Good day all- I purchased a '99 max w/3.0 6cyl engine 18 mos ago- really love this car- my concern is it just reached the 100,000 mile mark-should I follow the owners manual and change out the timing chain? From some searches I discovered that this engine is a "non-interference"-I'm not clear on that term, but I understand that means I wouldn't have major engine damage should my chain break during operation. Should I play it safe and change out the chain or not really worry over this. Thanks for any input.

 

It's fine.
Guides and tensioners might need replaced at some point, but 100,000 is actually pretty low milage.

Hope to see you join the 400k club.

 

^^ +1. That's just a baby at 100,000 miles. I have an I30 with ~270,000 miles and the chain is fine. I did have to replace the tensioner at ~220,000 to remedy a ticking noise under the timing cover when it was cold in the mornings.

 

The 98 and 99 have updated tensioners. You shouldn't need to do anything to the timing components. Keep up on oil changes and just drive it. At 100k, it's still a baby!

 

Thought it was 97-99 that had the upgraded/improved design...?

 

I'm not for sure where this statement came from.

I read through my owner's manual last evening ... twice ... it makes no mention of timing chain maintenance.

 

I know right? I'm just sayin.

 

I'm wondering if the OP isn't recollecting some time belt maintenance requirements from a previous vehicle.

 

I did make an error in stating the owners manual- It was actually in the accompanying maintenance log that listed what you should do every 5000 miles- it has a check mark at the 105,000 mile mark that the timing chain should be changed.

 

Timing chains dont really have to be serviced like timing belts, they usually last the life of the car, which gives an advantage over other cars that need the sometimes expensive timing belt replacement every 100K miles or so.

 

That would be for a timing belt, your car does not apply.

 

Please tell us the publisher so we know which manuals to avoid. To recommend replacing a timing chain when it isn't needed is an egregious error IMO.

I'm posting from my phone right now, otherwise I would have provided a link, but you can download the factory service manual from links in people's signatures. It's the official documentation from Nissan. What they say, goes.

 

I read through mine too, when I went through the owner's manual (the accompanying service log that is).

It also makes no mention of timing chain maintenance.

To the OP:

You're reading Nissan published service information from the owner's packet that was provided with your car when new, correct? The black vinyl cased booklets (there's three of them in a black vinyl case) in your glove compartment, right?

 

Right turbobink -a black vinyl case with booklets-For all that expressed astonishment over changing the timing belt, you are rightly justified- I only looked at the check marks at the 105,000 mile mark- I failed to see in parentheses the models: Quest and pathfinder, which I assume have timing belts. Glad that my issue has been clarified and need not worry.