Martin Nissan (formerly Fergus) in Skokie, IL quoted me >$1800 to replace the timing chain tensioner. this was after I spent 5 minutes trying to convince the service tech that my '99 SE had a VQ30, not a VG30 as he insisted, to which he finally replied "trust me, you don't [have a VQ] but I'll quote you the tensioner anyway". 16 hours + parts. I asked about removing it through the inspection hole instead of taking the entire chain cover off, and he told me it is too large to fit through the hole and then hung up on me.

I think I'll just do it myself. From what I've read around here, this should only be about a one hour job, right? Is there only one tensioner part #, or is there a separate # for the earlier 95-96 models? if so, does anyone know the correct # for 97-99? I want to make sure I get the right one. thanks.

 

The NEW Nissan Part number on the Tensioner does NOT fit throuhg the cheating hole and even if it did, the guide rails do NO Line up with the NEW size tensioner. Nissan improved the part and made it a bit larger, this involves taking the entire chain cover off, replaceing the guide and the tensioner.

PICS thanks to Jime

First pic is the original tensioner and original slack side chain guide.
Second pic is the replacement tensioner and original slack side chain guide.

You decide if you want to install like this. I wouldn't.




-matt

 

That's because they do more than they need to. Just like the charge of a knock sensor.. they do more labor than necessary.

 

Not true in this case. There is no way of getting the new tensioner in there and the new guide in there as well, without removing the case.

-matt

 

Ahh, I'm behind the times...

 

matt - thanks for the great pics! do you know if the new part you are talking about is the same as the STOCK part on the 97-99s. i.e., I'm assuming the new part you show here is the 95-96 TSB fix that also required the new chain guide. and I'm wondering if the 97-99s came stock with this new tensioner and the new guide, and an inspection hole big enough to remove the new tensioner??

 

NO. They just made the change in September of 2005. The VQ30DE from 95-99 were all the same and they made the change to all of the tensioners they are selling now...nothing to do with the design of the 97-99 that are in the car now.

Its supposidly a better design and about 2" longer in length. I used to have the parts numbers on my desk, the new and old, but I cant find them

-matt

 

How come in the 2nd pic, it doesn't look like the plunger thing lines up with the slack guide at all?

 

ok, thanks matt! I'm really glad I asked about this b/c I was about to buy the new tensioner and futilely attempt the install. you just saved me 2 days of aggravation. where do I send the check?

 

Because that is the picture of the NEW tentioner without the NEW Style guides for guys wanting to use the cheater hole to install the NEW style tensioner. This proved it doesnt work/line up

-matt

 

The fact that he thouhgt you had a VG was the first sign to get out of there. So he's thinking the VG has a timing chain, so hes already going down the wrong path. I got quoted out $1k when I asked my dealership just for fun. The fact that he was getting rude with you, and hung up in your face, is a definate sign atleast dont let them touch your car. Damn nissan Customer service is getting worse and worse.

It will probably take you a few hours but do it yourself.

 

If they just made the change in Sept. 05, why isn't there a TSB for it? the last one i can find is June 19 2000. The TSB in the stickies requireing changing the guides is dated 9/11/96 and applies to cars manufactured before 2/96 (the implication being that after that date, they would build them with the updated guides and tensioners).

The part number is 13070-31U03. The part number for the tensioner I bought off of my local dealer was 13070-31U0A. My mechanic had no problems fitting it through the cheater hole and no problems with it lining up (it's possible that he just didn't tell me, though i highly doubt it). Alldata has it listed as 0.9 hours labor replacing a tensioner on a 97 Maxima how else could you replace it in 0.9 hours?

For TSB's: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/

 

They must have had an old one laying around. Did you compair the two tensioners ??

-matt

 

I didn't install it, so i had nothing to compare it with.
13070-31U03 was the part number I was given here on Maxima.org when i requested it. 13070-31U0A is the part I got when I went to my local dealership (Lynnes in Bloomfield) asking for a Main Timing Chain Tensioner. If there is a TSB aren't they not supposed to sell the old and outdated part?

 

The 31U03 is the Kit with the guide rail and the 31U0A is just the tensioner. He must have installed it like the picture above. I would never leave it like that, but some people would.

-matt

 

superceding parts are not neccesarily TSB. Its is just a parts change for one reason or another.

 

Jerry Rome Nissan has 13070-31U03 listed as just a tensioner. It's even the same price as all of the other tensioners. It mentions nothing about a guide. In the TSB in the Stickies the number is 13070-31U02 and the guide number is 13070-31U01.

It also says it's 7.6 hours labor to replace both, furthur proof that the dealership was trying to rip the OP off.

I'm curious where you saw the info about a newer tensioner?

 

Its been around the board alot and a few guys like JIME have bought the tensioner and it hasnt fit, like the picture. I garentee they are not making the old style tensioner any longer. The part number doesnt even exsist in the Nissan database any longer according to David Burnette. If you would like to talk to him, very knowledgable guy, 1 888 254 6060.

He had a new tentioner in his hang when i had my car apart and he measured the one he was holding and I did the same with the stock one. 2" difference. Thats why the new one comes with Guides

-matt

 

I know you've been around the board a lot and that was a serious question. I haven't heard anything about them changing parts again in sept. 05. The part number i was given i got well after 9/05 so it should be the right number. The Kit with the tensioner and the guide has a different part number, it's 13070-31U26 i believe.

Have you spoken to anyone who has replaced this on a car that isn't a 95-96 because everyone i see seems to have either a 95 or a 96. I know that after 2/96 they made them with the updated part numbers and i figured that in a car made after 2/96 a updated tensioner should fit perfectly fine.

I'll ask my mechanic about the install tomorrow if i have time and remember.

 

For 1800 dollars, they might as well replace the whole engine with a lower mileage VQ30. Maybe even replace it twice.

In any case, I would never go back to that dealer.