On the first start of the day, more conspicuous the colder the weather, i get an sound like a rattling which i believe is the water pump. On warm starts, no sound. I am also getting a small drip in the laneway just below the control arm and inner cv axle area which is likely from the water pump as i am not apparently losing any fluids like brake, clutch, power steering or brake. The residue does leave a stain however which i assume is just grease the hot water picks up dripping. With the sound, I am thinking to replace pump itself rather than simply replacing the 2 o-ring gaskets.

Questions: Do you agree with my diagnosis, if not what else could it be and what amount of time does it take for a licensed mechanic to replace the water pump in a 97 Max? thanks.

 

Tensioners.

Water pump shouldn't make any noise except maybe a grinding if real bad and was aftermarket already, but it would make the sound all the time IMO if it was the pump.

The leak out of the weep hole could be the pump o-rings though..

 

+1 all the way..

I had to replace the tensioner on my 99 model I30 at roughly 225,000 miles. After it would sit overnight and a start up, I could hear a pinging noise under the timing cover. I was able to replace just the tensioner through the access door without pulling the timing cover and replacing the guides.

I've been told the tensioner design changed. The new tensioner design apparently doesn't work with the old style guides. I think I have a tensioner in my workshop that couldn't not be used with the older style guides for that reason.

Be sure to check for compatibility since there was a design change.

 

I replaced the main belt's pully and tensioner last year with an oem duplicate, I pulled off a wreck. It didnt alter the sound I get with a cold start. I think the sound and the drip may well be 2 separate issues, so i theoretically could save some money on just replacing the 2 o-ring gaskets but that still will likely leave the sound issue, unresolved. Other than the water pump and tensioner, what else needs to warm up to go away??

 

I should have prefixed tensioner with TC for timing chain.

The TC tensioner and drip through the weep hold are definitely two different issues.

Once you get Nissan in your blood you develop a 6th sense for hearing and detecting some of the common noises and related issues.