i been saving up to replace my cam sprockets on my 02 max since they are rattling. The nissan parts department shows the 02 max has variable timing sprocket but the 03 has regular sprockets. do any of you know if the are interchangeable from 02 to 03. the damn variable ones are 340 a piece and the regular ones are 45 bucks

 

They both have variable cam timing on the intake cam. 02 03 that is. Are you sure you need to replace the sprocket or have you researched the issue enough to justify the purchase and do you know how to replave them?

 

well all the tsb's say its the varible cam timing that rattle and to just replace them. i was looking at the part description on the nissan site and there is a huge price diff between the 02 and 03 sprockets. also im not sure what u mean by replaving them never really messed with import timing chains since im i diesel mechanic

 

I wouldn't bother replacing them. Mine has had the cold start 1-2 second rattle since I bought the car 62,500 miles ago. 176,400 on the original engine and it hasn't worsened and obviously hasn't affected the longevity of the engine.

 

This would be the first time I've heard of anyone swapping out cam sprockets as a maintenance issue on a 3.5l

 

i would leave them but they are really bad they rattle between shifts and any time the rpms are coming down. it started about 6 months ago and ever since it has been getting worse. i replaced my main timing chain tensioner and it stopped for about 20min

 

How's your oil level?

 

its fine i just switched from royal purple to amsoil to see if the royal purple wasnt doing the job. but obv the oil wasnt the issue

 

yeah fist time seeing this one dont know what it is exactly but no rattling for me yet, but good luck on whatever you decide to do.

 

I wonder if we share the same problem, I cannot find out whats rattling on mine, but it sounds similar to yours. I have a ticking between shifts and if i hold the revs or ever so slightly accelerate between 3 and 5 k rpms i get a rattle. if i let go of the gas its gone or push harder on the gas it goes away. i thought it may be the cvtc because of the correspondence between wether there is a load on the engine and the ticking.