Hi,

I have a 97 maxima having 200K miles on it. The timing chain does make a rattling sound, which is heard when standing near the car. But from the inside while driving, it is not a lot.

My doubts:
Is the rattling an issue to worry about? and
Probably the timing chain has never been changed before on the car, so does it require a change or the timing chains are supposed to be robust and do not need a replacement.

Thank you.

 

From experience, let me say that you should ensure that the noise you describe is actually your TC and not your belt tensioner mechanism.

I ... truthfully ... was poised to tear my motor apart due to noise I was 98% certain was my TC.

It wasn't.

It was a failing tensioner pulley bearing.

 

Timing chains don't normally need replacement

 

i'd follow turbolink's advice, since he went through it and its probably your tensioner pulley.

 

The timing chain IS robust and never needs replacement. It's the timing chain guides and the timing chain tensioners that fail.

If you've seen a timing chain failure on a car you will see that the timing chain was ok. It just fell off of its sprockets, or jumped a tooth or 2 or 3.

 

As someone who had to replaced 2 timing belts on a 4 cylinder within 2 years...I was happy to know a timing chain doesn't need 60,000 mile replacements. That said...there's certainly nothing in the manual about replacing it either.

 

275,000 on mine and i have no plans on replacing either the tensioners or the guides or the main chain even though it's possible it stretched a little. i bought my max with that noise 11 years ago with a light rattle and still gets quiet after she warms up. if it ever stays noisey after warm up, then you have a problem. even the dealer told me not to worry.

 

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and suggestions. I will look into the tensioner pulley bearing.

 

[QUOTE=nissan_maxima_1997;9106627]Hi,

I have a 97 maxima having 200K miles on it. The timing chain does make a rattling sound.

My 96 is at 326,000 and the chain still rattles a bit. Every mechanic who worked on one of these days that's pretty normal. My tensioner did give me problems once. I had to mix two (one auto zone and one online) because I had no tensioner there but it didn't come with the kit at Auto zone. The pulley part from online already had messed up bearings. Also my ac pulley gave me a horrid noise but I just bypassed with smaller belt

 

Timing chain life expectancy

For-ev-er

 

^^^ tru dat