jeremykedel

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys when is it recomended for the timing chain to be changed???? I have an Intermittent knock sound. Some peoplt think it is the bearings but we arent sure. The car has 145530 on the odometer. I know it is a dumb question but i am in a pinch on to buy a new motor or not.Please if anyone knows give me a hint.

tlong

you don't have a timing belt, so you need not worry. If you change your oil and notice metal flakes, then you have a little problem. If it is a knock that your hearing, you might want to check your anti-knock sensor.

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

Tensioner goes bad sometimes.

claudiusmaximas

dont we use chains not belts?

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

We use metal linked timing belts.

Look at the new logo on top of the page.

Do you have rod knock or spark knock?

Kevlo.

jeremykedel

iTrader: (2)

Yeah I kno its a chain sorry for the og post I put chain on the title. One of my buddies says sounds like rod knock.It only starts around 2500 to 3000 rpm then goes away, or you cant hear it anymore.Thats what makes me think it is the tensioner or chain guides.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Rod knock wont have too much to do with the timing chain .. but more your rods.

rimartinez

Can anybody help!? About a year ago I told Nissan that my '02 Maxima was making a clanking sound at start up (when cold) and at low RPMs when accelerating. the guy at the dealer said he didn't know what it could be but that he heard it. Well 2 days ago I started my car up and it sounded like the engine had a box of rocks dumped in it! the dealer speculates its the tensioner and plans to change the chain out as well. as luck should have it, my extended warranty (aftermarket) is having some sort of trouble so I need to decide whether I'm
a) willing to foot the $1,400+ to have Nissan do the work (and hope they don't find more damage after all this time of hearing that sound, they tell me that perhaps there could be more work required once they get in there but I need to approve the first part first)
b) take it elsewhere and have them do the work, or

c) get rid of the car and consider my headache over with.

You guys always have great input/ideas, any thoughts? My car has 77K highway miles, and I like it a lot, but this is the most disappointed I've been with a Nissan. I've taken great care of it, but starting with the sound system (Bose system always skipping), this car has been a series of headaches for me since I bought it brand new in 2002. Thanks for all the help!

5thgenmaxima

iTrader: (1)

Changing out my water pump next week (bad bearing). Should I replace the tensioner? Are these tensioners ultra weak or something? Should I buy a different brand? A dealer replacement is around $50-60. Is there anything else I should replace while I'm there? Looking at the labor times below, I don't think the camshaft tensioner will be replaced, unless it starts causing probelms in the future. Are these also weak? Sorry for thread jacking, but wondering what else I should replace or inspect while doing the waterpump. Thanks

Timing Chain Tensioner
. Replace
. . Timing Chain Tensioner
. 1.1 hours---less since I'm doing water pump anyways.
. . Camshaft Tensioner . B
. 15.7 hours

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

I have not seen tooo many go bad. Mainly on the early VQ's(95-96). It would not hurt to replace it. The camshaft tensioners do not go bad(they don;t look like they do)

5thgenmaxima

iTrader: (1)

Ok, so they mainly go bad on 95-96's. I know it would not hurt to replace, but if no 5th gens have had problems, I probably wouldn't waste my money.--So I guess 5th gen (newer 3.0 after hp addition) specific have you seen or heard of any going bad? Also anything else you would check while there?

jeremykedel

iTrader: (2)

I am just replacing the engine screw all that lol.then i have a platform to build a bad *** turbo motor.

Pri63

I get a pretty bad rattle sometimes, when i'm on a hill and clutch out to get the car moving. Is that rod knock?

Galo

Sounds like pre-ignition (knock) to me...

Chains constantly running in oil (ala cam chains, not motorcycle drive chains) need nothing for maybe 300k miles. The ocacssional rattle you'll hear for one second (or less) at start-up is because the tensioner slowly loses oil pressure when the engine if off, that's normal for all VQs although it can me sometimes minimized by different oil and oil filters.

Bottom line chains + good oil = carefree for 300k miles

5thgenmaxima

iTrader: (1)

Have you thought about your alternatives? I mean what is it going to cost to have the motor replaced? This sounds like a bad approach to me (no offense.) But are you going to do the work yourself? Either way its a bad idea, IMHO. New Engine ???? + plus price of rebuild + turbo w/ intercooler + time for 2 swaps = lots of thrown away money. If you have lots of money plz send some my way... I've never bought a new engine for a nissan, but I'm willing to bet its around $2400 or more (Could be wrong.) To me the money spent on a second engine would be better spent elsewhere. I mean- You could take and buy everything you plan to buy anyways, then take the saved money from two engine swaps(Plus lots of labor), have your old block bored, stroked, have crank ground, and put in some Hemi (or whatever nissan aftermarket offers) pistons and throw some bad a** aluminum heads on.(and you would still need 93 octane, so added fuel costs is a smaller issue)----Or if this is your only car you could buy yourself a low mileage 3.1 Lumina for the same price as a second engine (not even factoring in swap costs if having it done) and cut that huge loss down to a minimum amount, as resale will be better than a "used" engine.

Not trying to tell you what to do, just offering some other alternatives

jeremykedel

iTrader: (2)

yeah but i can get another motor for 900 bucks do the swap in my shop in a day no down time and have a spare to build over the course of a year.see the reasoning behind it? I just dont need down time, either way replacing the chain or the motor cost about the same and the new motor has less miles than the one currently in the car.

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

let me just ask a dumb question.....are you positive that the rattle between 2500-3000rpm isn't just the well-known heat sheild rattle (which also occurs under acceleration at 2500-3000rpms, usually)...

probably not, but figured I'd throw it out there. When my heat sheild was rattling, it sounded like a timing chain problem to me at first, also...

JClaw

iTrader: (17)

Why would get shafted by 1400$ at the dealer? Replacing the entire motor would be cheaper than that.

zax 20th ae

iTrader: (3)

B,if you got the time and are looking for people who know maximas take it to here its alot cheaper than the damn stealership and they know there ****....
http://www.maximumtuning.net/