240sxguy

iTrader: (1)

Background; 87 octane fuel, 2000 maxima with no mods and 121,000 on the odometer.


I have noticed this recently with my car. I am not sure if it has done it in the past or not. I have only had it for about 3k miles at this point. If you are sitting at idle and crack the throttle open quickly there is a rattling sound that sounds a hell of a lot like pinging. If the engine is already at say 2krpm and you crack the throttle the noise is not present. It's just at idle.

I can't seem to isolate it to just the timing chain area. It also does it at any engine temperature.

One other concerning thing is that my oil pressure light flashes twice when I start the car cold sometimes. I have also heard a knock when starting it cold, as if oil pressure is slow to build.

I guess at this point I need to do 2 things;

Next fill up will be premium to see if it stops.

Some sort of oil pressure gauge to check oil pressure at idle.

Anyone else have any thoughts? The car is in great shape, if I have to stick bearings in it I will.

Thanks - Evan

Does anyone have a video of a known timing chain rattle on a 3.0 liter motor? That would be helpful.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

If your OP is low, the oil light will light, and so I don't think that's the problem at idle if the light eventually turns off. My 4th gen did that too upon start-up.

I would use youtube for the timing chain rattle video clip, tons of 4th gens exhibit it, but usually only upon startup.

3.0's aren't really know to ping much, but a vid or sound clip might help us discern what the problem is.

240sxguy

iTrader: (1)

Okay that's reassuring on the oil light situation. I was going to install a gauge temporarily to watch things. It only happens maybe once per week so it seems unlikely to be the culprit. Looks like the switch triggers the light on under 14psi.

I will go search youtube right now.

240sxguy

iTrader: (1)

I can't find anything definitive on youtube. Lots of people with noises and very few with actual identification. I will try to take a video with my phone of my car.

There was one that referred to a timing chain, but it sounded quite a bit louder than mine does.

Thanks

mng1985@

check and see if you are low on oil. I was and that was causing my timing chain to rattle. Added more and it fixed the issue.

240sxguy

iTrader: (1)

I did check that, and it's full.

I will try to get a video this weekend.

Thanks!

240sxguy

iTrader: (1)

I finally popped a code for lean bank 1 (or 2 I cant recall) while cruising. I replaced the maf because I had some goofy hesitation too and the pinging/knocking is gone. Just wanted to follow up. This was maybe 6-7 weeks ago so I am confident that was the issue.

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

I spent 1-2 years nursing a low-end rattle, thinking it was gone and then back again. A low-end "rattle" from 700 rpm to around 1200 rpm. I tried high-octane gas, different gas stations, octane boost, a new MAF, ripped out old, rusty heat shields... even gutted my pre-cats. And while that last one was somewhat severe, it's also a nice little power-mod.

In the end, the sound was a bearing noise coming from the inexpensive idle tension pulley. Kind of feel like an idiot... but if someone reads this and it saves them from going mad, then I've paid it forward.

240sxguy

iTrader: (1)

Dude! Mine rattled too! I replaced that within the first two weeks of owning my car!