...then your mechanic was trying to rip you off. Generally, it wouldn't take any more time, or even less to just swap the axles. Obviously, your experience was different.

 

hahaha oh yeah i heard that , that was HILARIOUS. dane cook man hahaha.

 

People, why are we talking about changing cv joints, when a whole new axel is 60 dollars (when old axel is returned) and takes less than an hour to change each axel?

 

i got my raxle for 140. better quality. the install was fairly simple i agree.

 

That's what I have been saying....

but now back to your original topic, sorry I started this OT fest.

 

The question in my mind is what could he possibly have done to affect power while working around the timing chain? The chain has to be untensioned to remove/install the water pump. Did he somehow cause the chain to jump a tooth or some teeth on the cams while the chain was loose so that the cams are now out of phase with the crankshaft?. Seems to me this is the only explanation unless he changed/damaged something other than the chain. If this is the case it’s now a matter of opening the chain case to inspect alignment marks.

 

very plausible explanation. That same question has been on my mind all this time... We'll soon find out..

 

It should raise a few flags, and your lucky that Maxima.org is here to set your mechanic straight.

1) A timing CHAIN lasts the life of the engine and is very rarely replaced.
2) Your mechanic had to losen the chain to get the water pump out, it may have jumped a tooth.
3) Your 96 might need a new timing chain tensioner, it's a common failure item amoung early (95,96) 4th gens. This should have been replaced with the pump.

Now your saying your intake is very loud, have you looked under the hood to see if the intake was installed correctly and there's nothing leaking? That could cause your lack of power. Maybe your mechanic simply forgot to tighten a clamp, or put the air filter cover on tight.

If the chain is indeed off a tooth, your ECU should have detected it and stated throwing misfire codes. It can see the angle differances between the crank and cam. If that angle is off, I think it should set a trouble code of some sort.

Take those facts back to your mechanic and have a good conversation with him.

 

Kick his A$$ Seabass!

 

We have a winner

 

Thanks fellas. This indeed should be a good conversation... Glad I have Maxima.org !!

 

lmfao!

 

It won't set off a CEL. I know from experience.

 

When I had my water pump replaced, the chain made some kind of loud noise for a short while, but then went away after about a half hour of running, as the oil recoated the chain.

But yes, if the chain skipped a tooth or two, that might be why you now have lousy torque.

Get the chain realigned.

 

How much should a water pump replacement cost? I have to do mine soon too.

 

Try to get someone to attach a scan tool to check for the timing at idle. It should be aroung 15 at idle. If its lower than your performance will definetely be off.

 

Turns out the chain must have jumped a tooth, as the mechanic told me the timing marks were off. Took a while because his lazy *** probably didnt want to take the cover apart again... But the car is much quieter, more powerful and back in my hands... Thanks guys.

 

That's what it's about. A consensus was reached. The mechanic realized you were armed with more than average knowledge and he made it right. Glad to hear it.

 

glad to hear...dammit i hate mechanics... i always feel like the bad guy when i suspect a mechanic for ripping me off bcuz im sure he konws more then i do but this is a perfect example of a greddy POS tryin to use his knowledge and make some extra cash...you shouldve kicked em in the nuts