Timing Chain 96 Maxima SE
 

I replaced the timing chain after 177,000 miles and boy was it a lot of work. My symptons were the car was very noisy one morning, to me it sounded like a timing chain. I drove the car up to 80 mpg up to the dearleship. The dealership said it was a timing chain $1800, they gave me a copy of the TSB's. It was not the timing chain but tensioner leaking, see TSB. I have a question, if in fact the timing chain had slipped a notch, wouldn't my engine have been damaged? How many notches can it slip before damage?

If it slipped only one notch, hasnt it just advanced or retarded the timing by a couple degrees? If so, it probably wont hurt the engine, just your performance. If it did advance it, wouldnt the knock sensor retard the timing anyways?

If it keeps slipping, that could be a problem...

had my chain replaced
 

Bought my 96 gle (100k on miles) a few months back, thankfully the guy was honest and let me know about the problem (and had it priced appropriately). So I had it replaced for a little cheaper than you were quoted and it's ran smooth ever since. Don't know what that says about any long term damage but it seems like I would have felt the reprecusions(spelling?) by now. I'm not sure if I'm addressing your particular problem but I hope this helps a little. :p

Re: Timing Chain 96 Maxima SE
 

To my understanding one notch and your car will run like crap.. More then that and your heads are toast.. (might be 2 or 3 you can go before toasted heads) None the less you need to fix it ASAP!!!! Im not sure of the tensoner price but I would be doing this job myself.. This is only 1.5hrs more then a water pump job so you should be replacing that too and oil seals.. It is a time consuming job and scarry as hell to do but if you rotate the crank to TDC and be rotate your cams back to their mark you should be fine.. Just DON"T rotate ANYTHING when there is not chain except moving the cams back to their mark.. And be careful because the left cam(closer to the car) is in tension and likes to fall left and right.. (it is OK if it falls because those are the valves closing but be sure to rotate it back the way it falls.

Re: Re: Timing Chain 96 Maxima SE
 

Sorry for not getting back to you, been out of the country. Thanks for the information especially about the left cam. I could have lost or cut my finger when it slipped. I replaced the water pump also.

Re: had my chain replaced
 

Thanks for the information, it was great to hear from someone else who had this problem. I am glad that you got it fixed with no damage to your car. My Maxima has been a great car so far and I can't complain.

Thanks, I noticed that one the noise was very loud and that when I stopped the engine died. I jumped on it and took it up to 90 mph and then slowed down. It's power was off slightly. It was a risky thing to do but I did not hurt the engine, I got lucky.