What’s up guys, I’m new and don’t really know how to navigate through this website. Nor do I know the abbreviations that are being said. This is a fourth generation 99, but it was built in July 98 which I still don’t understand why it’s a 99.

I was coming problem I attempted to replace the water pump. I was told to turn the crank **** why is not counter clockwise skipped teeth now I’m replacing the time in chain.
Front head I believe is on time. (Picture one) and I removed the old chain sprockets and cam unspun at this spot. Which coincidentally was the correct time.

Picture one: front head sprockets

Picture two: rear head sprockets

Rear head (picture two) chain markings lineup with the sprocket markings, however, the notch is not up, nor are those markings lined up with the markings on the back timing cover. I have attempted to rotate but I’m having a hard time, keeping it in place while installing the sprocket and chain.

Again I’m new, don’t know anything and I’m not a mechanic. Replacing the timing chain is the most in-depth I’ve ever been. Prior it’s mainly been replacing coil packs, spark plugs, head gasket rarely, tires, just replaced my radiator, things of that nature. There’s a diagram or a how to ask to do this I’m all ears.

 

Rotate the crankshaft so that all pistons are center in the Bore. You can then turn the camshafts, any of them for that matter to get them aligned with their marks. Once you have done that, rotate the engine back to TDC #1 and install the main chain and guides.

The rear cams are just out of alignment.. On the inside of the camshafts their is a hex for a 24mm or 27mm mm wrench you can use to turn them.. They need to go up/counter clock wise to the nipple on the inside of the cover, just as they are in your top picture (#1) of the front head.

 

Alright sounds good. Thank you.
…
while rotating the RH cams, interposition, going clockwise or counter, clockwise won’t affect anything major, will it?
…
If I don’t take out the oil sensor or the timing chain sensor will there be issues?

 

The B2 head (Radiator) side is correct pic 1
B1 (Firewall) needs to rotate up Counter clockwise pic 2

Rotate crank off tdc #1. You can turn it either way about 30 degrees so that the valves have clearance when opening and not hit the piston. You can them safely rotate the cams COUNTER clockwise to match those marks inside the cover I circled.. You can leave everything in place and rotate them just as the are. It Should just be one lobe back to line it up.

 

Every thing is back together…thought I’d never be so happy. Until I started it and it leaked between the timing cover and power steering pump…and when I backed it up off the ramps once I stopped, while in reverse, the car just about died, until I put it neutral.

not sure what I did wrong.

 

you sure you timed it correctly and that the chain is under good tension? Also by saying “just about died” so you mean it felt like it was choking or low fuel pressure, maybe low oil pressure?

 

“ just about died” later turned into it died. after a test drive. Didn’t even get to a 10th of a mile. Didn’t start after it died for about five minutes.

As far as I know as an amateur mechanic, it was in time. When I install the chain after the cams were in place, as you had shown, there was slack on the water pump side of the crankshaft at top dead center. Yes, I did rotate the cam shaft not even 20° to pull the slack out to the tensioner. i’m pretty confident that it was in time. However, I can be wrong..

Nothing sounded as if it was knocking. It just jerked and sputtered.

As far as the pressure goes for oil and fuel I’m completely ignorant.

here are some pictures of the alignment, maybe blurry however, you can still see the arrow on the sprocket, mark on a chain, and then the tit on each.





Slack that was pulled out to the tensioner

Slack that was pulled out to the tensioner

 

Was the slack their Prior to you ever starting the car if so you were already off. There should be zero slack on the front side of the chain.
I have had not so good timing kits where the chain is off or not assembled correctly. Part inspection is critical. Compare it to the oem chain to be sure it does not have an extra link if its not oem Nissan.
The tensioner could have also failed and caused it to jump to. I have had that happen.

What you need to do here is remove the timing tensioner, realign everything. You do not need to remove the intake or valve covers. The cams will stay locked together by the rear chain. Turning them by the cam bolts is fine.
Besides the tensioner you really don't need to remove anything else. Just put it back in time. I would Slack the crank chain completely off the crank shaft and move the slack to the rear. so that its tight. It looks like it's 1-2 teeth off..

The trick to this is to install the crank bolt with a spacer of some kind and use it to turn the crank in place so that the chain is tight and the marks line up. The chain is new so honestly just line things back up.
Imo, if the slack was not there before then the tensioner failed. Buy a new tensioner anyway so that you don't have to do this again. Keep us Updated..